Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® January 2023: Class 4 – Working with Caregivers
2023-04-21 | Online
Working with Caregivers (Class 4) is part of the Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ course, January 24th, 2023 – June 16th, 2023.
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.

Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® January 2023: Class 5 – Understanding Attachment & The Self-Object
2023-05-19 | Online
Understanding Attachment & The Self-Object (Class 5) is part of the Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ course, January 24th, 2023 – June 16th, 2023.
Class 5 Objectives:

Discuss Synergetic Play Therapy’s definition and perspective on attachment
Explain and demonstrate how to use the self-object as a way to support the client attaching to self
Describe the link between a child’s attachment styles and their nervous system states

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.

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Justice Institute of British Columbia: A Synergetic Play Therapy® Approach to Revolutionizing Therapeutic Play with Children
2023-05-25 - 2023-05-26
Join Lisa Dion as she presents A Synergetic Play Therapy® Approach to Revolutionizing Therapeutic Play with Children. This workshop is designed to help practitioners understand therapeutic play from a neuro- biological perspective. With the help of neuroscience, interpersonal neurobiology, and a Synergetic Play Therapy framework, practitioners will learn how to effectively work with therapeutic play in a way that supports nervous system regulation, reorganization of the child’s lower centers of the brain and promotes 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 training will also guide participants towards a deeper understanding of what it means to become a child’s external regulator during trauma play while practicing how to care for their own nervous system thereby decreasing compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma. The result is the transformation of trauma play into ways of connecting, healing, and mutual trust.
This event is open to the public, please visit the organizations website for additional information. If you would like your organization to receive training in Synergetic Play Therapy, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® January 2023: Class 6 - Aggression, Art and Sand in Synergetic Play Therapy
2023-06-16 | Online
Aggression, Art and Sand in Synergetic Play Therapy (Class 6) is part of the Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy™ course, January 24th, 2023 – June 16th, 2023.
Class 6 Objectives:

Explain how to use regulation as a way to help integrate aggressive energy in the playroom
Describe how to facilitate the use sand from a Synergetic Play Therapy perspective in the playroom
Explain how to facilitate the use of art from a Synergetic Play Therapy perspective in the playroom
Explain the concept of flooding in the playroom for both you and the child and list ways to create a neuroception of safety.

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.

Irish Play Therapy Community Association: A Synergetic Play Therapy Approach to Revolutionizing Therapeutic Play with Children
2023-06-17 - 2023-06-18 | Dunboyne Castle Hotel, Castlefarm, Dunboyne, Co. Meath, A86 PW63, Ireland, Ireland
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 play room.

This workshop is designed to help play therapists understand aggression and death play from a neuro-biological perspective and a Synergetic Play Therapy lens. With the help of neuroscience and interpersonal neurobiology, therapists will learn how to effectively work with this type of play in a way that supports nervous system regulation, repatterning of the child’s autonomic activation patterns and decreases compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma.

This workshop will take therapists to new possibilities as they explore a science based process for working with children at the deepest, most profound levels while staying safe and sane. They will learn how to make aggressive play therapeutic while understanding what it takes to maximize growth and integration for their clients and themselves.
This is event is open to the public, please visit the organizations website for additional information. If you would like your organization to receive training in Synergetic Play Therapy, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy (3 Day In-Person)
2023-07-21 09:00 - 2023-07-23 16:30 (America/Denver) | Boulder Marriott Hotel, Boulder, CO, United States
Join Lisa for a 3-day in-person course that takes you 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. You will learn how to effectively work with caregivers and what it means to create a neuroception of safety allowing both the child and the caregiver to have a deeper integration.
This course includes 3 days, 18 hours, of in-person training with Lisa Dion, followed by 6 monthly one-hour group consultations with a Synergetic Play Therapy® Consultant, 3 pre-recorded one-hour video lessons to further your learning, and a Book Review of the required book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurological Approach to Integrating Intensity.
This course will be held in Boulder Colorado at the Boulder Marriott Hotel.
If you are looking to book a hotel room for these dates, please use the link above to explore options at the venue or try one of these nearby hotels:
Embassy Suites by Hilton Boulder
Residence Inn Boulder Canyon
Hilton Garden Inn Boulder

CAV Academy: Not The Typical Psychotherapist Summit London
2023-09-07 - 2023-09-09 | London Mairrott Hotel Regents Park, 128 King Henry's Road, London, United Kingdom
Join Lisa at the 2023 Not The Typical Psychotherapist Summit in London, where a variety of topic will be explored, such as:

Experiential modalities addressing trauma and grief.
Somatic approaches to relieve depression and anxiety.
Creative therapy for depressed and anxious clients.
Therapeutic interventions aimed at repairing ruptured relationships and intimacy issues.
Self-care practices for therapists that promote spiritual, emotional, psychological and relational wellness.

