Lessons from the Playroom Season 2

In this episode, Lisa is joined by special guest Brian Keating, a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist and Certified Group Psychotherapist. Brian specializes in tele-play therapy and is a contributing author to Advances in Online Therapy: Emergence of a New Paradigm. He's presented on topics including grief, childhood bereavement, and the therapeutic use of the video game Minecraft, which is the focus of this episode.  Join Lisa and Brian as they demystify the use of video games in therapy, with [...]

Join Lisa in this inspiring episode as she sits down with Amit Chintan Ramlall and his father, Dr. Kumar Ramlall, for a heartfelt conversation about navigating life with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Despite facing challenges with independent speech, Amit shares his remarkable journey and how he has embraced his talents and gifts to defy expectations. 💖 Drawing from their personal experiences, Lisa, Amit and Kumar delve into the misconceptions surrounding ASD and the importance of assuming competence in all [...]

In this episode, we delve into one of the most requested topics of the past year. Dr. Montserrat Casado joins Lisa to shed light on PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections), offering invaluable insights for supporting children, parents, and therapists. Tune in as Montse and Lisa engage in a captivating conversation, debunking misconceptions about PANS/PANDAS, and offering new ways of understanding and supporting clients and caregivers. Discover Montse's personal journey [...]

Join us in this enlightening episode as we delve into uncharted territory with guest Dave Hompes, a renowned author, nutritionist, functional medicine practitioner, and mind-body coach. With his extensive expertise in integrative approaches to health, Dave sheds light on the intricate connection between psychology and the dynamics of the mind and body. In this captivating conversation, discover: Insights into the profound relationship between nutrition and mental health through compelling case studies, including epilepsy, Autism Spectrum, Tourette syndrome, and more. [...]

Join Lisa as she hosts Tara McDonald and Karen O'Neill from PIP Solutions UK in an engaging discussion on the versatile practice of play therapy across the lifespan, with an added focus on the concept of symbolic repair. Prepare to be captivated by this episode, as it is filled with insightful content that you'll want to jot down or take notes! Key Insights: Discover the various forms that play therapy can take, spanning from infancy through childhood, adolescence, and [...]

In this episode, we’re turning the tables back toward Lisa’s direction to discuss what it takes to make hard decisions (both personal and professional), the courage it takes to make the hard decisions, and the reasons we don’t make hard decisions. And joining Lisa for this discussion is the perfect person to have the conversation - Robert Abel, Jr., Operations Director for the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute.  Join us for a deep dive into the world of decision-making, touching [...]

In this episode, Lisa is joined by Tammy Schamuhn, the Co-Founder and Director of the Institute of Child Psychology and host of the Child Psych podcast. Together, they delve into the essential topic of identifying the roadblocks that sometimes get in a parent/caregiver’s way of fully supporting their child’s therapy and healing process.  Tammy, an unwavering advocate for parents, shares insights from her experience, discussing the challenges parents face and the importance of involving them in the therapeutic journey. [...]

We have a really fun topic! Lisa is joined by the fantabulous Maria Laquerre Diego to unravel the intriguing world of villains in play therapy! (...Learn more about Maria and some of the amazing trainings she offers to play therapists below.) In this episode, Maria shares her experiences incorporating villain characters into therapy, providing clients with a unique opportunity to explore their identities and feel seen. Get ready to talk about all things villainous! Join Maria and Lisa and [...]

Join Lisa Dion and Tracy Turner-Bumberry in this episode to explore the fascinating world of mandalas and their application in our work with children (... a super cool and likely unexplored tool in your clinical practice). In today's conversation, Tracy will unravel the mystery behind mandalas and share her insights into their powerful use in therapy.  Tracy is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist/Supervisor. She brings a wealth of expertise to our discussion as a Certified AutPlay [...]

We’re so excited for this next topic. It’s a topic that’s never been addressed on this podcast series and a topic that is rarely explored in the  field of play therapy. So settle in, grab something to take notes because Lisa is joined by Ludmila (Mila) Golovine to talk about using interpreters in play therapy.  Mila is the CEO and President of MasterWord Services, Inc. As a professional interpreter, Mila is familiar with the toll interpreting for survivors may [...]

