Synergetic Play Therapy Institute

2019 Midwest Child Life Conference - Keynote: The Need for An External Regulator During Child Life Interventions - Springfield, Missouri
2019-11-09 | Missouri State University – Plaster Student Union, 1110 E. Madison Street, Springfield, MO, 65897, United States
Join Lisa Dion as she explores external regulation in the Child Life Specialist.
Research in neuroscience and interpersonal neurobiology sheds light on the need for the Child Life Specialist to act as the external regulator supporting the child and their family to move towards the intensity they are experiencing allowing for integration.
Without the ability of the Child Life Specialist to become the external regulator for the intensity that arises, both the child, family, and the Child Life Specialist are at risk for emotional flooding and high levels of dysregulation in their nervous systems. Over time, this can significantly impact a Child Life Specialist’s longevity in the field, as well as the ability to stay attuned and present to the child and family during care.
Break out session:
We are in this together: Understanding Nervous System States for Co-Regulation

This presentation explores the various states of activation of the nervous system in order to help Child Life Specialists understand new ways of working with a child’s fears and anxieties, how to recognize emotional flooding, and ultimately how to become the external regulator to co-regulate a child through their challenging experiences leading to a more adaptive and less overwhelming hospital experience. Register or learn more here.

Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Five-Day Retreat (Part of the Nine-Month Certification Program) - Vancouver, Canada
2020-01-09 - 2020-01-14
The Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Five-Day Retreat is the second retreat in the nine-month Synergetic Play Therapy Certification Program. This program takes your SPT journey one step further with authenticity, congruency, attunement, and camaraderie. It is designed to help therapists look even deeper while cultivating community and a connection to clients (and each other!).
In order to enroll in the Certification Program, you must complete one of the following prerequisites:

A Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy™ Intensive Training with post supervision
The Synergetic Play Therapy™ Supplemental Course with post supervision
The Six-Month Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ Course with post supervision

“I feel like I am working at my optimum level as a therapist, business owner, mom, wife, volunteer, and athlete. Last year, I was excited about starting the Certification process but felt like the testimonials might be too good to be true. They’re not. The SPT Certification process is literally life-changing. This was the piece that was missing for so many years. It’s worth every penny.” – Grace Lacuone
For program details, click here.

Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Five-Day Retreat (Part of the Nine-Month Certification Program) – Boulder, Colorado
2020-01-16 - 2020-01-20

Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Five-Day Retreat (Part of the Nine-Month Certification Program) – Melbourne, Australia
2020-02-03 - 2020-02-07

Innovative Child Therapy Symposium - Online
2020-02-03 - 2020-02-07
Prepare to be truly inspired! Join us to discover a ton of fresh ideas to take back to your therapy practice from over 40 expert speakers presenting on a wide variety of therapeutic approaches. You’ll deepen your clinical skills and let your creativity flow as we learn together from some of the most impactful, heartfelt, highly-skilled professionals supporting child and adolescent mental health.
Lisa Dion will be speaking on Synergetic Play Therapy!
Register for free!
Sign up here.

Too Stressed to Play: A Two-Day Self-Care Retreat for Play Therapists - Melbourne, Australia
2020-02-07 - 2020-02-09
We’re sold out. New date coming soon!
This event includes two nights of accommodation in the Yarra Valley, healthy snacks and meals, and a welcome gathering. Saturday includes yoga, meditation, sound healing, and a discussion on “You, Me, and We: What You Must Know to Fully Understand the Therapeutic Relationship and the Importance of Self in the Playroom.” Sunday includes a mindfulness practice and a discussion on “Facing our Fears: Take a Look at the Blocks and Beliefs that are in the Way of Your Being Able to Show Up Fully in the Playroom to Connect with Yourself and Your Child Client.”

Healing Trauma and Abuse in Children and Adolescents: A Two-Day Workshop - Quezon City, Philippines
2020-02-14 - 2020-02-15
When children and adolescents come to counseling for support with trauma and abuse, clinicians can be at a loss for how best to work with the complexities and the intensity of that prior experience.
Without a clear understanding of what to do and how to facilitate the integration of trauma, children can stay stuck and unable to move forward in their healing. Clinicians can also find themselves anxious, exhausted, confused, overwhelmed, and dysregulated, which can – over time – significantly impact their longevity in the field. It can affect their ability to stay attuned to and present with the child as well.
With the help of neuroscience and a Synergetic Play Therapy framework, this two-day workshop teaches clinicians how to effectively work with trauma and abuse in a way that supports integration and nervous system regulation, while decreasing compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma.
Register here.

