By participating in this course, you are agreeing to abide by guidelines of the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Course Agreements.

We encourage you to review the document thoroughly and contact info@synergeticplaytherapy.com with any questions!

To complete this lesson, please click on the quiz link below titled “Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Course Agreements Quiz” to agree to general acknowledgements. Once completed, you will gain access to your next lesson.

THANK YOU for joining us for this course! You did it! And, let us say an extra special thank you on behalf of the children and the families you work with for committing to your own growth and development!

To complete the course and access your certificate, please click “Mark Complete” at the bottom of this page.

Before you do, we would love to hear about your experience and get your feedback on the course! If you would please take a few moments to complete this Feedback Questionnaire we would be so grateful!

Thank you for choosing to be a part of our Synergetic Play Therapy Community!

Keep reading for more ways to learn, grow, & connect!

What is Synergetic Play Therapy? (…you might be asking this question and that’s totally understandable) Synergetic Play Therapy® (2008) is a researched-informed model of play therapy blending the therapeutic power of play with nervous system regulation, interpersonal neurobiology, physics, attachment, mindfulness, and therapist authenticity. It grew from personal experience as well as research in neuroscience, Interpersonal Neurobiology, and attachment theory (see Badenoch, 2008; Porges, 2011; Schore, 1994; Siegel, 1999 for coverage of the ideas behind SPT). Preliminary research suggests that SPT significantly improves emotional tolerance and regulation (Dion & Gray, 2014; Simmons, 2020).

Although Synergetic  Play Therapy is a model of play therapy, it’s also a way of being in relationship with self and others. It’s an all-encompassing paradigm that can be applied to any facet of life and, subsequently, any model of play therapy can be applied to it or vice versa. Synergetic Play Therapy is both non-directive and directive in its application.

Keep learning & growing with us: No matter what type of training you’re looking for, we can accommodate! We offer online training that allows you to learn from anywhere, in-person training located at various locations, and workshops and conferences that take place all over the globe. Consider joining us for our signature Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® course that happens three times a year. This is also a prerequisite to the SPT Certification program  (a truly transformational program for your clients and yourself!) and becoming a Synergetic Play Therapist!! And because we know you value ongoing education, we want to extend you the best offer that we give on our signature course – $100 off. This offer is better than the early bird and it’s just for you! Use the discount code “Intro100” when you purchase. Join us for the next course here: learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

Master the business skills and mindset so you can build your entrepreneurial dream: 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 – Elevate and take your entrepreneurial dream to new heights! Find out all the details for the next Business of Therapy course here. 

Join us on Facebook: If you haven’t already, join the SPT Learning Community – our central gathering place for discussion, support, and inquiry.

Get the book: With an understanding of aggressive play based on brain function and neuroscience, “Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Intensity” provides therapists with a framework to work authentically with aggressive play, while making it an integrative and therapeutic experience for the child. Topics covered include: embracing aggression; understanding the nervous system; understanding regulation; developing yourself as an external regulator; authentic expression; setting boundaries; working with emotional flooding; supporting parents during aggressive play. Available in three versions – English, Spanish and Audio. Choose the option that works best for you!! Get your copy today!

Enjoy learning with Lisa through the Lessons from the Playroom podcast series:  Join Lisa and special guests for a bi-weekly podcast that’s designed to help therapists understand the little lessons kids teach us that make a big difference in the play therapy process. People all across the globe are tuning in: from Australia to Zambia, this podcast has reached over 138 countries so far. Enjoy it on your way to work, while at the office, or as you’re doing household chores. Need to fold some laundry? Throw in some learning too! Listen on Apple Podcast, Spotify, YouTube, or on the SPTI website. 

Take advantage of our other many free resources: Check out our many free resources including e-books, educational short videos, infographics and handouts, playroom blogs, and 30-minute emotional flooding training video, all designed to support you on your therapist journey!

Stay Connected with Us: Become part of the SPT community mailing list here – with FREE access to exclusive content, upcoming trainings, events and special offers, and inspiring mini educational videos and episodes from the Lessons from the Playroom podcast, all delivered to your inbox (unsubscribe anytime). Join us here.

This lesson includes your course handout(s), the course video, and the course quiz. Please view the video in its entirety before attempting the quiz. You will be required to pass the quiz with a score of 80% or higher to successfully meet this requirement.

