The Illusion of Safety: A Reflection for Play Therapists
Safety, as we commonly speak of it, feels like something solid—something we can find, build, or secure. But what if safety isn’t a place or even a state… but a […]
Exploring the “Swirly” Nature of our Nervous System
One of the most exciting things for me about the brain and the nervous system is that we keep learning more about what it is, what it does, and how […]
What Regulation Really Means
By Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S The more therapists I teach, the more aware I become that the concept of regulation or becoming regulated is often misunderstood. Many people think that […]
Don’t Expect to Stay Calm – Stay Connected!!
Many leaders, gurus, even health “experts” are telling us to stay calm. I understand their intention but it’s impossible to ‘stay calm” in these turbulent times. ‘Staying calm” is not […]
Growth Requires Friction
In this article published in the Science of Psychotherapy magazine, Lisa talks about how growth requires friction. It requires tension points and challenge. It requires moving out of our comfort […]
Explicit Memory versus Implicit Memory: When Do Kids Remember?
Memories – they may be in the corners of our minds, but they’re also in the corner with questions: the age that memory develops is a hot topic. Many people […]
Trauma Impacts Abnormalities in the Brain and Play Therapy Heals Them
By Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S The brain, for all its greatness, is also highly susceptible to experiences that register as traumatic – after all, one of its main jobs is […]
Man’s Best Friend: The Neuroscience Behind the Animal/Person Connection
For many humans, connection with animals has been a huge part of their lives. From the deep sense of companionship to the ability to attune to our emotional states, animals […]
The Brain on Shame
Most of us, at some point in our practice, will encounter a parent not yet sold on play therapy – we come across dads full of doubts or moms musing […]
Balancing the Left Brain & the Right Brain in Play Therapy
Play therapy is very much a right-brain experience. When a child is playing, their right brain is actively engaged, and the sensations and emotions stored in their implicit memory circuitry […]
The Significance of Neuroscience in Play Therapy
It’s crucial to bring the brain and neuroscience into the play therapy process if we really want to understand what is happening in the mind and bodies of a child […]