Ah! Why Aren't You Listening to Me? Working with Resistance in the Supervisory Relationship: Three-Hour Course at the Minnesota APT Conference - Minneapolis, Minnesota
2020-03-05
One of the hardest and often misunderstood aspects of being a play therapy supervisor is effectively working with resistance. This workshop takes a deeper look at what resistance actually is, its biology, and how to creatively work with it.
For more information or to register, click here.
Course Objectives

Discuss what resistance in play therapy supervision actually is
Examine the biology of resistance in order to more skillfully identify it and work with it as it arises in a play therapy supervision session
Describe at least 2 new ideas to help play therapy supervisees when they are feeling resistant in supervision

Aggression in the Playroom - A Synergetic Approach for Working with Trauma and Intensity in Play Therapy: One-Day Workshop at the Minnesota APT Conference - Minneapolis, Minnesota
2020-03-06
With the help of neuroscience, interpersonal neurobiology, and a Synergetic Play Therapy framework, therapists will learn how to effectively work with aggressive play in a way that supports nervous system regulation and reorganization of the child’s lower centers of the brain while decreasing compassion fatigue. Join us as we learn how to become a child’s external regulator during trauma and intensive play, allowing you to maximize integration and healing in your child clients (and in yourself).
Although aggression and death are common parts of the play therapy process, many therapists don’t have a clear understanding of what to do and how to facilitate the intensity when it enters the playroom during play. The result can lead to inadvertently promoting aggression and increasing low brain disorganization. It can also lead to the therapist feeling beat up, exhausted, and hyper-aroused themselves, which can – over time – significantly impact their longevity in the field as well as their ability to stay attuned and present to a child in the playroom.
For more information or to register, click here.

Course Objectives

Recognize the significance of congruence and authentic expression in the play therapy process
Discuss how to work with aggression and trauma in the playroom without having your own nervous system shut down leading to vicarious trauma
Discuss the link between a child’s dysregulated states of their nervous system and their aggressive and traumatic play
Practice facilitating aggressive play in the play therapy process without increasing or promoting aggression
Discuss the Synergetic Play Therapy concept of “The Set Up” in the playroom
Demonstrate how to set boundaries without shaming or shutting down a child’s play

Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® January 2021: SPT in Teletherapy
2020-03-09 | Online
This is a bonus video, part of the Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® January 25th – June 25th.
SPT and Teletherapy Objectives:

Explore how to become the client’s external regulator while facilitating a telehealth play therapy session
Identity at least 3 ways the play therapist can regulate during a teletherapy session to prevent compassion fatigue and burnout
Explore how the Synergetic Play Therapy concept of “The Set Up/The Offering” applies in a telehealth play therapy session

For more information about this Level 1/Introductory level course or to be part of the next one, click here>>>
Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ is a six-month online course that includes three, one-hour LIVE webinars with Lisa Dion, six 2.5-hour recorded videos, and monthly one-hour group consultations with a Synergetic Play Therapy™ Supervisor/Consultant. Consultation is a mandatory part of the course to help you integrate what you are learning.
Special topics such as tracking the play, attachment, facilitating sand, art, trauma, and aggressive play are covered from the perspective of nervous system regulation, attunement, mindfulness, and authenticity. Participants will also learn how to track their client’s changes for caregivers, teachers, agencies, and themselves. And, we’ve added a bonus recorded webinar just for you and to support you during these times – SPT in Teletherapy.

Understanding Regulation for Early Childhood Educators (Closed Training) - Boulder, Colorado
2020-03-11 | Boulder Journey School, 1919 Yarmouth Ave, Boulder, CO, 80304, United States
One-hour presentation for early childhood educators at the Boulder Journey School. This is a closed presentation. If you’d like more information about our teachings for early childhood educators, please email us at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