Adverse Childhood Experiences in Play Therapy Handout(s):

“Pair of ACEs” Tree

Enter the password Synergetic to begin viewing the video, below.

Click on the blue lettering below, “Adverse Childhood Experiences in Play Therapy Quiz” to get started. Once you complete the Quiz you will gain access to your final lesson. You must click “Mark Complete” on your final lesson to receive your course certificate!

It’s time for you Quiz on your culture lesson videos! If you have not yet viewed the videos and completed the reflection handouts for both of the Video Lessons: Synergetic Play Therapy® and Cultural Humility & 4 Threats and the Set Up Through a Cultural Lens, you will need to go back and do so before continuing below.

In order to move on to the next lesson, Webinar 3: Attachment and Attunement Review in the Playroom, you will be required to take a quiz on the topics Synergetic Play Therapy® and Cultural Humility & 4 Threats and the Set Up Through a Cultural Lens and pass the quiz with a score of 80% or higher. 

Before you attempt the quiz, we recommend that you pull out your notes the Reflection Exercises handouts you completed when you watched the video lessons the first time to reference!

You will also be asked to rate the video lesson objectives. You may review the objectives below:

Synergetic Play Therapy® and Cultural Humility Course Objectives:

• Identify the importance of differences in how a child approaches play therapy depending on an individual’s culture
• Explain what it means for play therapists to have “done the work” to become curious with their clients in play therapy using a cultural approach
• Understand the term “microaggressions’ and how to apply Synergetic Play Therapy® concepts in the play therapy process

4 Threats and the Set Up Through a Cultural Lens Course Objectives:

• Explain why culture is important when considering the 4 Threats in play therapy
• Understand how culture impacts the Set Up and Offering in play therapy
• Demonstrate ways that as a therapist culture can be considered in the play therapy process

It’s time for you Quiz on your culture lesson videos! If you have not yet viewed the videos and completed the reflection handouts for both of the Video Lessons: Synergetic Play Therapy® and Cultural Humility & 4 Threats and the Set Up Through a Cultural Lens, you will need to go back and do so before continuing below.

In order to move on to the next lesson, Webinar 3: Attachment and Attunement Review in the Playroom, you will be required to take a quiz on the topics Synergetic Play Therapy® and Cultural Humility & 4 Threats and the Set Up Through a Cultural Lens and pass the quiz with a score of 80% or higher. 

Before you attempt the quiz, we recommend that you pull out your notes the Reflection Exercises handouts you completed when you watched the video lessons the first time to reference!

You will also be asked to rate the video lesson objectives. You may review the objectives below:

Synergetic Play Therapy® and Cultural Humility Course Objectives:

• Identify the importance of differences in how a child approaches play therapy depending on an individual’s culture
• Explain what it means for play therapists to have “done the work” to become curious with their clients in play therapy using a cultural approach
• Understand the term “microaggressions’ and how to apply Synergetic Play Therapy® concepts in the play therapy process

4 Threats and the Set Up Through a Cultural Lens Course Objectives:

• Explain why culture is important when considering the 4 Threats in play therapy
• Understand how culture impacts the Set Up and Offering in play therapy
• Demonstrate ways that as a therapist culture can be considered in the play therapy process

In order to receive your CE Certificate, you must complete the associated quiz with a score of 80% or higher. Once you have successfully completed the quiz, your CE Certificate will auto-generate, allowing you to download and/or print your certificate.

Upon completing the quiz, you will gain access to the final lesson of your course where we share more opportunities for you to learn and explore Synergetic Play Therapy®!

Click the the blue letters below “Working with Adopted Children in Play Therapy” to get started!

You did it!  You completed your video course! On behalf of the children and the families you work with, thank you. It’s great to have you as part of our Synergetic Play Therapy Community!

What is Synergetic Play Therapy? (…you might be asking this question and that’s totally understandable) Synergetic Play Therapy® (2008) is a researched-informed model of play therapy blending the therapeutic power of play with nervous system regulation, interpersonal neurobiology, physics, attachment, mindfulness, and therapist authenticity. It grew from personal experience as well as research in neuroscience, Interpersonal Neurobiology, and attachment theory (see Badenoch, 2008; Porges, 2011; Schore, 1994; Siegel, 1999 for coverage of the ideas behind SPT). Preliminary research suggests that SPT significantly improves emotional tolerance and regulation (Dion & Gray, 2014; Simmons, 2020).

