Synergetic Play Therapy Institute

Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive - July 7-13 (One Day Break in Middle)
2018-07-07 09:00 - 2018-07-13 18:00 UTC | Play Therapy Colorado, 2845 Wilderness Place, Suite 208, Boulder, CO, 80301, United States
Join one of our regularly-held, six-day intensive for Masters-level therapists (or equivalent) and clinicians. Jump in and really experience the magic of Synergetic Play Therapy! We limit this Play Therapy Training 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.
Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy 0bjectives:

Understand some of the neuroscience behind identifying a child’s states of dysregulation and how these influence the symptoms and play in the playroom
Learn how Synergetic Play Therapy tools such as the 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 understand how to identify a child’s emotional age in their play
Understand how mindfulness and self-awareness in the playroom is an essential component to helping widen a child’s emotional window of tolerance
Understand how to work with parents in the play therapy process and keep them engaged
Understand how to use boundaries to help reduce emotional flooding and overwhelm in both the child and the therapist, as well as how to set them without shaming or shutting down the child’s play
Understand the projective process and how children engage in “The Set Up” as a way to integrate their perceptions of what is challenging them
Understand how the therapist’s authenticity and attunement supports the attachment process in play therapy
Understand the importance of being regulated in the midst of challenging play as an essential component of becoming the child’s external regulator in the playroom
Understand how to use regulation to support a child’s ability to learn how to regulate during a play therapy session

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.

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

Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy Live Webinar and Release of Sixth Video
2018-07-17 14:00 - 15:00
Synergetic Play Therapy will take you on a journey to deeply understand yourself. With an emphasis on therapist authenticity, SPT is designed to help therapists birth their authentic selves so that they can help their child clients do the same. SPT recognizes that therapist authenticity and attunement in the playroom is integral to the healing of the child.
The six-month course includes three, one-hour LIVE webinars with Lisa Dion, six 2.5-hour recorded videos and monthly 30-minute consultations with an SPT Supervisor/Consultant to help you integrate what you are learning.
Learn more here.

3rd Biennial Childhood Trauma Conference
2018-08-01 11:30 - 13:00 | Melbourne Convention Centre, 1 Convention Centre Pl, South Wharf VIC 3006, Australia
Presented by the Australian Childhood Foundation, this conference features internationally renowned practitioners and major authors in the field of trauma and neuroscience. Come experience innovative, practical and translatable ways of working with creative arts, sand tray, play, attachment-based dynamics, movement and sensorimotor intervention.
Join Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S, on August 1 for a 1.5-hour presentation on The Need for An External Regulator During Traumatic Play.
Register here.

Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive - August 4-10 (one day break in the middle)
2018-08-04 09:00 - 2018-08-10 18:00 | Play Therapy Colorado, 2845 Wilderness Place, Suite 208, Boulder, CO, 80301, United States

The Neuro-biology of Parenting
2018-08-05 - 2018-08-06 | Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch, 501 Wattle Street #485, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
Did you know when children act out their most problematic moods and behaviors, that’s actually their incredibly wise way of communicating with the adults in their lives? In this workshop (click here to view the workshop flyer), Lisa Dion, licensed professional counselor and registered play therapist, will teach parents how to use the insights of modern neuroscience to better understand and shape their children’s moods and behaviors, while developing their brains! Parents will learn what it takes to truly raise children who are not only successful in life, but thrive. They will learn how to understand what is happening in the minds and bodies of their children and what it takes to maximize brain and emotional development in their children and in themselves!
Register here.

A Synergetic Approach to working with pre- teens and teens in Play Therapy - Advanced workshop for Sexual Assault Workers
2018-08-07 | Royal College of Surgeons, Australia
With their changing brains and hormones, sometimes finding ways to integrate play with pre-teens and teens can at times just feel completely “awkward.” Do we talk? Do we play? Do I ask questions? What do I do? With the help of neuroscience, interpersonal neurobiology, developmental theory, and principles from Synergetic Play Therapy, this 6-hour workshop will shed light on how to navigate the therapy landscape with our clients who are no longer children, but also not quite adults!
# Advanced Workshops are provided for those working in DHHS funded sexual assault support services. Advanced workshops are particularly designed for experienced counsellor/advocates and sexual assault support workers. Non-sexual assault workers can attend this one-day training for a fee.
For more information about this workshop please contact Sarah McGregor at sarah.mcgregor@monashhealth.org.