FREE: Regulating Through the Coronavirus Webinar - Part 1
2020-03-18 19:00 - 20:00 UTC | SPT Learning Website
It’s probably no surprise to you that the Coronavirus has caused a lot of stress and anxiety in the world. And equally so, you’ve likely noticed impact to yourself and those around you. In response, on March 18th, thousands came together from around the world to join Lisa for a transformative online experience, Regulating Through the Coronavirus. Since airing, the feedback and continued reach has been profound!
As such, we decided to extend you free access to this very special webinar dedicated to supporting parents, teachers, therapists, and those working on the front lines of the crisis. ‘
In this FREE live webinar, Lisa talked about:

Ways to support others with nervous system regulation during these uncertain times
How to maximize immune system functioning through regulation
How to work with children through their fears and anxieties
How to integrate the fears to enhance health and resilience

Even though the event has passed, you can access the webinar on the SPT Learning site.
“Thank you Lisa for a wonderful webinar on regulating. Remembering to breathe and disconnect, to come back to myself has been extremely useful reminder during your presentation. These are strategies I shall remember to put into practice each day for the forseeable future. I feel I have activated my own internal safety and regulated … amazing what one can achieve in one hour and even less when practicing the breathing techniques. Thank you for being our external regulator…” -Suzy Papaioannou

FREE - Working Through Exhaustion, Burnout, and Compassion Fatigue: Regulating Through the Coronavirus - Part 2
2020-04-05 19:00 - 20:00 | Webinar Jam
Since the first Regulating through the Coronavirus webinar aired, it has reached over 7,000 people worldwide with requests for a part 2. So here we go!…
For many people, the high level of stress of the past few weeks is starting to take its toll and is resulting in- The Crash. With persistent attempts to respond to what’s happening in the world, sometimes pushing ourselves beyond our limits, or just trying to stay afloat as we adapt to new routines and demands, our nervous systems continue to be at risk of becoming taxed resulting in fatigue and shut down.
Come join Lisa again on April 5th at 7pm (MDT, Denver) for another very special one hour webinar where she will help educate, normalize, as well as offer you strategies to move through the exhaustion, burnout, and compassion fatigue that you may be noticing … And, even if this has not been your experience, you likely know someone who is at this point. ​​​​​​​
Register Now!

We are in this Together: Emotional Regulation in the Playroom: One-Day Workshop - Burns, Tennessee - TO BE RESCHEDULED
2020-04-17 | Montgomery Bell State Park, 1020 Jackson Hill Road, Burns, TN, 37029, United States
This event will be rescheduled for a later date …. please check back.
As neuroscience continues to reveal the importance of developing greater and greater capacities for emotional regulation, it is essential that clinicians understand the biology behind regulation and how to develop it within the children they work with. This full day workshop is designed to help clinicians understand exactly what regulation is and is not, the biological mechanisms in the brain and nervous system allowing for regulation, and learn practical tools that can be implemented right away in the playroom for developing a child’s regulatory capacity. Clinicians will also learn what it takes and how to become the external regulator in the relationship- the most important tool to have in the toolbox.
In this workshop, Lisa makes the growing field of neuroscience accessible and relevant to clinicians of all backgrounds. Using interpersonal neurobiology and a Synergetic Play Therapy framework rooted in Child-Centered, Gestalt and Experiential Play Therapy theories, this workshop caters to both experienced and new clinicians, and is applicable to private practice, agency and school settings. Clinicians will leave this workshop with a powerful new perspective on emotional regulation and ideas that they can take straight into their next session.
Objectives:

Discuss the significance of congruence and authentic expression in the play therapy process
Examine the link between a child’s dysregulated states of their nervous system and their play
Discuss the Synergetic Play Therapy concept of “The Set Up” in the playroom as a way to understand what children are attempting to communicate
Explore how our own “window of tolerance” can impact the child’s healing process
Practice what it takes to become the “external regulator” in the playroom to support nervous system integration
Explore what to do when “emotional flooding” happens in a play therapy session

Get the details and sign up here!

Trauma Informed Approaches to Understanding Aggression and Revolutionizing Therapeutic Practice with Children and Young People: Online Two-Day Workshop - British Columbia, Canada
2020-05-28 09:00 - 2020-05-29 12:00 | Online via Zoom
During this online workshop, Lisa will weave together insights from interpersonal neurobiology and nervous system activation allowing therapists to understand how to co-regulate through the intensity, providing a level of insight which supports the transformation of aggression into ways of connecting and mutual trust.
Doesn’t matter where you are in the world … Get all the details and register here.
Course Objectives
Participants will come away with a range of new skills and strategies that include:

Learning how to set boundaries without shaming or shutting down the child
Understanding how to work with the intensity of aggressive play without the therapist’s own nervous system shutting down resulting in compassion fatigue and burn out
Learning how to become the external regulator in a session to deepen children’s ability to integrate the challenging experiences they are working through

This two-day workshops runs 9am-12pm on both days May 28th & 29th.