This is event is open to the public, please visit the organizations website for additional information. If you would like your organization to receive training in Synergetic Play Therapy, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

Alaska Association of Play Therapy - Aggression in Play Therapy: A Synergetic Approach for Integrating Intensity
2023-09-15 - 2023-09-16 | Alaska Pacific University Ankorage, Alaska
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 he playroom during play. The result can lead to inadvertently promoting aggression an 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 workshop is designed to help play therapists understand aggression and death play from a neuro-biological perspective and a Synergetic Play Therapy lens. With the help of neuroscience and interpersonal neurobiology, therapists will learn how to effectively work with this type of play in a way that supports nervous system regulation, repatterning of the child’s autonomic activation patterns and decreases compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma.
This workshop will take therapists to new possibilities as they explore a science-based process for working with children at the deepest, most profound levels while staying safe and
sane. They will learn how to make aggressive play therapeutic while understanding what it takes to maximize growth and integration for their clients and themselves.
This is event is open to the public, please visit the organizations website for additional information. If you would like your organization to receive training in Synergetic Play Therapy, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

Alaska Association for Play Therapy Keynote: Topic TBD
2023-09-15 - 2023-09-16 | Alaska Association for Play Therapy
Save the Date! More details coming soon…

PIP Solutions: Working with Adoption in Play Therapy
2023-09-26 | Online via Zoom
Come learn about the unique challenges that many adopted children present in the playroom. A special emphasis will be given on the importance of working with the child’s neurobiological processes such as regulation and dysregulation, as well as the importance of educating and working with the child’s adoptive parents/caregivers.
This is a 1.5-hour online event being with Lisa Dion is being hosted by Positively Inspiring Practices (PIP Solutions). For additional information, please visit their website.

NScience: Medical Trauma in Play Therapy
2023-09-27 | Online via Zoom
With their changing brains and hormones, finding ways to integrate play with pre-teens and teens can at times just feel “Awkward”. Learn how to navigate therapy with our clients who are no longer children, but also not quite yet adults.
From twelve-year-olds to seniors in high school, adolescence is a time filled with change. This can make the notion of bringing play therapy to this population a challenge. Do we play? Do we talk? Do I ask questions? What do I do?” As such, many therapists find themselves at a loss with this age group, feeling just as confused as they do! In this workshop, play therapists will delve into the mysteries of the teenage mind as we bust myths and glean insight into how to best offer therapeutic support. Drawing from Developmental theory, Interpersonal Neurobiology and Synergetic Play Therapy, participants will explore how to navigate this “awkward” and sometimes “overwhelming” developmental stage using an eclectic framework of non-directive and directive play therapy approaches. Understanding how to assess the teen’s emotional age, an area often missed when working with this population, will also be covered as a way to understand how to incorporate play into the therapy process.
The information presented is designed to open minds and hearts as participants uncover the wisdom of the changing brain and the wisdom of the teenage years. Through lecture, demonstration, and discussion, this workshop will deconstruct this mysterious stage and support play therapists in discovering how they can help mature and remodel the teenage brain, while supporting movement towards the discovery of the authentic self- the cornerstone of the development of a teenager’s identity.
Play Therapists will learn the importance of attunement and authenticity with this population, allowing them to demonstrate relationship and rapport building skills. They will also learn how to access their client’s emotional age helping them to better assess and conceptualize the play therapy and treatment process, articulate and explain the play therapy process to the parents/caregivers and develop play therapy treatment goals and plans that are congruent with both their own theoretical orientation and the child’s needs.
This is an online event that is open to the public, please visit the organizations website for additional information. If you would like your organization to receive training in Synergetic Play Therapy, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