Synergetic Play Therapy Certification Program 3-Day Retreat Melbourne, Australia
2018-08-08 - 2018-08-10
This 3-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 or the Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy course. 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? Are you ready to expand your understanding of interpersonal neurobiology and take your ability to help a child heal to a whole new realm of possibility? Are you ready to dive deeper into the Synergetic Play Therapy Process as you learn how to embrace yourself, discover your magnificence, and tap into a higher state of authenticity?
If you’re ready to jump in, we invite you to embark on the Certification Program, an experience that will take your confidence and skill to a higher plane, an experience that will allow you to love yourself and support your child clients in loving themselves more fully.
During the Certification Program, you will attend one three-day and one five-day Synergetic Play Therapy Training Retreat. (You may choose to attend the retreats in Boulder, Colorado; Vancouver, Canada; or Melbourne, Australia) Retreats are can’t-miss and must be attended in person. This time allows for growth, change, and powerful moments.
Please note: Completion of The Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy course or the Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive is required for acceptance into the Certification Program.

Synergetic Play Therapy Certification Program 3-Day Retreat Boulder, CO
2018-08-24 - 2018-08-26

Boulder Valley School District Training - Developing Emotional Regulation and Discovering What Drives You
2018-09-12 12:15 - 2018-09-13 14:45
This is a closed workshop for members of BVSD.
Developing Emotional Regulation: Awakening the Genius Within Part 1
As neuroscience continues to reveal the importance of developing greater and greater capacities for emotional regulation, it is essential that teachers, educators and students understand the biology behind regulation and how to develop it within themselves. Participants will understand exactly what regulation is and is not, the biological mechanisms in the brain and nervous system allowing for regulation, and what it takes to develop a strong regulatory capacity, one of the key elements needed to maximize learning, productivity and inspiration.
Discovering What Drives You: Awakening the Genius Within Part 2
Teachers, educators and students will be introduced to a framework for human potential that will help awaken the genius within. Participants will learn what drives them to do what they do and why certain things interest them. Expanding from part 1, an understanding of nervous system states as they relate to physiological feedback helping us know when we are on or off track will be explored. Teachers, educators, and students are guaranteed to walk away from this talk with a-has and a deeper understanding of what it takes to feel truly inspired in their studies and in their career choices.

Las Cruces Play Therapy Training
2018-09-15
Workshop – Aggression in the Playroom: A Synergetic Approach for working with Trauma and Intensity in Play Therapy!!
Are your play therapy sessions filled with swords fights, battles, babies dying, handcuffs, you dying, explosions, or other highly intense play? Are you often set up to watch or be a part of play that leaves you feeling nervous, unsafe, overwhelmed, confused or just wanting to run away and hide? If so, you are not alone.
Although aggression and death are 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 playroom.
This 6-hour workshop led by Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S, is designed to help play therapists understand aggression and death play from a neuro-biological perspective and through a Synergetic Play Therapy lense. With the help of neuroscience, therapists will learn how to effectively work with this type of play in a way that supports nervous system regulation and reorganization of the child’s lower centers of the brain while decreasing compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma.
This fun experiential workshop will take you to new possibilities as we explore a science-based process for working with children at the deepest, most profound levels while staying safe and sane. You will learn the art of sword fighting, gunplay, bop bag play, and more while understanding what it takes to maximize growth and integration for your clients and for you as the therapist.
Objectives: This workshop is designed to help participants:

Understand the link between a child’s dys-regulated states of their nervous system and their aggressive/trauma play
Understand the significance of authenticity and authentic expression in the play therapy process
Learn how to set boundaries without shaming or shutting down a child’s play
Understand how to facilitate aggressive play in the play therapy process without increasing or promoting aggression
Understand Synergetic Play Therapy’s concept of “The Set Up” in the playroom
Learn how to keep yourself regulated in the midst of intense play/trauma play and death in the playroom

Register here!