Pilina in the Playroom - Neurobiology and Attachment in Play Therapy: A Five-Day Play Therapy Retreat- Kailua-Kona, Hawaii - TO BE RESCHEDULED
2020-06-08 - 2020-06-12 | Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel, 75-5660 Palani Rd, Kailua-Kona, HI, 96740, United States
This event will be rescheduled … please check back for the new dates!
Last year was such a success, we’re doing it all over again!
Pilina in the Playroom: Neurobiology and Attachment in Play Therapy is a 5- Day Play Therapy Retreat held on the island of Hawaii. At a relaxed island pace, the theories of attachment and neurobiology come together as Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S and Clair Mellenthin, LCSW, RPT-S present on how to develop connection to self, others, and communities. You will learn how to create an authentic attachment to yourself which becomes a powerful tool in the play therapy room with our clients young and old. By developing play-based regulation and co-regulation strategies for use in the playroom, we can encourage and foster stronger connections in the families we work with. You will discover how attachment theory can guide your play therapy practice and how to encourage and develop deeper attachment relationships between you, your child clients, and their caregivers.
Participants will spend five days learning new and innovative play therapy techniques including hands on experiential activities, guided imagery, regulation strategies, sand tray interventions, and expressive arts in a gorgeous setting with plenty of time for self-care, rest, and rejuvenation built into the program. Weather permitting, we will be spending doing Sandtray ON THE BEACH learning attachment centered Sandtray interventions! You will leave with a creative toolbox of tips, techniques, and a clear understanding of how attachment styles impact relationships and the confidence and competence needed to make a difference in the lives of many.
Each day has been carefully planned to allow time for self-reflection, learning, case studies, and hands on experiential learning. You will be treated with 20 Hours of APT Credit including 5 hours of seminal/historically significant theory, 10 hours of skills and methods, and 5 hours special topics. You will also come home with a toolbox of play therapy interventions. But most importantly, you will leave this beautiful island retreat rejuvenated and ready to jump back into practice, feeling confident and competent in the knowledge you have gained.
Registration is open!

Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy Six-Month Course - June 22nd - November 20th
2020-06-22
Learn from anywhere! … The Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy is a 21-hour course that takes you on a journey to explore the neuroscience behind what is happening in the playroom, how to repattern a child’s nervous system, and what it means to become an external regulator in the playroom. You will also learn how to effectively work with parents and what it means to create a neuroception of safety allowing both the child and the parent to have a deeper integration. And if this wasn’t enough, you will come to understand the magic of aggressive play, sand and art from the perspectives of nervous system regulation, attunement, attachment, mindfulness, and authenticity.
You’ll learn all this while also how to avoid burnout and compassion fatigue. Come discover what showing up in the playroom truly means and explore what is happening in the play therapy process, how change occurs, and ultimately what it takes to help children heal at profound levels. And the best part is, you get to be you on the journey!
This course includes three, one-hour LIVE webinars with Lisa Dion, six 2.5-hour recorded videos, and monthly group consultations** with a Synergetic Play Therapy™ Supervisor/Consultant to help you integrate what you are learning. It is designed for masters-level therapists and clinicians (or equivalent).
Course goes from June 22nd through November 20th, 2020
“Lisa Dion truly has a gift and I cannot wait to learn more about the SPT model. The Intro to SPT course gave me a true understanding of what we all go through in being human and the importance to “come back home.” This was such a wonderful foundation for being a therapist in general and in learning more rationale behind working in this field.” – Liz Keator
For program details and to register, click here.