Although Synergetic  Play Therapy is a model of play therapy, it’s also a way of being in relationship with self and others. It’s an all-encompassing paradigm that can be applied to any facet of life and, subsequently, any model of play therapy can be applied to it or vice versa. Synergetic Play Therapy is both non-directive and directive in its application.

Keep learning & growing with us: No matter what type of training you’re looking for, we can accommodate! We offer online training that allows you to learn from anywhere, in-person training located at various locations, and workshops and conferences that take place all over the globe. Consider joining us for our signature Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® course that happens three times a year. This is also a prerequisite to the SPT Certification program  (a truly transformational program for your clients and yourself!) and becoming a Synergetic Play Therapist!! And because we know you value ongoing education, we want to extend you the best offer that we give on our signature course – $100 off. This offer is better than the early bird and it’s just for you! Use the discount code “Intro100” when you purchase. Join us for the next course here: learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

Master the business skills and mindset so you can build your entrepreneurial dream: 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 – Elevate and take your entrepreneurial dream to new heights! Find out all the details for the next Business of Therapy course here. 

Join us on Facebook: If you haven’t already, join the SPT Learning Community – our central gathering place for discussion, support, and inquiry.

Get the book: With an understanding of aggressive play based on brain function and neuroscience, “Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Intensity” provides therapists with a framework to work authentically with aggressive play, while making it an integrative and therapeutic experience for the child. Topics covered include: embracing aggression; understanding the nervous system; understanding regulation; developing yourself as an external regulator; authentic expression; setting boundaries; working with emotional flooding; supporting parents during aggressive play. Available in three versions – English, Spanish and Audio. Choose the option that works best for you!! Get your copy today!

Enjoy learning with Lisa through the Lessons from the Playroom podcast series:  Join Lisa and special guests for a bi-weekly podcast that’s designed to help therapists understand the little lessons kids teach us that make a big difference in the play therapy process. People all across the globe are tuning in: from Australia to Zambia, this podcast has reached over 138 countries so far. Enjoy it on your way to work, while at the office, or as you’re doing household chores. Need to fold some laundry? Throw in some learning too! Listen on Apple Podcast, Spotify, YouTube, or on the SPTI website. 

Take advantage of our other many free resources: Check out our many free resources including e-books, educational short videos, infographics and handouts, playroom blogs, and 30-minute emotional flooding training video, all designed to support you on your therapist journey!

Stay Connected with Us: Become part of the SPT community mailing list here – with FREE access to exclusive content, upcoming trainings, events and special offers, and inspiring mini educational videos and episodes from the Lessons from the Playroom podcast, all delivered to your inbox (unsubscribe anytime). Join us here.

Click “Mark Complete” to officially complete this course and receive the green checkmark in your My Courses section!

In order to receive your CE Certificate, you must complete the associated quiz with a score of 80% or higher. Once you have successfully completed the quiz, your CE Certificate will auto-generate, allowing you to download and/or print your certificate.

Upon completing the quiz, you will gain access to the final lesson of your course where we share more opportunities for you to learn and explore Synergetic Play Therapy®!

Click the the blue letters below “Conceptualizing Cases from a Synergetic Play Therapy® Lens Quiz” to get started!

It’s time for you Quiz on your culture lesson videos! If you have not yet viewed the videos and completed the reflection handouts for both of the Video Lessons: Synergetic Play Therapy® and Cultural Humility & 4 Threats and the Set Up Through a Cultural Lens, you will need to go back and do so before continuing below.

In order to move on to the next lesson, Webinar 3: Attachment and Attunement Review in the Playroom, you will be required to take a quiz on the topics Synergetic Play Therapy® and Cultural Humility & 4 Threats and the Set Up Through a Cultural Lens and pass the quiz with a score of 80% or higher. 

Before you attempt the quiz, we recommend that you pull out your notes the Reflection Exercises handouts you completed when you watched the video lessons the first time to reference!