Embody Lab: Foundations of Trauma and Healing in Children
2023-10-18 | Online
This course will draw on lecture and class discussion to support a developing understanding of how to work with trauma in children from a somatic perspective. Although this course is geared towards children, the content is applicable to clients of all ages. Weaving together principles from interpersonal neurobiology, polyvagal theory, and Synergetic Play Therapy, students will learn how to become a child’s external regulator to support the integration of their traumatic experience, as well as how to re-pattern the dysregulated states in a child’s nervous system.
This is part of the Integrative Somatic Trauma Certificate Program offered by Embody Lab.
This is event is open to the public, please visit the organizations website for additional information. If you would like your organization to receive training in Synergetic Play Therapy, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

CANCELLED: Slovania: Spoznaj.se - 4 Day Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy Course
2023-10-26 - 2023-10-29 | Spoznaj.se
This event will be rescheduled for a later time.
This 4 Day In Person Course, Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® course takes you 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.
You will learn how to effectively work with caregivers and what it means to create a neuroception of safety allowing both the child and the caregiver 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. And as a bonus, you’ll learn how to translate all of this information to working with pre-teens and teens.
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 4 Day Course takes place from 9:00am – 4:30pm each day, Central European Time.
This is a private training, however if you would like your school or organization to receive training, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com

SPTI: Business of Therapy
2023-11-09 - 2023-11-11 | Renaissance Denver Downtown City Center Hotel
Back by popular demand – revised, energized, and with an in-person and virtual option, The Business of Therapy course! Custom designed for therapists, coaches, helpers and healers like yourself, who are deeply committed to making an impact and want to be of greater service – whether it’s one-on-one in private practice, launching a product or program, or running a company – Elevate and take your entrepreneurial dream to new heights!
This course teaches you the steps involved in building a dream, as well as helps you understand the why behind them so you can think like a business entrepreneur. Plus, for 2.5 days, Lisa Dion, creator of Synergetic Play Therapy®, President of the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute and co-founder of the Synergetic Education Institute, will give you the key ingredients she’s learned and discovered along her own entrepreneurial journey.
When: November 9th – 11th, 2023
Where: Denver, Colorado at the Renaissance Denver Downtown City Center Hotel with a virtual option!
This is event is open to the public, please visit the Business of Therapy website for additional information. If you have questions, or would like your organization to receive training in Synergetic Play Therapy, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

PIP Solutions: Collaborating with Teachers in Play Therapy
2023-12-05 | Online via Zoom
Children spend so much time at school and thus with their teachers, setting them up to be key figures in a child’s healing journey. In this very important conversation, Lisa will guide you and offer you tips on how to collaborate with teachers in ways where the teacher feels seen, heard, and most importantly a part of the child’s healing team.
This is a 1.5-hour online event being with Lisa Dion is being hosted by Positively Inspiring Practices (PIP Solutions). For additional information, please visit their website.

Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy - January 2024
2024-01-23 - 2024-06-14 | Online
Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® takes you 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. You will learn how to effectively work with caregivers and what it means to create a neuroception of safety allowing both the child and the caregiver 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 learning 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!
Registration Deadline: January 22nd, 2024 (12:00pm Mountain Time, Denver)
*Offered 3 times a year online (in January, June & October) and in-person (Upcoming: October 2024 – Hosted by PIP Solutions, UK & February 2025 – Chicago, Illinois), the Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy program is a comprehensive play therapy training that explores the foundational skills of SPT. This six-month program is designed for both beginning and advanced practitioners. Learn more about this level 1 SPT signature program here.

The Business of Therapy Accountability Group
2024-01-31 | Online
This is a closed event for those that have attended The Business of Therapy course. You can learn more about how to participate by visiting The Business of Therapy landing page.
If you have taken The Business of Therapy, this exclusive accountability group is available for you to take your professional development and business goals to the next level!
In this group, you’ll experience…

A blend of education, brainstorming, support, and peer accountability
A place where you can sharpen business skills and knowledge
Exponential growth and success toward your business goals with support from Lisa and your peers