Watercourse Private Training: 3-Day Live Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy
2020-07-14 08:00 - 2020-07-16 17:00 | Online via Zoom
This 3-Day Online/Live Private Training of Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ takes students on a journey to explore the neuroscience behind what is happening in the play therapy process, how to repattern a child’s nervous system, and what it means to become an external regulator in the playroom. Participants will also learn how to effectively work with parents and what it means to create a neuroception of safety allowing both the child and the parent to have a deeper integration. And if this wasn’t enough, students will come to understand the magic of aggressive play, sand and art from the perspectives of nervous system regulation, attunement, attachment, mindfulness, and authenticity.
Participants will learn all this while also how to avoid burnout and compassion fatigue. They will discover what showing up in the playroom truly means and explore what is happening in the play therapy process, how change occurs, and ultimately what it takes to help children heal at profound levels.
Topics Covered: Tracking the play, attachment, facilitating sand, art, trauma, and aggressive play are covered from the perspective of nervous system regulation, attunement, mindfulness, and authenticity. Participants will also learn how to track their client’s changes for parents, teachers, agencies, and themselves.
*If you’d like your organization to participate in a private training to learn Synergetic Play Therapy, please contact us at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com or 720-458-9597.

Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive - Fort Collins, Colorado
2020-07-18 - 2020-07-24 | Brain Drops, 209 E Plum St., Fort Collins, CO, 80524, United States
The Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive allows you to jump in and really experience the magic of Synergetic Play Therapy! We hold these intensives regularly throughout the year, limiting this program to four people in order to permit extensive skill practice with individualized coaching and feedback. Each participant will be paired with a child client with whom they will work every day during the training under direct supervision as part of a therapeutic observation team. Dive into SPT and see if it’s right for you!
Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive Prerequisite Training:

Participants should have completed or be enrolled in a Master’s Degree (or equivalent) program in counseling, social work, or education.
Previous experience working with children and families is also required.
A basic understanding of play therapy and play therapy skills is required.

Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive objectives:

Explain some of the neuroscience behind identifying children’s states of dysregulation during play therapy and how this influences the symptoms and play in the playroom.
Describe how Synergetic Play Therapy tools such as Nervous System Chart, The Process of Change, and explaining the Synergetic Play Therapy Stages can help a parent understand the play therapy process and keep them engaged.
Begin to assess a child’s emotional age in their play during the play therapy process.
Demonstrate how mindfulness and self-awareness in the playroom is an essential component to helping widen a child’s emotional window of tolerance during play therapy.
Demonstrate how to work with parents in the play therapy process and keep them engaged.
Apply the use of boundaries to help reduce emotional flooding and overwhelm in both the child and the therapist during play therapy.
Demonstrate how to set boundaries in play therapy without shaming or shutting down the child’s play.
Describe the projective process and how children engage in “The Set Up” during play therapy, as a way to integrate their perceptions of what is challenging them.
Use the therapist’s authenticity and attunement to support the attachment process in play therapy.
Use regulation, in the midst of challenging play, as an essential component of becoming the child’s external regulator in the playroom.
Use regulation to support a child’s ability to learn how to regulate during play therapy sessions.

For availability and registration details, please contact the Institute at 720-458-9597 or email info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

SPT and EMDR: Three-Day Workshop - TO BE RESCHEDULED
2020-07-23 - 2020-07-25
This training will be rescheduled … we’ll share as soon as we have the new dates/times.
Have you completed Basic EMDR training? Then come experience it with an SPT-twist!
In this workshop, therapists will have a one of kind experience exploring the basic components of play therapy from a neurobiology perspective as they get introduced to Synergetic Play Therapy and learn how it applies to the EMDR process with children. Through didactic and experiential teachings, participants will learn cutting-edge research on neural anatomy, mindfulness, attachment theory and brain development as the research is translated into practical ways of working with children and parents. Participants will gain an understanding of the Adaptive Information Processing Model (AIP) in EMDR as it relates to Synergetic Play Therapy.
Participants will also learn what it means to attach to one’s self as the cornerstone for all healing, the importance of congruent emotional expression in the playroom, how to identify types of dys-regulation in the playroom, how to model regulating activities to the client, how to talk to and involve parents and ultimately how to re-pattern a child’s nervous system through the play therapy process. Aggressive play will also be covered from the perspective of nervous system regulation, attunement, and mindfulness. Finally, participants will also learn how to track a client’s changes in a simple, yet comprehensive way.
This is a three-day workshop. Following the training, participants may sign up for case consultation with consultants trained in both EMDR and SPT.
Registration details coming soon!