You will also be asked to rate the video lesson objectives. You may review the objectives below:

Synergetic Play Therapy® and Cultural Humility Course Objectives:

• Identify the importance of differences in how a child approaches play therapy depending on an individual’s culture
• Explain what it means for play therapists to have “done the work” to become curious with their clients in play therapy using a cultural approach
• Understand the term “microaggressions’ and how to apply Synergetic Play Therapy® concepts in the play therapy process

4 Threats and the Set Up Through a Cultural Lens Course Objectives:

• Explain why culture is important when considering the 4 Threats in play therapy
• Understand how culture impacts the Set Up and Offering in play therapy
• Demonstrate ways that as a therapist culture can be considered in the play therapy process

*Synergetic Play Therapy Institute, APT Approved Provider 09-264
*Australian Play Therapists Association (APTA) Approved Provider
*British Columbia Play Therapy Association (BCPTA) Approved Provider 23-01

Please remember to print or download a copy of your Certificate as it does not save on the learn platform.

If you are not a mental health professional and would like to request a certificate of completion please contact the Institute.

This lesson covers the sixth and final class for the Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® course. Students will have access to their course site for two months following the final class date.

Module 6 Objectives: Sand, Art & Aggression in Synergetic Play Therapy®

This module focuses on how to facilitate sand, art, and aggression through a Synergetic Play Therapy® lens.

Module 6 Objectives:

• Explain how to use regulation as a way to help integrate aggressive energy in the playroom
• Describe how to facilitate the use of 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

Handouts: 

• Module 6: Sand, Art, & Aggression in Synergetic Play Therapy®

Please use password “aggression” to access video.

Additional Resources:

• Short Video: When a Client Emotionally Floods (time stamp: 5:29)
• Short Video: 2 Tips for Emotional Flooding (time stamp: 7:30)
• Short Video: Creating a Space that Supports Regulation (time stamp: 4:34)
• Short Video: Using the Bop Bag in Play Therapy (time stamp: 5:55)
• Short Video: Turn Your Sand Tray Into A Regulation Device (time stamp: 4:24)
• Short Video: When the Therapist Feels Like They’re in the “Boxing Ring” Too (time stamp: 5:40)

Thank you for taking the time to revisit and rediscover the Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® program material! Your commitment to your own learning and that of your students is one of the many reasons we are honored to have you on our Intro Consultant team!

With love and gratitude,

Lisa and the SPTI Team

Please reference your Master Schedule for Consultants lesson for the Live Webinar dates and Zoom Meeting links!

Handouts:

There are no handouts for this webinar. Please bring your favorite way to take notes.

NOTE FOR CONSULTANTS- Questionnaire Time: Students will be asked to complete a final feedback questionnaire during this month. Please encourage your group to complete the questionnaire so the Institute may continue to learn and grow from their experiences! Remind them how important they are!

Module 5 – Understanding Attachment & Emotional Age

This module further deepens an understanding of attachment, attachment to self, emotional age, and attunement.

Module 5 Objectives:

• Discuss Synergetic Play Therapy®’s perspective on attachment
• Explain why interoception is the pre-req for the ability to regulate and co-regulate and why this is a key focus in a Synergetic Play Therapy session
• Describe the difference between a child’s emotional age and their chronological age

Handouts: 

• Module 5: Understanding Attachment & Emotional Age
• Growing Up in Play Therapy – Developmental Stages in SPT
• Developmental Stages
• Interoception

Please use password “attachment“ to access the video.

Additional Resources:

• Short Video: When Shame Shows Up in the Playroom (time stamp: 3:46)
• Short Video: When a Child Doesn’t “Play” in the Playroom (time stamp: 2:43)
• Short Video: Developing Empathy in the Playroom (time stamp: 2:51)
• Short Video: Supporting Children Through a Grief Process (time stamp: 2:25)
• Short Video: What Emotional Intelligence Really Means (time stamp: 3:09)
• Short Video: When You’re Feeling Lost in the Play Therapy Process (time stamp: 6:57)

Module 4 – Partnering with Caregivers/Tracking the Play

This module focuses on working with and supporting children’s most important relationships- the ones with their caregivers. Without the ability to understand caregivers and work to create win/win experiences, we may find ourselves in a sea of resistance. This module also introduces the Therapeutic Stages of Synergetic Play Therapy®.

Module 4 Objectives:

• Discuss the implications for caregivers being in their own grief process when they bring their children to play therapy
• Describe what it means to become a caregiver’s external regulator
• Discuss the importance of setting goals and speaking in terms of what is important to the caregiver when partnering with them in therapy
• Describe the Therapeutic Stages in Synergetic Play Therapy®

Handouts: 

• Module 4: Partnering with Caregivers/Tracking the Play
• Tips for Talking to Caregivers (suggested supplemental handout only)
• Good Communication-Caregiver handout (suggested supplemental handout only)
• Therapeutic Stages in Synergetic Play Therapy (SPT Curve)
• Starting Points Template #2 – Example

Please use password “caring” to access the video.