There’s a saying that goes something like this, most people fail not because they never start, but because they never finish. Or, you might have heard this old cliché, most people don’t plan to fail; they fail to plan!
Lisa has given you the tools and foundation for building your business dream during The Business of Therapy course, but this group is really about continuing the work of WORKING ON YOUR BUSINESS instead of being stuck in the perpetual cycle of working IN your business. And, because this is an accountability group, you’ll receive both support and challenge (both are needed to maximize your growth ) as you continue to work toward your goals in 2024.
There will be 4 quarterly Accountability Groups with Lisa Dion and other past attendees of The Business of Therapy course. Plus, new this year, we have added additional ways to help you stay accountable through monthly optional Accountability Tasks to keep you thinking and pushing toward your goals AND the opportunity to form an additional group with your peers for even more support!
This is a private workshop. If you would like your organization to receive training, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

The Business of Therapy 2.5 Day Course - In-Person or Live Online
2024-02-27
A SPECIAL INVITATION TO ELEVATE (OR UP-LEVEL) AND TAKE YOUR ENTREPRENEURIAL DREAM TO NEW HEIGHTS
As Keith Cunningham, world-renowned business expert, says, “Nobody is born knowing how to be an entrepreneur”. Like anything else, it’s a skill. It’s also not a skill you learn one time. It takes practice, ongoing learning, evolving, and professional (and personal) growth. A successful entrepreneur understands that building a business or launching a dream requires ongoing learning as they move through cycles of incompetency to competency, over and over again, as each new skill is mastered… And that’s why this course exists! Lisa wants to be part of your “business mastery” journey.
The Business of Therapy is a 2.5-day course custom-designed for therapists, coaches, helpers, and healers like yourself, who are deeply committed to making an impact and want to be of greater service – whether it’s one-on-one in private practice, launching a product, or program, or running a company. Regardless of where you are in your business journey, this course provides a roadmap to success!
Save your seat and register today!

IN-PERSON experience >> save $100 by registering today *As of March 3rd, VIP PASSES ARE SOLD OUT! You can still join us for the in-person experience. Grab your seat before they go!!
LIVE ONLINE experience >> just as awesome + save $50 by registering today!
RETURNING STUDENT experience >> grab your discount here whether you’re joining us in-person or online!

*If you have any concerns about the days that this course is being offered (e.g., due to religious observances), but would still like to attend, let us know and we’ll see what we can do to accommodate.
Early-bird registration closes September 6th. In-person general registration closes October 11th at 12pm Mountain Time (Denver). Live online general registration closes October 31st.
✨ Space is limited. This course sold out last year and is expected to sell out again this year! ✨

Healing Medical Trauma in Play Therapy (LAPT Conference - Day 1)
2024-03-01 09:00 - 16:30 | Loyola University New Orleans
Join Lisa as she Keynotes 2-days at the 2024 Louisiana Play Therapy Association Conference. On day 1, the topic will be Healing Medical Trauma in Play Therapy.
Description:
Medical trauma is a prevalent experience for many children who have undergone medical procedures or experienced chronic and acute conditions yet is often not included in trauma discussions. Learn how to use play to help children integrate their medical experiences.
According to the National Child Trauma Stress Network, up to 80% of children who undergo medical procedures experience some form of traumatic stress and 20-30% of parents and 15% of children experience chronic stress from medical procedures. Without knowing what medical trauma is and how the symptoms manifest, play therapists can inadvertently miss signs that the child has experienced a medical trauma or jump to conclusions regarding the child’s behaviors and play. In this 6-hour workshop, play therapists will explore medical trauma from the perspective of neuroscience and interpersonal neurobiology while drawing from Gestalt, Synergetic and Nature Based Play principles and theories. Using creative play-based ways to support children and their family’s healing process, participants will learn how to create emotional and relational safety for trauma integration. They will learn what it means to become a child’s external regulator to help integrate the activation in a child’s nervous system while safely allowing the child to access the stored trauma in their body from the trauma. Participants will also explore the symptoms often associated with medical trauma as the symptoms can often be confused with sexual or sensory trauma. Whether the child has experienced a single incident trauma or is struggling with a chronic illness, participants will learn what it really takes to integrate their experiences. As children are not the only ones affected by medical trauma, care for their caregivers will also be addressed, as well as an exploration of creative play-based ways to help the entire family system heal.
As this is a special populations workshop, it is important that participants already have a solid foundation in play therapy skills and experience. This workshop is thus geared towards an intermediate level.
This workshop helps participants gain a deeper understanding of the diverse impacts of childhood trauma, specifically medical trauma and its impact on the play therapy process. As participants learn about medical trauma, they will also be better able to create treatment goals, understand possible interventions and design a treatment process that is more congruent for the child and their family.
This is event is open to the public, please visit the organizations website for additional information. If you would like your organization to receive training in Synergetic Play Therapy, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

