Lessons from the Playroom
Psychology & Relationships
About
The Synergetic Play Therapy Institute's "Lessons From the Playroom" Podcasts are a series of recorded podcasts designed to help therapists understand the little lessons that kids teach us that make a big difference in the play therapy process.Our podcast host, Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S, is an innovative and inspiring teacher and pioneer in play therapy. She founder and President of the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute and the creator of Synergetic Play Therapy, a cutting-edge model of play therapy that bridges the gap between neuroscience and psychology. Lisa teaches and supervises all over the world, helping transform the lives of thousands of therapists and children. With these podcasts, she'll teach you practical ways to transform both you and the child clients you work with. These inspiring educational lessons are sure to leave you feeling more confident and excited for your next session!
Episodes
- Little Lessons Series: Navigating the Teenage Terrain - Q&A with Lisa (Best of)
Original air date: Oct 01, 2024 Lisa is back to answer more of your burning questions! And this time, we're diving deep into the world of teens, one of the most complex and rewarding populations to work with in the playroom. In this episod…
- Beyond Toys: Play Therapy Across Medical, Occupational, and Animal-Assisted Settings (Best of)
Original air date: May 14, 2024 Lisa is joined by three remarkable professionals, Jacque Maben, Cara Smith, and Amy Pennington, to uncover the boundless potential of play therapy across various contexts and non-traditional mental health se…
- Books as Bridges: Co-Regulation and Attachment through Bibliotherapy with Tammi Van Hollander (Best of)
Original air date: September 3, 2024 Lisa welcomes Tammi Van Hollander, LCSW, RPT-S, to explore a transformative approach to bibliotherapy. Moving beyond the traditional view of books as cognitive tools, Tammi introduces us to using biblio…
- Little Lessons Series: Listener Q&A with Lisa (Best of)
In this episode of Lessons from the Playroom, Lisa addresses listener questions regarding play therapy. Topics include managing children bringing food or toys, understanding why children lie or exaggerate, and how to handle situations wher…
- Creating Affirming Play Therapy Spaces for Transgender & Gender-Diverse Children with Jennifer Shivey (Best of)
In this episode of Lessons from the Playroom, host Lisa speaks with Jennifer Shivey, a counselor and play therapist specializing in LGBTQ+ youth. Shivey shares insights on creating safe play therapy spaces for transgender and gender-divers…
- Vision, Momentum, & Mastering the Business of Therapy with Lisa and Jen Taylor (Best of)
In this episode of Lessons from the Playroom, Lisa Dion and Jen Taylor discuss goal-setting, vision, and the business of therapy for practitioners. They cover creating actionable goals, differentiating resolutions from visions, managing fe…
- Little Lessons Series: Authenticity in the Playroom – Q&A with Lisa (Best of)
In this episode of the Little Lessons Series, Lisa addresses listener questions about authenticity in play therapy. She discusses how to navigate imaginative play roles, the importance of therapist genuineness for client connection, and st…
- Beyond Labels: Cultivating Cultural Humility as Therapists with Liliana Baylon (Best of)
In this insightful episode, Lisa welcomes back the incredible Liliana Baylon, a bilingual English and Spanish multicultural therapist and cultural ambassador for the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute. Building on their previous conversatio…
- Crisis Play Therapy: Insights from Isabella Cassina & Claudio Mochi (Best of)
In this special episode, Lisa is joined by two extraordinary guests, Isabella Cassina and Claudio Mochi, pioneers using play therapy in international crisis intervention. As co-founders of the INA International Academy for Play Therapy Stu…
- Supporting Child Survivors of Sex Trafficking with Alejandro Castro Croy (Best of)
In this especially important episode, we shine a spotlight on the harrowing issue of child sex trafficking and explore how we can support the young survivors of this modern-day slave trade. Join Lisa for a deeply insightful conversation wi…
- Demystifying Minecraft in the Therapeutic Space with Brian Keating (Best of)
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: E…
- The Mind-Body Blueprint: How Body Symptoms Are Connected to Our Mental Health (Best Of)
In this episode, Lisa sits down with Dave Hompes, renowned author, nutritionist, and functional medicine practitioner, to explore the fascinating connection between the mind and body. Together, they dive into how mental health and physical…
- Emotional Flooding: When the Therapist Is Outside the Window of Tolerance (Best Of)
Emotional flooding is inevitable; it's part of relationship. It's not about shame, but connection—providing a platform upon which real repair can flourish . – Lisa Dion In this episode, Lisa explores emotional flooding from the therapist's…
- Conflict In and Out of the Playroom (Best Of)