Additional Resources:

• Short Video: Empowering Parents in the Play Therapy Process (time stamp: 4:54)
• Short Video: 3 Tips for Creating Great Goals in Play Therapy (time stamp: 5:58)
• Short Video: 2 Tips for a Successful Intake Session (time stamp: 6:32)
• Short Video: Preparing Parents for Their Child’s Play Therapy Experience (time stamp: 5:41)
• Short Video: How to Explain Implicit Memory to Parents/Caregivers (time stamp: 7:43)

If you’ve enjoyed this Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy program, you’re in for an incredible journey ahead. We’ve cherished having you with us and invite you to continue your growth with our Synergetic Play Therapy® Certification Program!

Take a moment to reflect on the growth you’ve witnessed since starting the introductory course. How have your clients evolved? How have your therapy sessions changed? Most importantly, how have you changed? Your growth is the key to unlocking your clients’ full potential for transformation.

During the introductory course, you’ve merely scratched the surface of what’s possible for client healing and transformation. Imagine delving deeper into a wealth of knowledge and skills, with an additional 85 hours of learning. This is precisely what awaits you in our 10-month SPT Certification program, designed to empower you as a therapist* …..

• Dive deeper into understanding attunement, attachment, and mindfulness to enhance your client’s reflective awareness, self-regulation, and co-regulation.
• Gain insight on how to scaffold the development of a child’s interoceptive sense. 
• Cultivate an ability to hold awareness of self and other (dual awareness) in order to become an attuned external regulator.
• Explore the interconnectedness between physics and psychology.
• Learn why individuals are driven to do what they do and become who they are.
• Discover how trauma is stored in the body and mind, shaping a client’s narrative.
• Learn how to work with implicit memory to repattern the somatic imprints and protective patterns of the autonomic nervous system.
• Understand the Vagus Nerve and the role it plays in trauma integration and regulation.
• Gain profound insight into the homeostatic mechanisms within the mind and how these contribute to emotions.
• Understand how to assess and work with a child’s emotional age.
• Overcome fears related to working with caregivers and create true collaborative partnerships.
• Master the use of sand and art in both non-directive and directive approaches.
• Learn about the sensory system and how to use this information with neurodivergent children.
• Explore directive interventions for groups, families, teens, siblings, and adults using the SPT tenets.
• Learn how to work with non-verbal regressive states.
• Work with your own activation that naturally arises in sessions and repattern your own nervous system response.
• Deepen your understanding of how to track a child’s progress on the SPT Therapeutic Stages. 
• Master the art of managing endings, transitions, and strategies for facilitating a meaningful “goodbye process” with caregivers and children.
• Empower both yourself and your clients within the therapy process, tracking small moments and significant empowerment experiences in a client’s therapeutic journey.
• And so much more!!!!

This fully-immersive online experience will transform you from a therapist who understands to one who truly embodies the power of what you do in the world. It’s time to move beyond the introductory Synergetic Play Therapy skills and turn them into a way of being in the playroom!

The transformation begins from day one. As one of our students said, “I already got my money’s worth in just the first day of the program.” And she was speaking to the level of insight that she had already gained about herself and her clients after only a few hours of stepping into her next level of SPT learning. 

Dive deeper into the SPT process and embrace yourself, discover your magnificence, and tap into a higher state of authenticity. It’s time to embody SPT and take it to the next level. You’re worth it, your own transformation is worth it, and the individuals in your life are worth it. This is not the end of the road – it’s just the beginning of a remarkable journey.

Apply today to embark on this transformative experience.

Deadline to apply is June 14, 2024. Early bird deadline is April 1st to get up to $500 off. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to grow and transform with Synergetic Play Therapy in 2024-2025!

*For individuals that are not mental health clinicians, they will receive Synergetic Play Provider. 

✨ “SPT offers the gift of manifesting the true expression of self, for both our young clients and ourselves. We learn to engage fully in relationships. We connect and become that which fosters trust, growth, and healing. My journey through the SPT Certification process has been the most profound learning experience of my life. I am forever transformed.” – Mary Telep

And here are some more ways to stay connected and keep learning and growing with us……

Master the business skills and mindset so you can build your entrepreneurial dream: 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 – Elevate and take your entrepreneurial dream to new heights! Find out all the details for the next Business of Therapy course here. 