Playing Perfectly: A Play Therapist's Guide for Working with OCD in Play Therapy (LAPT Conference - Day 2)
2024-03-02 09:00 - 16:30 | Loyola University New Orleans
Join Lisa as she Keynotes 2-days at the 2024 Louisiana Play Therapy Association Conference. On day 2, the topic will be Playing Perfectly: A Play Therapist’s Guide for Working with OCD in Play Therapy.
Description:
From perfectionism to anxiety to self-doubt, the world of a child struggling with OCD can be incredibly overwhelming. Come explore how to support these children in play therapy and discover how their need for perfection is in fact perfect.
Supporting a child struggling with obsessive compulsions and perfectionism can be incredibly challenging as the desire to move the child out of their rigidity and rituals can overshadow the deeper issues and stressors driving the behaviors. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a complex disorder as the reasons behind the behaviors vary from managing anxiety to past traumas to focused energy inside of a child driving them towards their genius and that which is most meaningful. Due to the complexity, therapists often mis-label, mis-understand and mis-guide these children in how to work with and understand their rituals and need for perfectionism. Without an understanding of this disorder and how play therapy is able to support the integration of the underlying drivers of the behaviors, play therapists can inadvertently intensify the inner struggle that is often experienced by these children as they attempt to stop, control and even deny the urges in their bodies.
Drawing from Synergetic Play Therapy and interpersonal neurobiology, this workshop explores non-directive and directive play based interventions to help support play therapists on a path to understand the perfection in these children’s perfection, while teaching the child how to do the same. Play therapists will take a deeper look at the regulatory function of the child’s behaviors that manage the internal conflicts and anxieties these children often carry. Through discussion and experiential exercises, play therapists will learn how to separate the underlying drivers from the wisdom of the rituals themselves. With this knowledge, play therapists will learn how to use themselves and many forms of play to help these children access an understanding of the greatest perfection that exists, the child just as they are.
This is event is open to the public, please visit the organizations website for additional information. If you would like your organization to receive training in Synergetic Play Therapy, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

A Synergetic Approach to Revolutionizing Therapeutic Play with Children (Cape Town, South Africa)
2024-03-25 - 2024-03-26 | Cassia Conference Venue at Nitida Wine Farm
Lisa Dion will be visiting Cape Town, South Africa to present a 2-day workshop on A Synergetic Approach to Revolutionizing Therapeutic Play with Children.
This 2 day course is designed to help practitioners understand therapeutic play from a neuro-biological perspective. With the help of neuroscience, interpersonal neurobiology, and a Synergetic Play Therapy framework, practitioners will learn how to effectively work with therapeutic play in a way that supports nervous system regulation, reorganization of the child’s lower centers of the brain and promotes 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 training will also guide participants towards a deeper understanding of what it means to become a child’s external regulator during trauma play while practicing how to care for their own nervous system thereby decreasing compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma. The result is the transformation of trauma play into ways of connecting, healing, and mutual trust.
This is a 2-day in-person event is being hosted by Rene Ohlhoff at Play Therapy International. For additional information, please visit their website or contact Synergetic Play Therapy Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

April 2024 In-Person Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® Program (Level 1)
2024-04-05 - 2024-04-07
You asked and we answered! For those of you who have wanted to enroll in our signature Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy program, but are seeking an in-person experience, we have an option for you!
Have you been searching for ways to create a deeper impact for your clients? Or perhaps you want to improve or learn more about …

Becoming an external regulator to support children with integration and repatterning the activation of their nervous system.
Supporting healing at deeper levels through right brain to right brain attuned communication.
Teaching children interoceptive (body) awareness (…the key ingredient for self-regulation and co-regulation).
Creating a neuroception of safety for a child when emotional flooding happens.
Setting boundaries with the brain in mind to not minimize, shame or shut down the child’s play, but keep them engaged in their therapy process.
Building collaborative relationships with caregivers to support their child’s therapeutic process.
Developing goals, tracking a child’s therapeutic process, and translating what’s happening during the child’s therapy session to their caregiver(s) and others in the world.
Helping children develop a secure attachment to themselves (…a foundation of resilience).
Applying SPT concepts from a cultural lens for a more inclusive and culturally sensitive clinical orientation where a client’s unique experiences and needs are honored.
How to feel a little more like YOU in the therapy process (…because we know inauthenticity is the fastest way to burnout and compassion fatigue).