Synergetic Play Therapy Certification Program 4-Day Online Retreat (Boulder, Colorado)
2020-07-30 - 2020-08-02 | Online via Zoom
This 4-Day Retreat is part of the 10-Month Synergetic Play Therapy Certification Program. The Certification Program is open to those who have completed either the Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive, the Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy course, or the Synergetic Play Therapy Supplemental to a 2-Day Training. If you have completed one of these and are interested in moving towards certification, please see the details below or get more information here.
Are you a Masters-level (or equivalent) therapist or clinician ready to take your Synergetic Play Therapy skills to the next level? With 87 hours of content, the Certification program propels you on a journey of inquiry about how healing truly occurs in the playroom. You will learn about nervous system activation re-patterning and how integration occurs in the mind-body. You will study in-depth the projective process and the mind, perceptions and memory, interpersonal neurobiology, and will have a transformative understanding of attachment theory. But this isn’t the best part of this training. The best part is what happens to YOU! This program is designed to not only help you learn how to facilitate your child client’s healing, but also teach you about yourself, what drives you to be who you are, and awaken your own authenticity … absolutely PRICELESS!!!!
The course begins with four days together in community (this year we’ll be offering the first retreat online). Halfway through the course, we will reconvene for an additional four and a half days. During the program (with the exception of December and January), the course will be conducted twice a month via live webinar. The Certification process includes six one-hour supervision sessions (after concluding your introductory course) and nine one-hour supervision sessions during the course with an SPT Supervisor for a total of 15 supervision hours. These sessions are designed to help you integrate and deepen your learning.
Please note: Completion of The Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy course, the Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive, or Synergetic Play Therapy Supplemental course to a 2-day training is required for acceptance into the Certification Program.

SPT and Teletherapy Webinar: Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ June 2020 – November 2020
2020-08-18 14:00 - 15:00 | Online via Zoom
BONUS Webinar, SPT and Teletherapy is part of the Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ course.
For more information about this Level 1/Introductory level course or to be part of the next one, click here>>>
Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ is a six-month online course that includes three, one-hour LIVE webinars with Lisa Dion, six 2.5-hour recorded videos, and monthly one-hour group consultations with a Synergetic Play Therapy™ Supervisor/Consultant. Consultation is a mandatory part of the course to help you integrate what you are learning.
Special topics such as tracking the play, attachment, facilitating sand, art, trauma, and aggressive play are covered from the perspective of nervous system regulation, attunement, mindfulness, and authenticity. Participants will also learn how to track their client’s changes for caregivers, teachers, agencies, and themselves. And, we’ve added a bonus recorded webinar just for you and to support you during these times – SPT in Teletherapy.
The next course takes place from October 26th, 2020 – March 26th, 2021.

Understanding What Regulation Is and What It Isn't: Class 3, Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ June 2020 – November 2020
2020-08-21 | Online
Class 3: Understanding What Regulation Is and What It Isn’t is part of the Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ course, June 2020 – November 2020
Class 3 Objectives:

Explain what regulation is and isn’t according to Synergetic Play Therapy
Discuss what it means to “overcome a challenge” in the play therapy process
Describe what it means to become the external regulator in a session to help a child integrate their challenges
Explain why you, the therapist, are the most important toy in the playroom.

For more information about this Level 1/Introductory level course or to be part of the next one, click here>>>
Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ is a six-month online course that includes three, one-hour LIVE webinars with Lisa Dion, six 2.5-hour recorded videos, and monthly one-hour group consultations with a Synergetic Play Therapy™ Supervisor/Consultant. Consultation is a mandatory part of the course to help you integrate what you are learning.
Special topics such as tracking the play, attachment, facilitating sand, art, trauma, and aggressive play are covered from the perspective of nervous system regulation, attunement, mindfulness, and authenticity. Participants will also learn how to track their client’s changes for caregivers, teachers, agencies, and themselves. And, we’ve added a bonus recorded webinar just for you and to support you during these times – SPT in Teletherapy.
The next course takes place from October 26th, 2020 – March 26th, 2021.