Transform education through empowering educators and students – Join Judy Norman, Certified SPT Therapist/Supervisor and Co-founder with Lisa of the Synergetic Education Institute for One Foot in Education: Exploring Education Through a Synergetic Play Therapy Lens and learn how to take your SPT knowledge into an educational settings to offer trauma-informed, social-emotional support to school educators and their students.  If you work in an educational setting, this is a great next step in your learning!

SPT Consultation: We know consultation can be so important to your ongoing growth and development as a therapist and/or play provider. Consider ongoing SPT consultation with one of our Senior Intro Consultants to support you on the journey.

Stay connected with us: Hang out with us in the private SPT Learning Community Facebook group, on Instagram or like us on Facebook; join Lisa and special guests for the weekly Lessons from the Playroom podcast; meet up with us at a conference, training or other event virtually or in-person; read our monthly newsletter or our blogs!; check out all our free short videos; or go purchase some of our one-hour, two-hour or three-hour courses.

Thank you for being part of the SPT Community!

Click “Mark Complete” below to gain access to the final lesson of your course!

This webinar is the second LIVE webinar for this course.

Please reference your Master Schedule for Consultants lesson for the Live Webinar dates and Zoom Meeting links!

Handouts:

There are no handouts for this live webinar. Please bring your favorite way to take notes.

Additional Resource – Synergetic Play Therapy® and Teletherapy

Interested in learning more about how to approach teletherapy sessions with your children through a Synergetic Play Therapy® lens? Check out this optional video created by Lisa in 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Synergetic Play Therapy® and Teletherapy, Password: Synergetic

Still Want More? Check Out These Resources:

• Embracing Online Play Therapy(episode #92) with special guest Jackie Flynn
• Online Play Therapy & Therapist Fatigue (episode #69)  
• Overcoming Fatigue in Teletherapy or Superar la fatiga en la teleterapia blog 
• Online Play Therapy (Lisa interviewed on the “Abundance Practice Building” podcast)
• Does Teletherapy Work in Play Therapy (episode #32)

This module is the second of two video lessons related to the topic of culture! As a reminder, we have spaced out the two video lessons to keep you engaged throughout the program and to keep you thinking; however, you will need to have completed both lessons before Module 5 where you will be prompted to complete a quiz on the two video lessons!  Another reminder to take notes as they will come in handy, along with your reflection exercise handouts, when you take the quiz.

This video lesson will discuss the 4 threats/challenges and Synergetic Play Therapy®’s The Set Up/Offering through a cultural lens. In addition, the term “gaslighting” will be explored.

4 Threats and the Set Up Through a Cultural Lens Course Objectives:

• Explain why culture is important when considering the 4 Threats in play therapy
• Understand how culture impacts the Set Up and Offering in play therapy
• Demonstrate ways that as a therapist culture can be considered in the play therapy process

Handout(s):

4 Threats/Challenges Through a Cultural Lens Reflection #1

Video Lesson: 4 Threats and the Set Up Through a Cultural Lens
Password: CulturalLens

Additional Resources:

• Lessons from the Playroom Podcast Episode 100 – Third Culture Kids in Play Therapy. (In this 100th episode, the tables are turned again, and Lisa is interviewed about being a “Third Culture Kid” (TCK), what it means, and how it has influenced the creation of Synergetic Play Therapy®!)
• Being Understood as an Immigrant | Liliana Baylon | TED x Breckenridge
• Lessons from the Playroom Podcast Episode 74 – Social Justice in Play Therapy – Nora Alwah

You are almost half way through this course! You are learning so much about the brain, nervous systems, the Set Up, and there is so much more to come! Understanding how to become the External Regulator, Attachment, Working with Caregivers, Sand, Art, and Aggressive Play are right around the corner.

Also, some of you are already asking about what it takes to become a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist or Certified Synergetic Play Provider! If you are interested in learning more, please go ahead and start this conversation with your consultant. We will share more information about this process after Class 4 – Now let’s dive in!

Module 3 / Webinar 2 – Becoming an External Regulator

This module is dedicated to deepening an understanding of what it means to become an external regulator to help children expand their windows of tolerance, re-pattern their nervous system, and integrate their experiences.