Learn all of this and so much more!
This program is a 3-day 18-hour in-person training that explores the foundational skills of SPT and will take you on a journey to explore the neuroscience behind what is happening in the play therapy process, how to effectively work with caregivers and what it means to create a neuroception of safety allowing both the child and the caregiver to have a deeper integration, and (….if this wasn’t enough), you’ll come to understand the magic of aggressive play, sand and art from the perspectives of nervous system regulation, attunement, attachment, mindfulness, and authenticity. But it doesn’t stop there! This program also includes 6 months of group consultation and additional video lessons to keep your learning going!
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!
*Offered 3 times a year online (in January, June & October) and in-person (Upcoming: October 2024 – Hosted by PIP Solutions, UK & February 2025 – Chicago, Illinois), the Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy program is a comprehensive play therapy training that explores the foundational skills of SPT. This six-month program is designed for both beginning and advanced practitioners. Learn more about this level 1 SPT signature program here.

3-Day In-Person Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy
2024-04-05 09:00 - 2024-04-07 16:30
The 3-Day In-Person Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® is an 18 hour course that takes you on a journey to explore the neuroscience behind what is happening in the play therapy process, how to repattern a child’s nervous system activation, and what it means to become an external regulator in the playroom!
You will learn how to effectively work with caregivers and what it means to create a neuroception of safety in play therapy allowing both the child and the caregiver to have a deeper integration.
And if that wasn’t enough, you will come to understand the magic of aggressive play, sand, and art from the perspectives of nervous system regulation, attunement, mindfulness, and authenticity AND how to apply these concepts to your play therapy practice!
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 is event is open to the public. If you would like more information or your organization is interested in training in Synergetic Play Therapy, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

FREE Webinar: Harnessing the Power of “Shoulds” & Negative Self-Talk
2024-04-17 18:00 - 19:00 | Online
Are you ready to delve into the world of “shoulds” and negative self-talk? Those internalized expectations and societal norms that often shape our thoughts, behaviors, and decisions while influencing our lives, physiology, and well-being!
Join Lisa Dion on April 17th, 2024, from 6:00 – 7:00 PM Mountain Time (Denver) for a FREE webinar as she uncovers the complex interplay of factors that contribute to the formation of “shoulds” and, most importantly, the unique role they play in our psychology.
​​​​​​​Understanding how “shoulds” and negative self-talk form, the connection they have with our physiology, and the purpose behind them, will help you reframe these patterns as valuable feedback systems on the pathway toward authenticity and congruency.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to harness the power of “shoulds” and negative self-talk for personal growth and self-discovery! And, one of the best parts is that you will be able to take this information and have a better understanding of what is happening with your clients and loved ones, as well!
Register here! And if you can’t make it live, complete the registration anyway and you’ll receive a 7-day playback.
​​​​​​​❇ Invite a friend, colleague, or whoever you think would benefit from this discussion.

MasterWord: Resilience in the Trenches: Vicarious Trauma Mitigation for Professionals on the Frontline
2024-05-02 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Join Lisa for this FREE 1-hour virtual training hosted by MasterWord on “Resilience in the Trenches: Vicarious Trauma Mitigation for Professionals on the Frontline.”
Professionals in the “helping professions” find themselves on the front lines of support during crises at an individual, community, national, and international levels. These dedicated individuals encompass a diverse range of roles, including first responders, therapists, social workers, healthcare providers, educators, religious leaders, and anyone else who offers assistance during or after traumatic events. Working in such roles inherently exposes these helpers to traumatic situations. They must listen, witness, and often directly experience trauma alongside those they aid. This not only places them in a position of immense importance for those in need but also increases their own vulnerability to the effects of the trauma they encounter.
This webinar aims to explore the impact of trauma on helpers, posing essential questions such as: What occurs when a helper experiences primary or secondary trauma? How does a helper’s own traumatic experiences affect their ability to offer aid, and what are the implications for the individuals they assist? How does a helper handle their own unresolved trauma when triggered during the act of helping? Additionally, the webinar will investigate strategies to mitigate the effects of trauma exposure, drawing from fields like Interpersonal Neurobiology and Polyvagal Theory, ultimately enabling helpers to continue thriving in their crucial roles.
Participate in this educational journey and earn CEUs from NACCM (care managers), CCHI (Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters), NASW (social workers), CCMC (Commission for Case Manager Certification), IMIA (International Medical Interpreters Association), and BEI (Board for Evaluation of Interpreters).
This event is open to the public, please visit the organization’s website for additional information. If you would like your organization to receive training in Synergetic Play Therapy, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