Join Lisa Dion for a discussion on a topic that has been requested more than once since the beginning of this podcast, and it’s something we all experience (Yes … therapists, parents, children … all human beings on this planet!) …. We’re diving into the intriguing topic of negative self-talk and why we actually can’t get rid of it (... no matter how many positive self-affirmations we say to ourselves).   Through a compelling exploration of the multifaceted dimensions of [...]

In this engaging episode, Lisa Dion brings together three guests that are near-and-dear to her heart: Michelle Wayman, Mili Shoemaker, and Lisa Walton. All three are either Certified Synergetic Play Therapists or Certified Synergetic Play Providers and are joining her from diverse corners of the world - Argentina, Australia and the United States. Together, they embark on a profound exploration of the intricate connections between the therapist and their clients, with a particular emphasis on the intriguing question of [...]

In this episode, Lisa Dion is joined by the fantabulous and oh-so-knowledgeable Heather Fairlee Denbrough, a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist/Supervisor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Registered Play Therapist Supervisor. Together, they tackle one of the most requested and also one of the most scariest topics for therapists … providing support to children dealing with suicidal ideation and attempts.  This episode is a valuable resource for any caregiver or professional working with children. Join Lisa and Heather as they shed [...]

In this episode, Lisa and Robyn Gobbel talk about a topic never discussed before on this podcast and super important for us as clinicians working with kids ... They're talking about the brain (...Robyn loves to talk about the brain), and more specifically how to teach kids about the brain.  But first, we're so excited to announce Robyn's new book coming out this month, Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies that Really Work!! Weaving together relational neuroscience [...]

Often, when we think about boundaries, we imagine a list of rules and restrictions like: you can’t do this, you can do this, and if you don’t do this, this is going to happen. But this isn’t actually the essence of a boundary and it’s not what the boundary is designed for.  Setting boundaries is actually a courageous act that requires self-awareness and self-love. It's about prioritizing your own well-being and honoring your own needs. And by understanding the importance of boundaries, [...]

To say that we’re excited for this conversation is an understatement because today’s topic is in the top three of the most requested topics since this podcast’s inception. We’ve been waiting for the perfect person to educate us on this topic, and there is no one better than Dr. Jodi Mullen to help us explore, understand, and make sense of a child’s sexualized play.  Dr. Jodi Ann Mullen, PhD LMHC NCC RPT-S CCPT-Master, is a professor at SUNY Oswego [...]

Lisa is joined by another very very special guest, Gabriel (Gabe) Lomas, to cover a topic that has never been addressed on this podcast (...and very rarely at a play therapy conference) …  Understanding and working with deaf children in the playroom.  Gabe is a professor and Program Director of Counseling Programs at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. He’s been an RPT-S for many years and is the immediate past president of the New York branch of the Association [...]

Lisa Dion has with her an extraordinary guest, Dr. Dee Ray to talk about an incredibly important topic for us as play therapists, Multiculturalism in Play Therapy (...  if you don’t already have Dee’s book, Multicultural Play Therapy, we hope you’ll go buy it by the end of this podcast. It’s a must-have for every therapist that works with kids!)  Dee Ray, Ph.D., LPC-S, NCC, RPT-S is Regents Professor and Elaine Millikan Mathes Professor in Early Childhood Education in the [...]

The beautiful Marshall Lyles is again joining Lisa Dion for another Lessons from the Playroom episode, but this time to talk about understanding Ableism and Disablism in the Playroom.  Marshall Lyles, LMFT-S, LPC-S, RPT-S, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, has 20 years of practice in family play therapy. Drawing on lessons learned from working with attachment trauma in a variety of settings, Marshall regularly teaches on sandtray therapy and family work around the globe. In our opinion, Marshall is one of [...]

In this episode, we’re talking about a topic that we’ve never discussed, but is such an important topic to our work as play therapists. And that is dissociation. To have this discussion, Lisa has with her the fabulous Annie Monaco. Annie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist, and faculty member of the Child Trauma Institute. With over 20 years of experience, Annie is a global trainer and has a specialty in EMDR Therapy with children and teens, [...]

We’re so excited for this topic (...it’s definitely a hot topic) and the amazing guest that is joining Lisa. Stacy Jagger is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S), as well as an AAMFT Approved Supervisor. A native of Nashville, Stacy is the founder and clinical director of Music City Family Therapy. She is the author of 30 Day Blackout, as well as the children's book, A Letter from Emma. She’s also a regular [...]