Module 3 Objectives:

• Explain the “funnel analogy” as a way to understand what children are attempting to integrate in their play therapy sessions
• Describe how Synergetic Play Therapy® approaches boundary setting
• Describe what it means to become the external regulator in a session to help a child integrate their challenges

Handouts: 

• Module 3: Becoming an External Regulator
• Becoming an External Regulator Key Points
• Types of Reflections in Synergetic Play Therapy®
• Setting Boundaries in Play Therapy

Please use password “regulate” to access video. 

Additional Resources:

• LFPR Podcast: How Trying to be Calm Gets in the Way of Regulation (time stamp: 26:07)
• LFPR Podcast: Working with Attachment from the Lens of Equine Assisted Therapy 
• Short Video: Regulation is Not Better than Dysregulation (time stamp: 4:17)
• Short Video: Why the Vagus Nerve is So Important in Play Therapy (time stamp: 2:19)
• Short Video: What Regulation Actually Means! (time stamp: 3:24)
• Short Video: How Co-Regulation Changes Templates (time stamp: 7:10)
• Short Video: Why Interoception is Important in Play Therapy (time stamp: 3:09)

This module is the first of two video lessons related to the topic of cultural humility! We have spaced out the release of the two video lessons to keep you engaged throughout the program and to keep you thinking; however, you can watch them/complete the reflection exercises at your own pace knowing that in Module 5  you will be prompted to complete a quiz on the two video lessons!  As you watch these videos, please take notes and make sure to save them, along with the completed reflection exercise handouts, to help you with the quiz.

In this video lesson, you will explore Synergetic Play Therapy® and Cultural Humility. Topics such as what is culture, what it means to “do the work”, why it is hard to have conversations about culture, and how Synergetic Play Therapy® encourages therapists to become external regulators and lean in with curiosity are explored.

Synergetic Play Therapy® and Cultural Humility Course Objectives:

• Identify the importance of differences in how a child approaches play therapy depending on an individual’s culture
• Explain what it means for play therapists to have “done the work” to become curious with their clients in play therapy using a cultural approach
• Understand the term “microaggressions’ and how to apply Synergetic Play Therapy® concepts in the play therapy process

Handout(s):

Synergetic Play Therapy® and Cultural Humility Reflection Exercise #1
Synergetic Play Therapy® and Cultural Humility Reflection Exercise #2

Video Lesson: Synergetic Play Therapy® and Cultural Humility
Password: CulturalHumility

Additional Resources:

• Lessons from the Playroom Episode 4 – What Our Playroom Says About Us
• Lessons From The Playroom Podcast Episode 151 – Dee Ray: Multiculturalism in Play Therapy
• Lessons From The Playroom Podcast Episode 150 – Marshall Lyles: Ableism and Disablism in the Playroom
• A Conversation With White People On Race | Op-Docs | The New York Times
• Lessons from the Playroom Podcast Episode 101 – Cultural Issues in Play Therapy – Dr. Eliana Gil (A discussion on what it means to be culturally competent!)

Module 2 – Understanding States of Activation

This module begins the journey into neurobiology where we will learn about the brain, states of activation of the nervous system, and regulation.

Module 2 Objectives:

• Explain the link between nervous system states and the symptoms that show up in the playroom
• Describe the importance of regulation in the playroom
• Explain what regulation is and isn’t according to Synergetic Play Therapy®

Handouts: 

• Module 2: Understanding States of Activation
• Nervous System Symptoms
• The Brain

You may view this video as often as you’d like over the course of the month. It is important you have watched the video at least once before meeting with your consultant.

Please use password “nervoussystem“ to access video.

Additional Resources:

• LFPR Podcast: Expand Your Cultural Lens When Working with Immigrants & Refugees
• Short Video: The Power of Combining Play Therapy with Neuroscience (time stamp: 3:29)
• Short Video: Nervous System Activation 101 (time stamp: 4:01)
• Short Video: Threats to the Brain – Physical Safety (Part 1) (time stamp: 3:07)
• Short Video: Threats to the Brain – Perceptions in the Unknown (Part 2) (time stamp: 3:18)
• Short Video: Threats to the Brain – Incongruence in the Environment (Part 3) (time stamp: 3:32)
• Short Video: Threats to the Brain – Shoulds & Unmet Expectations (Part 4) (time stamp: 4:44)