Lessons from the Playroom Season 2

In this episode, Lisa Dion talks about a most tender subject - the “shoulds” and “should nots” that we all have as clinicians 😒 ... you probably know what we’re talking about … they show up in the playroom, when working with parents and caregivers, and in our personal lives. It’s our own judgments of ourselves, and the sometimes constant brain noise that we have. Once again, Lisa has invited two very important people to join her – Helen [...]

Lisa has a really special guest joining her for this episode and they’re doing something different today … It’s time to talk about business! - One of the most important topics we don’t talk much about as therapists. And to help Lisa out with this conversation, she has Jen Taylor who’s going to be interviewing her on her business journey. If you’ve ever wondered about Lisa and her entrepreneurial journey, what it took for her to build the Synergetic [...]

Another amazing guest is joining Lisa Dion for this Lessons from the Playroom episode - Dr. Bonnie Goldstein. As a faculty member at Pat Ogden’s Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, she’s taken Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and applied it to children* …. Fun story - Bonnie and Lisa had a random (but not random 😉) meeting in Melbourne, Australia in 2019 at the Australian Childhood Foundation's world-renowned trauma conference. They both found themselves at the same dinner one night, and by the end, [...]

This next Lessons from the Playroom topic is near and dear to Lisa's heart as she is a Certified Gestalt Therapist and Gestalt is one of the root theories of Synergetic Play Therapy. And not only is the topic important to Lisa, but so is her guest. She is one of the Gestalt Play Therapy experts on the planet. Yes, we’re talking about Felicia Carrol. Felicia Carrol is a LMFT, RPT-S, and founder/director of the West Coast Institute for [...]

In this podcast episode, Lisa clarifies one of the biggest misconceptions out there right now for parents and therapists - that regulation means being CALM. ...You’ve likely heard the idea that a child needs a calm adult in order to regulate - that in order to regulate, the adult needs to be and stay calm - or that an adult's "calm" presence is the answer to regulating a child when they are dysregulated. But if you’ve ever tried to [...]

Lisa met her next guest at her very first APT conference. She was doing a presentation on supervision. As Lisa sat in her course, she remembers thinking, “Who is this woman?! Wow!” She was so captivated by her and her teaching - Lisa is delighted to be joined by Paris Goodyear-Brown, the creator of the TraumaPlay™ model, the founder and Clinical Director of Nurture House, and the Executive Director of the TraumaPlay™ Institute.  She is an internationally renowned speaker, [...]

Join Lisa Dion for a most beautiful and eye-opening (and, unfortunately, so relevant to what’s happening in the world right now) conversation with someone very dear to her - Liliana Baylon is a bilingual (English-Spanish), bicultural therapist serving the Denver Metro Area and Certified Synergetic Play Therapist/ Supervisor/ Consultant. In today’s episode, Lisa and Liliana talk about understanding the experience of immigrant and refugee families, and some really important things to be aware of that will widen your cultural [...]

Join Lisa and Judy Norman, Certified SPT therapist/supervisor and SPT co-teacher as they share the launch of the Synergetic Education™ Institute. It's been years in the making as they've both seen the profound impact of bringing Synergetic Play Therapy® tenets into schools to support educators, school-based mental health professionals, and educational leaders. In fact, it's been such a success, Heather Forbes, Founder of Beyond Consequences Institute, "Help for Billy" Author, Speaker, and Developmental Trauma Expert (...many of you may [...]

This next Lessons from the Playroom guest gave Lisa the most amazing surprise when she jumped on - it filled Lisa with so much joy, delight and an urge to connect … And this is totally what they’re talking about today - how to captivate, engage, be with (vs. doing), and create a playful connection with your child clients during the initial play therapy session. Lisa is joined by the one and only Liana Lowenstein. Join them in a [...]

Lisa Dion discusses the #1 thing that will get you off track as a therapist ... and it's trying to be someone you’re not! Tune in and join Lisa on the journey to learn more about this most essential ingredient to your client’s healing journey - and this time it’s about discovering who you are as a therapist. You'll explore: * How you know when you're trying to be someone you're not; * Why it's so important to be [...]