"The more we try to avoid conflict, the more it shows up in our life." – Lisa Dion Why does conflict feel so uncomfortable—and why do we work so hard to avoid it? In this episode of Lessons from the Playroom , Lisa Dion explores why confli…
- Defying Expectations to Embrace Human Potential (Best Of)
Re-airing in honor of the International Week of Play Therapy. In this special episode Lisa is joined by Amit Chintan Ramlall and his father, Dr. Kumar Ramlall, for a powerful conversation about autism, identity, and the transformative impa…
- Giving a Voice to Children with PANS/PANDAS with Dr. Montserrat Casado (Best Of)
PANS and PANDAS are among the most misunderstood—and frequently requested—topics in the therapy world. In this episode, Lisa is joined by Dr. Montserrat Casado for a thoughtful, compassionate conversation on how these conditions impact chi…
- Resurrecting Rogers: What Did Carl Rogers Really Want to Say? (Best Of)
"It is a sparkling thing when I encounter realness of another person… When this happens, I leap to meet it." – Carl Rogers Carl Rogers is one of the most influential—and often misunderstood—figures in psychology. In this episode, Lisa retu…
- Play Therapy Across the Lifespan: Nurturing Healing Through Symbolic Repair (Best Of)
What does play therapy look like beyond childhood? In this episode, Lisa is joined by Tara McDonald and Karen O'Neill of PIP Solutions UK to explore how play therapy can support healing across the lifespan. Together, they discuss how play…
- Are Your Decisions Coming From Alignment—or Habit? (Best Of)
"The dysregulation in our body is information about the congruency of our decisions." – Lisa Dion How do you know if a decision is truly aligned with who you are? In this episode, Lisa explores how our nervous system offers critical inform…
- Supporting Gifted Children: Navigating Their Inner Worlds in Play Therapy (Best Of)
Original Air Date : June 12, 2019 "When it comes to giftedness, one of the most important things to focus on is how these children manage their internal worlds." – Lisa Dion Gifted children are undeniably bright, but their intellectual abi…
- Sibling Rivalry: Harnessing Conflict for Growth in Play Therapy (Best Of)
Original Air Date : May 29, 2019 "Every family has both peace and war, dysregulation and regulation, support and challenge." – Lisa Dion Parents often wish for a home without arguments, but sibling rivalry is an inevitable—and often valuab…
- Villains, Heroes, and the Complexity of Play Therapy (Best Of)
Original Air Date: January 02, 2024 Get ready to embrace the playful—and profound—world of villains in therapy! In this episode, Lisa Dion is joined by the amazing Maria Laquerre Diego, LMFT, RPT-S, as they explore how villain characters c…
- Breaking Language Barriers: Using Interpreters in Play Therapy (Best Of)
Original Air Date: November 28, 2023 In this groundbreaking episode, Lisa Dion is joined by Ludmila (Mila) Golovine, CEO and President of MasterWord Services, to explore a topic rarely addressed in play therapy: working with interpreters.…
- Double Duty: Supporting Twins in Play Therapy (Best Of)
Original Air Date: April 17, 2019 "Twins are master co-regulators but also susceptible to losing themselves. The key is to help them find the 'I' in 'we.'" – Lisa Dion Twins may be nature's "2-for-1 deal," but being a twin—or working with…
- Two Roles, One Room: Balancing Parenthood and Play Therapy (Best Of)
Original Air Date: June 28, 2019 "It isn't about being a parent or not. It's about showing up in the playroom and being real." – Lisa Dion Being both a parent and a play therapist comes with unique insights—but it doesn't automatically pro…
- Why Negative Self-Talk Isn't the Enemy (Best Of)
Original Air Date: November 7, 2023 Join Lisa Dion as she dives into a topic we all experience—therapists, parents, children—negative self-talk. Despite the countless affirmations we try, negative self-talk refuses to go away. But what if…
- The Clients We Attract: Mirrors for Therapist Growth (Best Of)
Original Air Date: October 24, 2023 In this captivating episode, Lisa Dion is joined by three incredible colleagues—Michelle Wayman, Mili Shoemaker, and Lisa Walton—from Argentina, Australia, and the United States. Together, they explore a…
- Nurturing Your Brain and Your Inspiration as a Play Therapist (Best Of)
The brain is a high-maintenance organ—and it thrives on challenge! In this episode, Lisa Dion explores how play therapists can stay energized, inspired, and fulfilled by giving the brain the growth it craves while also giving ourselves per…
- Supporting Children Through Suicidal Thoughts: Insights for Caregivers and Therapists (Best Of)
Original Air Date: October 10, 2023 In this powerful episode, Lisa Dion is joined by the incredible Heather Fairlee Denbrough—Certified Synergetic Play Therapist/Supervisor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Registered Play Therapist Su…
- Broken Toys and Other Hidden Messages in Play (Best Of)
Original Air Date: September 19, 2019 "Broken toys may be a metaphor for how children see themselves." – Lisa Dion In this episode, Lisa tackles the "little" questions that often carry big meaning in the playroom. What do you do with broke…
- Honoring Boundaries as an Act of Self-Love & Worthiness (Best Of)
