• Working with Resistant Parents in Play Therapy

    From the dad with doubts to the mom with mixed emotions, not all parents are sold on the idea of play therapy. The resistant parent is a parent who may have questions, shame, or confusion about the process. This course explores how to encourage parental understanding of the power of play and why it’s a key step in helping children heal.
  • Research in neuroscience and interpersonal neurobiology sheds light on the need for the play therapist to act as the external regulator supporting the child to move towards the intensity they are experiencing allowing for integration. This 3 hour video course explores this need during trauma integration for two primary reasons: 1) The child need to borrow the play therapist’s regulatory capacity as they work through their traumatic thoughts, feelings and sensations in play therapy and 2) The play therapist’s ability to regulate themselves during the intensity increases the capacity for presence and attunement with the child, while simultaneously supporting the health and longevity of their own nervous system. Without the ability of the play therapist to become the external regulator for the intensity that arises during trauma integration, both the child and the play therapist are at risk for emotional flooding and high levels of dysregulation in their nervous systems. Over time, this can significantly impact a play therapist’s longevity in the field, as well as the ability to stay attuned and present to a child in sessions. This course is a recording of a 3 hour live webinar with Trusted Provider Network. See course details below.
  • Registration Deadline is August 12th, 2024!

    This dynamic two-hour live webinar course delves into the intricate interplay between trauma, neurocognitive processes, and communication patterns, shedding light on the challenges therapists face when working with survivors of trauma, especially those from culturally diverse backgrounds or with language barriers. Did you know that trauma's profound impact on neurocognitive functioning can significantly influence communication dynamics within therapeutic settings? This, coupled with cultural and linguistic disparities, can pose an added challenge when trying to establish rapport and foster healing with clients, particularly among Limited English Proficient or Deaf/Hard of Hearing individuals! Join Lisa Dion, Founder & President of the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute, and Mila Golovine, President & CEO of Masterword, for this live webinar course that navigates the intersections of cultural competency, trauma-informed therapy, and effective communication strategies. You will also get insights into enhancing the therapeutic alliance, fostering better client engagement, and ultimately improving therapeutic outcomes! Key highlights include:
    • Understanding how trauma affects neurocognitive processes and communication patterns.
    • Exploring cultural competence in therapy and its significance in trauma recovery.
    • Identifying challenges and strategies for effective communication with clients from diverse backgrounds.
    • Best practices for working with Limited English Proficient or Deaf/Hard of Hearing clients.
    • Practical techniques to promote therapeutic alliance and engagement.
    • Ethical considerations and sensitivity when utilizing interpreters in therapy sessions.
    Don't miss this chance to learn actionable insights and tools to navigating the complexities of trauma, culture, and language and to more effectively meet your clients at this complex intersection! *Closed captioning will be available through Zoom for this live webinar course. *If you are attending live, select the "Live Event" option from the dropdown menu below. (No playback will be provided) *If you are unable to attend live, select the "Home Study" option from the dropdown menu below to view the recording. (Must be completed within 7 days following the live event)  
  • This course supports play therapists as they learn about setting boundaries from a neurobiological perspective, keeping the child’s brain and nervous system activation in mind! Drawing from Interpersonal Neurobiology and Synergetic Play Therapy®, participants will learn how to set boundaries without shaming the child or stopping the child’s play, allowing for deeper integration and connection. Working with emotional flooding (the child’s and the therapist’s) will also be explored. Please scroll down for course details.
  • Lisa Dion and Dr. Robert Jason Grant, creator of AutPlay Therapy, discuss what Sensory Processing Disorder is, how to begin to understand it in the context of play therapy, and offer helpful suggestions for therapists to get started.
  • Aggression and death are common parts of the play therapy process, yet many therapists don’t have a clear understanding of what to do and how to facilitate intensity. This can lead to inadvertently promoting aggression and low brain disorganization. It can also lead to the therapist feeling beat up, exhausted, and hyper-aroused, ultimately impacting their ability to stay attuned, remain present, and find inspiration in this field. Enter Synergetic Play Therapy®! Through an SPT lens, and a heavy dose of neuroscience, this 2-hour course helps therapists learn how to use play in a way that supports regulation – their own and their client’s! See course details below.
  • The Synergetic Play Therapy Institute® in collaboration with PIP Solutions presents “Working with Adopted Children in Play Therapy”. Many adopted children have unique challenges which present in different ways in the playroom.  Play Therapists can often feel unsure but are aware of the importance of responding through a different lens.  In this course, there will be an emphasis on the importance of working with the child’s neuro-biological processes such as regulation and dys-regulation, as well as the importance of educating and working with the child’s adoptive parents. 
  • Sibling rivalry is a common phenomenon in family systems and thus a common reason siblings are brought to play therapy! Have you ever wondered how to support siblings in play therapy? Do you work with them individually, together or with the entire family system?  Do you take a non-directive or directive approach?  When they are in the room together, what exactly do you do?  This webinar will answer these questions and more! You will walk away with a better understanding of how best to support siblings in play therapy, along with creative ideas as to what to do when they are in the room together!   Scroll down for all of the course details!
  • We live in a technological age: there is no pacifying Pac-Man, no axing Apple. But screen time doesn’t always mean zoning out. In moderation, Mickey Mouse and Mario can be our allies, helping children better connect to the world around them. This webinar explores the therapeutic value of screen time and how to use it as part of a play therapy process. Learn how to recognize when a child is using it to avoid and when a child’s use of technology is the perfect entry into the therapeutic alliance.
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) can be a part of growing up. But how can we help turn these obstacles into opportunities for growth and resilience and apply this knowledge to the play therapy process? This course explores how play therapy can be used to help mitigate the effects of ACES. Learn the major categories of ACES, along with protective factors or strategies that have been shown to be helpful both in the short-term and long-term. This course is designed to enhance or increase the professional knowledge of graduate-level counselors.    
  • As play therapists, we are often searching for ways to help our clients regulate their emotions and body. This webinar explores how therapists can use yoga to increase their ability to connect with themselves and their clients while facilitating the regulation of emotions and body during play therapy sessions.
  • Working with families as a whole presents a complex and multifaceted endeavor, often marked by intricate dynamics. This course delves into the significance of integrating families into the play therapy process, providing guidance on effectively engaging all family members during sessions and examining the myriad benefits this inclusive approach offers.  You will also understand the role of the nervous system in family interactions and strategies for regulating and harmonizing family dynamics within the context of play therapy sessions.
Go to Top