Pia Konferans Organizasyon Ltd. Sti: Working with Aggression and Intensity in the Playroom
2024-05-04 - 2024-05-05 | Online
Lisa holding a live online workshop hosted by Pia Konferans Organizasyon Ltd. Sti in Turkey! This workshop is designed to help play therapists understand aggression and death play from a neuro-biological perspective and a Synergetic Play Therapy lens. With the help of neuroscience and interpersonal neurobiology, therapists will learn how to effectively work with this type of play in a way that supports nervous system regulation, repatterning of the child’s autonomic activation patterns, and decreases compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma.
This workshop will take therapists to new possibilities as they explore a science-based process for working with children at the deepest, most profound levels while staying safe and sane. They will learn how to make aggressive play therapeutic while understanding what it takes to maximize growth and integration for their clients and themselves.
If you have questions, or would like your organization to receive training in Synergetic Play Therapy, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

PESI Play Therapy Summit 2024: From Big Behaviors to Big Trauma – The Power of Play Therapy Heals
2024-05-08 - 2024-05-09 | Online
Lisa is again participating in this year’s Play Therapy LIVE Online Summit with PESI from May 8-9. This year’s Summit is on From Big Behaviors to Big Trauma – The Power of Play Therapy Heals.
Children heal when they have a safe emotional space to process their trauma, vulnerability, and pain.
But the pathway to them feeling safe and secure isn’t always easy.
Along the way, there are stumbling blocks — dysregulation, unexplainable behaviors, resistance, countertransference, and navigating working with parents.
Good news…PLAY THERAPY IS THE SOLUTION. It’s a proven pathway to a child’s innate capacity to heal!
Now you can join leading play therapy clinicians including keynote and world-renowned child therapist David Crenshaw, Paris Goodyear-Brown, Clair Mellenthin, Lisa Dion, Tammi Van Hollander, and many more who break it down step-by-step.
Together, they will show you how to skillfully integrate fun, practical, and immediately useful play therapy interventions to meet the challenges you’re facing right now.
You’ll walk step by step through dynamic skill sets to:

Accurately interpret the emotional cues of children to foster attunement and connection.
Become an external regulator for trauma integration and repattern states of activation in young clients
Utilize innovative games to help kids identify anger triggers and self-regulate in appropriate ways
Recognize and identify signs of distress or resilience in LGBTQ+ youth through play-based interventions
Discover the importance of imaginative engagement as a vital bridge to connecting with a child’s inner world.
Evaluate attachment styles that impact a parent’s ability to engage in their child’s treatment
… and SO much more!

You will leave this one-of-a-kind Play Therapy Summit with the proven tools, strategies, and skills needed to help your young clients thrive in school, relationships, and life!
And join Lisa on Day 2 (May 9th) from 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Central for Re-Patterning States of Activation in Play Therapy to navigate the intricacies of repatterning somatic templates and unlock the potential for profound healing and growth. We’ll explore what it means to become an external regulator for trauma integration and learn the process of repatterning states of activation in your child clients and how these patterns of activation shape therapeutic outcomes.
Register with us and use this affiliate link and promo code “GP100” to receive special $199.99 pricing.
Don’t miss this chance to elevate your practice with kid-tested, proven tools that will help your young clients thrive. Sign up today for an inspirational and dynamic summit that’ll bring out the kid in all of us!