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 n…
- Multiculturalism in Play Therapy with Dr. Dee Ray (Best Of)
Original Air Date: July 30, 2023 In this deeply insightful episode, Lisa Dion is joined by Dr. Dee Ray, an expert in the field of multicultural play therapy, to discuss an incredibly important and timely topic for every play therapist: Mul…
- Perfectionism in the Playroom: What's Really Going On Beneath the Surface? (Best Of)
"Perfectionism is the strategy the child is using to manage their anxiety and fear." – Lisa Dion That child who needs everything just right ? Who gets upset when the block tower falls or the drawing isn't "perfect"? There's more going on t…
- Understanding and Working with Deaf Children in the Playroom | Gabriel Lomas (Best Of)
In this groundbreaking episode, Lisa is joined by Gabriel (Gabe) Lomas, an expert in the field of play therapy, to address a topic rarely discussed in the world of therapy: working with deaf children in the playroom. This episode offers a…
- In Memory of Carmen Jimenez-Pride – Internal Family Systems in the Playroom (Best of)
Original Air Date: July 5, 2022 We are deeply saddened to share the passing of Carmen Jimenez-Pride—a fellow SPTer, therapist, healer, and a beautiful example of what it means to live fully, expansively, authentically, and without playing…
- ✨ 200: The Final Chapter—Listening to the Wisdom of the Body (with Avery Dion) ✨
This is both a milestone and a farewell. After years of heartfelt conversations, transformative insights, and connections across the globe, Lessons from the Playroom reaches its 200th—and final—episode (at least for now). To mark this occa…
- Helping Kids & Families Navigate Screen Time Balance | Stacy Jagger (Best Of)
Original Air Date: June 22, 2023 We are so excited about this hot topic and our incredible guest—Stacy Jagger! Stacy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S), and AAMFT Approved Super…
- 199. EMDR Sand Tray Therapy for Trauma Healing: Ana Gomez on Symbols, Attachment, & Integration
In this episode, Lisa welcomes back Ana Gomez, internationally recognized expert in EMDR Therapy, complex trauma, and dissociation, for her third appearance on the podcast. Ana shares insights from her brand-new book, EMDR Sand Tray-Based…
- Vicarious Trauma & Compassion Fatigue: What Every Therapist Needs to Know (Best Of)
Original Air Date: May 3, 2020 The word compassion means 'to suffer with' or merge with. This is different than empathy." – Lisa Dion As play therapists, we hold so much. And often, we don't realize how deeply the work impacts us—especiall…
- 198. Wounded Healers in the Playroom: How Attachment Histories Shape Our Work
What happens when therapists bring their own attachment histories into the playroom—consciously or not? In this deeply validating and insightful conversation, Lisa welcomes back Dr. Clair Mellenthin—renowned play therapist, author, and pro…
- Special: Where Are We Now? Reflecting on the Evolution of Play Therapy
This episode originally aired in June 2023 when Synergetic Play Therapy turned 15 this year 🎉 (and was also Lisa's birthday week! 🥳), which made it the perfect moment to pause and reflect on how far the field of play therapy has come—and…
- 197. Why the Playroom Must Evolve: Embracing Digital Play Therapy & AI (Part 2)
In this powerful follow-up episode, Lisa reunites with psychologist, author, and digital play therapy pioneer Dr. Jessica Stone to explore the ever-evolving intersection of technology, artificial intelligence, and mental health. Together,…
- Special: Little Questions, Big Insights: Answering Common Play Therapy Questions
In this latest episode, Lisa tackles three little, yet powerful questions that every play therapist faces at some point in their practice. These insightful answers will expand your approach and deepen your work with children. 🔹 What to do…
- Special: Understanding Sexualized Play in Therapy with Dr. Jodi Mullen
One of the most highly requested topics in play therapy is finally here—understanding sexualized play in the playroom. In this deeply insightful episode, Lisa Dion is joined by Dr. Jodi Mullen, a leading expert in play therapy and child tr…
- 195. When the Body Remembers: Psychosensory Healing, Play Therapy & the Wisdom Within with Kim Barthel
She's back—and the energy in the room just elevated. In one of the most moving and illuminating episodes to date, Lisa Dion reunites with internationally renowned occupational therapist, author, and teacher Kim Barthel—one of the most belo…
- Special: The 3 Types of Relationships in Play Therapy with Parents & Caregivers
What makes working with parents and caregivers feel smooth—or challenging—in play therapy? In this insightful episode, Lisa Dion explores three distinct types of relationships that shape our interactions with parents and caregivers in the…
- 194. Introducing Family Constellation Work: A Systemic Lens for Play Therapists
🎙️ She's back! In her fourth appearance, Lisa welcomes the deeply loved and returning guest Mili Sarmiento Shoemaker—bilingual therapist, teacher, and Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor and Trainer—to introduce a brand-new topic…