The synergy between Lisa and her next guest is … well, let’s just say, it’s like getting an opportunity to eavesdrop on a beautiful conversation between two brilliant minds! Kim Barthel is an award winning Occupational Therapist, teacher, and best-selling author. Tune in and discover: *Ways to more deeply understand the body, nervous system activation, and what it looks like in your client; *How to truly understand a child client’s behavior at a deeper level; *How to visibly identify [...]

Lisa Dion’s next special guest is a Certified SPT therapist, coach, mom and Yoga instructor. She’s known her for years - all the way back to when Lauren worked in Cape Town, South Africa. Listen as Lauren Porter and Lisa talk about how to make Yoga a practice that can support you as a therapist and redefine and unpack yoga in a way that maybe you haven’t considered… ...And how getting to know yourself more and experiencing a widening [...]

In this episode you’ll find out why translating the play to parents/caregivers can be such a challenge for play therapists, but oh-so important! Learn 4 tips including how to: * Set the stage early on in the process for parents about what they can expect and to honor/protect the confidentiality of what’s going on in the room with the child client. * Develop or enhance parent buy-in within the therapeutic process. * Translate what the child is doing in [...]

In this episode, Lisa Dion is joined by Sueann Kenney-Noziska whose work with sexually abused children and adolescents is absolutely remarkable. This episode is packed with so much information, you might want a paper and pen to take notes. Join them in a conversation to explore: * Challenges (and rewards) of working with this population * Common dynamics that occur during sexual abuse * The disclosure process and why it’s so hard for children/teenagers to disclose * Ways to [...]

Have you ever thought about where and how you most connect with your sense of self and innate wisdom?... This next Lessons from the Playroom guest has made it her life’s focus to help her clients do just this (...48 years as a psychotherapist!). Marie José Dhaese is the founder of Holistic Expressive Therapy and creator of an absolutely amazing and beautiful therapeutic “play home." In this episode, Marie José talks about how all of us hold within ourselves [...]

Why is it so hard to let go and surrender to the reality of WHAT IS, in your life?... Join Lisa Dion as she takes you on a reflective journey to answer this very important question (... because we know it’s not easy and, let’s just be honest, can be downright painful!). In this Lessons from the Playroom episode, learn: * Why it’s so hard to let go and surrender to what is happening in your life * How [...]

This next guest, from a young age, wanted to be both a philosopher and a pilot … while life took her down a different path, she has since translated the “mysteries” of EMDR Therapy when working with children for thousands of therapists worldwide ... and taken many of her clients on a journey to places within themselves, giving them wings to soar! Join Ana Gomez and Lisa Dion in a discussion about EMDR Therapy with kids where Ana gives [...]

We’re doing something different in this episode! … This time, Lisa is joined by three important people in her life – three Certified Synergetic Play Therapists, for a discussion of some of the challenges we might face as a play therapist. Take time to pause, reflect and find out what to do when a child/client: * tries to take care of the therapist; * does not turn on their screen during a teletherapy session (and what is really necessary [...]

In this episode, Lisa is joined by another special therapist – a gem in the play therapy field (and he’s also a poet) … Marshall Lyles joins Lisa in a discussion that brings new thought, new life, and new excitement to processes and things you may have heard about for years. As a bonus, Marshall also shares his poem, Digging Deeper that he recently shared in the book, Advanced Sandtray Therapy. Click below, listen here on Apple Podcasts, or subscribe to the [...]

A fundamental question of your practice as a play therapist, might be – “How do I support parents/caregivers in becoming the external regulator for their child?” … … With this mantra in mind to “treat the parent/caregiver how you would love the parent/caregiver to treat the child,” Lisa Dion tackles this very topic of how to support parents/caregivers in becoming their child’s external regulator. Click below, listen here on Apple Podcasts, or subscribe to the podcast here! [...]

In this 102nd episode, Lisa is joined by special guest Dr. David Crenshaw for a touching and heartfelt conversation about Finding the Hidden Gifts Within Children, especially those who have been deeply mistreated and hurt. Listen as David shares his wisdom and some of the lessons learned from his 53 years in the field – and a key message to always look for the treasures buried within. Click below, listen here on Apple Podcasts, or subscribe to the podcast here! [...]