Synergetic Play Therapy Certification Program 4-Day Online Retreat (Melbourne, Australia)
2020-08-31 - 2020-09-03 | Online via Zoom

AIRS 2020 E-Conference: Power Speaker: Beyond the 'Shoulds' - How False Beliefs Keep Us from Authenticity
2020-09-16 - 2020-09-18 | Online via Zoom
Lisa will be offering a keynote presentation (Power Speakers) at the first-ever AIRS E-Conference, running from September 16th to 18th (Wed to Fri). She’ll be presenting on Friday, Sept 18th at 11am ET / 9am MDT on “Beyond the ‘Shoulds’ – How False Beliefs Keep Us from Authenticity.”
She’ll explore how people are bombarded by millions of messages everyday about how to create the perfect life and what is “normal,” but unfortunately, much of what is taught in the mental health and self-development field is based on false beliefs about how people should work and what health should look like. The result is that people are often left feeling depressed, stuck, anxious and confused about who their “authentic self” actually is.
With Lisa’s in-depth understanding of neuro-psychology, how the mind is designed to work and the biology of symptoms, she’ll teach people why they create the life experiences that they do, and freeing them from many of the cultural myths and the limiting beliefs that keep them stuck, powerless, and dissatisfied.
Get all the details and register here: https://learn.airs.org/airs-conference-2020-registration
*The Alliance of Information and Referral Systems is the professional membership association for community Information and Referral (I &R). AIRS is the driving force behind the quality I&R services and the sole source for standards, program accreditation, and practitioner certification for the I&R sector.

Becoming A Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor Training
2020-09-17
This training is for Certified Synergetic Play Therapists who meet the pre-requisites to becoming a Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor*. These courses count towards Registered Play Therapy Supervisor requirements. In this training, students will learn how to apply the Synergetic Play Therapy philosophy and tenets to the supervisory relationship. Through video observation, didactic learning, group discussion, and self study, students will learn how to step into the role of supervisor- one of the most important and influential roles in a play therapist’s journey.
Get all the details here and to apply >>>
Becoming a Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor Objectives:
Becoming a Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor- General Theory ( 3 Non-Contact Credits)

Learn the Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor Tenets
Discuss the SPT Skills Sets and the need to start with the basic skill sets
Explain “The Set Up” in the Supervisory relationship

Application of Synergetic Play Therapy Principles through a Supervisory Lens (4 Non-Contact Credits)

Write your strengths and areas of growth as a supervisor through self video observation and self analysis
Analyze the Tenets of Synergetic Play Therapy Supervision through written analysis

How to Supervise an SPT Supervisee (6 Non Contact Credits)

Apply the use of video in the supervision process
Critique various therapists’ struggles in the play therapy process presented through video observation and ways to support their growth
Discuss the importance of identifying one key skill the supervisee can be working on and the importance of communicating in the supervisee’s goals and values.

Clinical Issues in SPT Supervision Course – Groups (6 Non Contact Credits)

Analyze various clinical issues that arise and ways to support the supervisees’ growth and learning
Discuss the importance of making sure supervisees are working on basic play therapy skills first
Learn various ways to understand where the supervisee is at in their therapeutic development and the importance of working with them where they are at in their stage of development

This is an 8 month training and starts with the first class on September 17th, 2020
*Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor and Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor are protected titles held by those who have taken this training

Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive - Littleton, Colorado - CANCELLED
2020-09-18 | Play Therapy Connection, 8 W Dry Creek Cir, Littleton, CO, 80120, United States
Stay Tuned for more SPT Intensive trainings to be scheduled in 2021 …
The Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive is over two weekends (September 18th – 20th, & September 25th – 27th) and allows you to jump in and really experience the magic of Synergetic Play Therapy! We hold these intensives regularly throughout the year, limiting this program to four people in order to permit extensive skill practice with individualized coaching and feedback. Each participant will be paired with a child client with whom they will work every day during the training under direct supervision as part of a therapeutic observation team. Dive into SPT and see if it’s right for you!
Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive Prerequisite Training:

Participants should have completed or be enrolled in a Master’s Degree (or equivalent) program in counseling, social work, or education.
Previous experience working with children and families is also required.
A basic understanding of play therapy and play therapy skills is required.

Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive objectives:

Explain some of the neuroscience behind identifying children’s states of dysregulation during play therapy and how this influences the symptoms and play in the playroom.
Describe how Synergetic Play Therapy tools such as Nervous System Chart, The Process of Change, and explaining the Synergetic Play Therapy Stages can help a parent understand the play therapy process and keep them engaged.
Begin to assess a child’s emotional age in their play during the play therapy process.
Demonstrate how mindfulness and self-awareness in the playroom is an essential component to helping widen a child’s emotional window of tolerance during play therapy.
Demonstrate how to work with parents in the play therapy process and keep them engaged.
Apply the use of boundaries to help reduce emotional flooding and overwhelm in both the child and the therapist during play therapy.
Demonstrate how to set boundaries in play therapy without shaming or shutting down the child’s play.
Describe the projective process and how children engage in “The Set Up” during play therapy, as a way to integrate their perceptions of what is challenging them.
Use the therapist’s authenticity and attunement to support the attachment process in play therapy.
Use regulation, in the midst of challenging play, as an essential component of becoming the child’s external regulator in the playroom.
Use regulation to support a child’s ability to learn how to regulate during play therapy sessions.

For availability and registration details, please contact the Institute at 720-458-9597 or email info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

Aggression in the Playroom: A Synergetic Approach for Working with Trauma and Intensity in Play Therapy: One-Day Workshop - Seco, Maine - TO BE RESCHEDULED
2020-09-25 | Ferry Beach Retreat and Conference Center, 5 Morris Ave, Saco, ME, 04072, United States
This training will be rescheduled … we’ll let you know as soon as we have the new date/time.
Although aggression is a common part of the play therapy process, many therapists don’t have a clear understanding of what to do and how to facilitate the intensity when it enters the playroom during play. The result can lead to inadvertently promoting aggression and increasing low brain disorganization. It can also lead to the therapist feeling beat up, exhausted and hyper-aroused themselves, which can over time significantly impact their longevity in the field, as well as their ability to stay attuned and present to a child in the play room.
With the help of neuroscience, interpersonal neurobiology, and a Synergetic Play Therapy framework rooted in Child-Centered, Gestalt and Experiential Play Therapy theories, therapists will learn how to effectively work with aggressive play in a way that supports nervous system regulation, reorganization of the child’s lower centers of the brain and promote healing for the child. Through role play, discussion, and experiential exercises participants will learn practical techniques that can be used right away in the playroom. Topics such as boundaries, co-regulation, nervous system activation, emotional flooding and use of aggressive toys and play will be explored.
This workshop will also guide participants towards a deeper understanding of what it means to become a child’s external regulator during aggressive play while practicing how to care for their own nervous system thereby decreasing compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma. The result is the transformation of aggression into ways of connecting, healing and mutual trust.
Get more information here.
Course Objectives

Describe strategies that maintain self-regulation in the midst of intense play/trauma play in a play therapy session.
Define the term, “external regulator” in the playroom and explore strategies that support nervous system integration.
Identify the link between a child’s dysregulated states of their nervous system and their aggressive and traumatic play.
Examine and practice how to facilitate aggressive play in the play therapy process without increasing or promoting aggression.
Examine the Synergetic Play Therapy concept of “The Set Up” in the playroom as a way to understand what the child is trying to communicate.
Demonstrate how to set boundaries without shaming or shutting down a child’s play.

Working with Caregivers, Class 4: Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ June 2020 - November 2020
2020-09-25 | Online
Working with Caregivers (Class 4) is part of the Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ course, June 2020 – November 2020
Class 4 Objectives:

Discuss the implications for caregivers being in their own grief process when they bring their children to play therapy.
Describe how to have a successful play therapy intake.
Discuss the importance of setting goals and speaking in terms of what is important to the caregiver.

For more information about this Level 1/Introductory level course or to be part of the next one, click here>>>
Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ is a six-month online course that includes three, one-hour LIVE webinars with Lisa Dion, six 2.5-hour recorded videos, and monthly one-hour group consultations with a Synergetic Play Therapy™ Supervisor/Consultant. Consultation is a mandatory part of the course to help you integrate what you are learning.
Special topics such as tracking the play, attachment, facilitating sand, art, trauma, and aggressive play are covered from the perspective of nervous system regulation, attunement, mindfulness, and authenticity. Participants will also learn how to track their client’s changes for caregivers, teachers, agencies, and themselves. And, we’ve added a bonus recorded webinar just for you and to support you during these times – SPT in Teletherapy.
The next course takes place from October 26th, 2020 – March 26th, 2021.

Working with Aggression and Intensity in the Playroom: Workshop, Association for Play Therapy International Conference - CANCELLED
2020-10-01 - 2020-10-06 | Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa Ranch, Mirage, CA, United States
The 37th Annual Association for Play Therapy Therapy International Conference has been cancelled.