Synergetic Play Therapy Certification Program 3-Day Retreat Vancouver, BC
2018-09-22 - 2018-09-24

Yukon Teacher's Association Territory Wide Conference: Growth Mindset
2018-09-27 - 2018-09-28
The YTA Territory Wide Conference takes place September 27th!

Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S, will be featured as the keynote speaker. Her presentation will be followed by four breakout sessions.

Get more details here.

Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive - September 28-30 and October 5-7
2018-09-28 09:00 - 2018-10-07 18:00 | Play Therapy Colorado, 2845 Wilderness Place, Suite 208, Boulder, CO, 80301, United States

2018 Annual APT International Conference and Exposition
2018-10-03 - 2018-10-07
The Annual APT International Conference and Exposition is committed to providing graduate level training and education, fostering the exchange of ideas, and providing prime networking opportunities are just a few of the highlights APT offers to nearly 1,000 attendees annually.
APT is dedicated to offering play therapy education across disciplines, including counselors, psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, graduate students, and other mental health professionals. The 6-day event offered every October includes 55-60 educational workshops and 35-40 hours of continuing education approved for state licensure and play therapy credentialing.
The five day exposition is the marketplace to restock your playroom. With hundreds of therapeutic toys and games available under one roof, it is a must see-and-shop! Friendly vendors provide specialized knowledge and diverse product lines, including books, sandtray figures, puppets and games.

Speaker Proposals are accepted December thru January annually
Exhibitor information is available each April.
Student Members are encouraged to volunteer in exchange for reduced fees.

For more information, please visit the APT website.

Lessons from the Playroom Webinar - The Therapeutic Powers of Play
2018-10-16 14:00 - 15:00
Join us and Dr. Susan Carter, Ph.D., LP, RPT-S, as we explore the therapeutic powers of play.
Free, live at 2 PM MST. You can also sign up for a 24-hour playback.
Register here.

Australia Annual APT Conference via Webinar
2018-10-18
Details TBA

2018 Australian Play Therapists Association Web Conference
2018-10-19 - 2018-10-20
Aggression in Play Therapy: A Synergetic Approach for Integrating Intensity and Trauma
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 playroom.
This 3-hour workshop led by Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S, is designed to help play therapists understand aggressive play from a neuro-biological perspective and through a Synergetic Play Therapy lense. With the help of neuroscience, therapists will learn how to effectively work with this type of play in a way that supports nervous system regulation and reorganization of the child’s lower centers of the brain while decreasing compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma.
Participants will:
– Understand the link between a child’s dys-regulated states of their nervous system and their play
– Learn how to set boundaries without shaming or shutting down a child’s play
– Understand the Synergetic Play Therapy concept of “The Set Up” in the playroom
– Understand how to facilitate aggressive play in the play therapy process without increasing or promoting aggression
Registration details are coming soon!

Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy
2018-10-29 - 2019-03-22
The Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy launches you on a personal journey towards discovering what showing up in the playroom truly means. It explores what is happening in the play therapy process, how change occurs, and ultimately what it takes to help children heal at profound levels. It invites you to be you!
Curious what this class is truly about? Get all the details here
To learn what others have to say, check out our testimonials.
Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy 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 required.
A basic understanding of play therapy and play therapy skills is required.

This six-month course includes three, one-hour LIVE webinars with Lisa Dion, six 2.5-hour recorded videos and monthly 60-minute consultations with an SPT Supervisor/Consultant to help you integrate what you are learning.
Important Class Dates:

Oct 29th, 2018: One-hour LIVE Webinar (2 p.m. MST) & 1st video course released
Nov 30th, 2018: 2nd video course released
Dec 28th, 2018: 3rd video course released
Jan 7th, 2019: One-hour LIVE Webinar (2 p.m. MST)
Jan 25th, 2019: 4th video course released
Feb 22nd, 2019: 5th video course released
March 18th, 2019: One-hour LIVE Webinar (2 p.m. MST)
March 22nd, 2019: 6th/final video course released

Register here!

Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy: One-hour LIVE Webinar & 1st video course released
2018-10-29 14:00 - 15:00
Synergetic Play Therapy will take you on a journey to deeply understand yourself. With an emphasis on therapist authenticity, SPT is designed to help therapists birth their authentic selves so that they can help their child clients do the same. SPT recognizes that therapist authenticity and attunement in the playroom is integral to the healing of the child.
This six-month course includes three, one-hour LIVE webinars with Lisa Dion, six 2.5-hour recorded videos and monthly 60-minute consultations with an SPT Supervisor/Consultant to help you integrate what you are learning.
Learn more here.

AGGRESSION IN PLAY THERAPY: A NEUROBIOLOGICAL APPROACH
2018-11-01 - 2018-11-02 | JIBC, Centre for Couns/Comm Safety, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Join us in British Columbia on November 1-2 for an energizing 2-day course designed to help therapists understand aggressive play from a neuro-biological perspective.

Come explore how to effectively use play therapy in a way that supports nervous system regulation and reorganization of the child’s lower centers of the brain. And get Lisa’s new book before it’s released on Amazon!

Learn more here.

Lessons from the Playroom Webinar
2018-11-12 12:00 - 13:00
Working with “The Perfect Child” in Play Therapy: live, free webinar. Register here.
Do you want credit for this and all the other Lessons from the Playroom webinars? Join our Lessons from the Playroom Membership! We offer six-month or one-year terms – the longer you join, the more you save! Enroll, watch the webinars when you want as often as you want, and earn APT CE credits! You may also purchase single webinars on an a la carte basis.
https://learn.playtherapycolorado.com

Vancouver: Emotional Regulation with Children and Youth...Building your Toolbox
2018-11-23 | Italian Cultural Centre, 3075 Slocan Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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 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. 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.

Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy: 2nd video course released
2018-11-30

Synergetic Play Therapy Certification Program 5-Day Retreat Melbourne, Australia
2018-12-01 - 2018-12-05
This 5-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 or the Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy course. 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? Are you ready to expand your understanding of interpersonal neurobiology and take your ability to help a child heal to a whole new realm of possibility? Are you ready to dive deeper into the Synergetic Play Therapy Process as you learn how to embrace yourself, discover your magnificence, and tap into a higher state of authenticity?
If you’re ready to jump in, we invite you to embark on the Certification Program, an experience that will take your confidence and skill to a higher plane, an experience that will allow you to love yourself and support your child clients in loving themselves more fully.
During the Certification Program, you will attend one three-day and one five-day Synergetic Play Therapy Training Retreat. (You may choose to attend the retreats in Boulder, Colorado; Vancouver, Canada; or Melbourne, Australia) Retreats are can’t-miss and must be attended in person. This time allows for growth, change, and powerful moments.
Please note: Completion of The Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy course or the Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive is required for acceptance into the Certification Program.

Play Therapy Master Class
2018-12-14 09:00 - 15:00 | flower logo TMgray
Attention Play Therapists!
If you’re a play therapist looking for high-quality training in an intimate setting, we will not waste your time! This double-header live masterclass is for you!
This masterclass training includes:
1. Crucial training on how to use play therapy to help children navigate transitions such as divorce, death, moving, new siblings, sensory challenges and more.
2. Foundational training on how play therapy really works so you can effectively explain & persuade parents, teachers and other influential people in children’s lives of the power of play therapy.
3. An intimate setting of only 15 participants and 2 top-notch play therapy trainers.
5 CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS AVAILABLE
APT APPROVED PROVIDER # 18-533
Register and get more information here.

Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy: 3rd video course released
2018-12-28

Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy: One-hour LIVE Webinar
2019-01-07 14:00 - 15:00

Synergetic Play Therapy Certification Program 5-Day Retreat - Vancouver
2019-01-10 - 2019-01-14

Synergetic Play Therapy Certification Program 5-Day Retreat - Boulder
2019-01-17 - 2019-01-21

Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy: 4th video course released
2019-01-25