Understanding the Psychology of Fear
2024-05-22 17:00 - 19:00 | Online
Fears! We all have them. They’re built into our psychology, influence our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and profoundly shape our lives – often taking no prisoners.
Join Lisa on May 22nd from 5:00pm – 7:00pm Mountain Time (Denver) for this transformative workshop. You’ll learn how to navigate and overcome these fears, giving you ways to break free from the paralyzing grip they can have when pursuing your highest goals or ambitions, and also with just moving through your daily life. You’ll also gain a deeper understanding of the neurobiology of fear, including the role of the amygdala in fear processing – a game changer when supporting your clients to work through their fears or gaining traction toward your personal or professional goals.
Whether you’re seeking to overcome specific phobias or simply want to understand the psychological mechanisms at play, this workshop will give you both theoretical and practical insights and skills, and teach you perhaps the most valuable lesson of life – How to turn your fears into a catalyst for action and growth!
Don’t let fear hold you back any longer! Reserve your spot today, and begin your journey of understanding and empowerment!
Registration closes May 21, 2024, at 12pm Mountain Time (Denver)
*A 7-day playback will be made available following the live webinar course.

Advanced Self-Mastery Program (Hawaii)
2024-06-26 - 2024-06-29 | Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, 69-275 Waikoloa Beach Drive, Waikoloa, Hawaii, United States
This advanced program is a unique personal development experience designed to support you in your ongoing personal journey and deepen your understanding of yourself. Think of it as a deeper unraveling of the question “who am I?” You’ll spend 4 days live in-person with your fellow Certified SPTers delving deeper into yourself. Go deeper into the development of yourself – Deeper into understanding the body and your own activation patterns – Deeper into the mind – Deeper into integrating your perceptions and working on emotional charges that are in the way of fully becoming an external regulator.
During this 4 day live in-person program, you will engage with your fellow Certified SPTer delving deeper into yourself. You will be taken on a journey into the mind and the body in order to gain a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness between the two. We will flow between didactic teachings and experiential learnings so that you can further empower yourself and reclaim the parts of yourself that have been minimized, hurt, stuck and stunted by trauma and life’s challenges. You’ll also walk away with a deeper understanding of what Lisa means when she says, “Self Mastery requires regulation of the body and regulation of the mind.”
Picture yourself surrounded by the breathtaking scenery of Waikoloa, Hawaii, at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa … connecting with fellow SPTers from around the globe … spending quality time with your friends and family (yes, make it a family vacation!) … engaging in loads of self care … and if you choose to stay at the hotel, here are some resort perks we’ve coordinated for you in the cost:

Daily Cultural Activities (Lei Making, Hula Lessons, Hawaiian Language, Hawaiian Games, Walking Tour, Ukulele Lessons)
Daily Pool Fitness for up to 2 guests
Daily Beach Yoga for up to 2 guests
Daily Rental of Tennis Courts, Rackets, Tennis Balls or Pickle Ball Rackets/Balls for up to 2 guests
Waikoloa Specialty Welcome Drink x2
Special group concession of $20 resort fee daily (normally $40 per room daily) with all services
$15 self-parking daily (normally $30) per vehicle
Complimentary 24-hour Fitness Center access
10% off Mandara Spa

If you have additional questions, or would like your organization to receive training in Synergetic Play Therapy, please contact the Institute at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.

Virtual Summit: Play It Forward: Elevating Play Therapy through Education & Service
2024-07-25 09:00 - 17:00 | Online via Zoom
Get ready for an EPIC virtual summit with some of the top play therapy clinicians in the field!
Join us on July 25th for Play It Forward: Elevating Play Therapy through Education and Service. This is your opportunity to learn from some amazing presenters: Marshall Lyles, Val Bruno, Jodi Weinstein Mullen, and Jen Shivey.
Enhance what you can bring to your therapy practice by attending these online courses:

Understanding the Intersection of Reflections and Reflective Functioning in Sandtray Therapy (Lyles)
Playing by the Rules: Navigating Legal Processes for Play Therapists (Bruno)
Play Therapy with Sexually Traumatized Children (Mullen)
Creating an Affirming Play Therapy Space for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Their Families (Shivey)

Even better, all proceeds go toward play therapy training scholarships awarded through the Synergetic Play Therapy Foundation!
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or starting out, this summit is perfect for all clinicians looking to level up their play therapy skills. Choose from full-day or half-day sessions (morning or afternoon) or if you can’t join us live, opt for the 7-day home study course!
Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to connect, learn, and grow as a play therapy community. Sign up here!
*This event offers up to 6 NBCC CE credit hours by completing the full day of courses or 3 CE credit hours for one session of courses (morning or afternoon). Get all the details and sign up now!
