Welcome to Play Therapy Institute of Colorado’s E-Learning Site

Please select a course below to get started.

  • LFTP Ep. 77 Working with Emotional Age in Play Therapy

    In this episode of Lessons From The Playroom, we will talk about the concept of emotional age and its profound impact on therapeutic interactions with children. Through insightful discussion and practical examples, participants will explore the distinction between chronological and emotional age, gaining valuable tools to assess and attune to a child's emotional state. Participants will learn strategies to recognize emotional regression in children and themselves, fostering deeper levels of empathy and understanding. By understanding and working with emotional age, therapists can better support children through their healing journey, creating a nurturing environment for growth and development.   Course details below.
  • In this episode of Lessons From The Playroom Podcast, we delve into the intricate world of children's lying behavior in this thought-provoking. Participants explored the underlying motives and protective patterns driving lying behavior, challenging traditional views on honesty. Through real-world examples and practical strategies, learn to create a neuroception of safety that fosters trust and authenticity. Gain insights into recognizing lying patterns and responding therapeutically to promote honesty and connection. This Lessons From The Playroom episode offers valuable tools and techniques for caregivers and professionals seeking to navigate lying behavior with empathy and understanding, ultimately fostering meaningful relationships with children.    Course details below.
  • Registration closes May 21, 2024, at 12pm Mountain Time (Denver)

    Fears! We all have them. They're built into our psychology, influence our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and profoundly shape our lives - often taking no prisoners. In this transformative workshop, you will learn how to navigate and overcome these fears, giving you ways to break free from the paralyzing grip they can have when pursuing your highest goals or ambitions, and also with just moving through your daily life. You’ll also gain a deeper understanding of the neurobiology of fear, including the role of the amygdala in fear processing - a game changer when supporting your clients to work through their fears or gaining traction toward your personal or professional goals. Whether you're seeking to overcome specific phobias or simply want to understand the psychological mechanisms at play, this workshop will give you both theoretical and practical insights and skills, and teach you perhaps the most valuable lesson of life - How to turn your fears into a catalyst for action and growth! Don't let fear hold you back any longer! Reserve your spot today, and begin your journey of understanding and empowerment! *If you are attending live, select the "Live Event" option from the dropdown menu below.  *If you are unable to attend live, select the "Home Study" option from the dropdown menu below. (Must be completed within 7 days following the live event)   Course details below.
  • 2024-2025 Synergetic Play Therapy® Certification Program

    **If you are currently enrolled in the January 2024 Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy program or 2024 Refresher program, your extended Early Bird application deadline is June 1, 2024.**

    FINAL Application Deadline for all applicants is June 14th, 2024.

    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 85 hours of content (plus 13 hours of consultation!). This is precisely what awaits you in our 10-month SPT Certification program, designed to empower you as a therapist or other professional!  Here's what you can look forward to!
    • 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 your Level 1 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.” 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 Synergetic Play Therapy learning.  Dive deeper into the Synergetic Play Therapy process and embrace yourself, discover your magnificence, and tap into a higher state of authenticity. It’s time to embody Synergetic Play Therapy 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! Check out what others had to say about this program! ***By enrolling in this course you will also receive a FREE BONUS video course "How to Have a Successful Intake" to help you begin preparing for your time in the Synergetic Play Therapy Certification program and the first Learning Retreat! Synergetic Play Therapy Prerequisites: Must have completed one SPT introductory course and their corresponding prerequisites to apply to this program (price of the introductory course is independent of the Certification program pricing):
    • 6-Month Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy Online course 
    • 3-Day In-Person Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy course
    • Synergetic Play Therapy Supplemental course (no longer offered) 
    • 6-Day SPT Intensive Training (no longer offered)
    Ready to submit your application? Please click "Add to Cart" below to pay the $150 application fee. Once payment is confirmed you will be sent a link to complete the online application!
    *For all class details, class objectives, research scholarship, CE credits and more, see below.
  • LEARN A SOLID PLAY THERAPY THEORY THAT COMBINES THE POWER OF PLAY WITH INTERPERSONAL NEUROBIOLOGY!

    **Early bird discount ends May 14th, 2024. Use coupon code "Intro2024" at checkout!**

    Registration deadline is June 17th, 2024, 12pm Mountain Time, Denver

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE PROGRAM DETAILS!!

    Have you been searching for ways to create a deeper impact for your clients? Or perhaps you are wanting to improve or learn more about ...
    • Becoming an external regulator to support children with integration and repatterning the activation of their nervous system.
    • Supporting healing at deeper levels through right brain to right brain attuned communication.
    • Teaching children interoceptive (body) awareness (...the key ingredient for self-regulation and co-regulation). 
    • Creating a neuroception of safety for a child when emotional flooding happens.
    • Setting boundaries with the brain in mind to not minimize, shame or shut down the child's play, but keep them engaged in their therapy process.
    • Building collaborative relationships with caregivers to support their child's therapeutic process.
    • Developing goals, tracking a child's therapeutic process, and translating what's happening during the child's therapy session to their caregiver(s) and others in the world.
    • Helping children develop a secure attachment to themselves (...a foundation of resilience).
    • Applying SPT concepts from a cultural lens for a more inclusive and culturally sensitive clinical orientation where a client's unique experiences and needs are honored.
    • How to feel a little more like YOU in the therapy process (...because we know inauthenticity is the fastest way to burnout and compassion fatigue). 
    Learn all of this and so much more! Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy is a comprehensive 32-hour program that explores the foundational skills of SPT. This six-month online program is designed for both beginning and advanced practitioners and will take you on a journey to explore the neuroscience behind what is happening in the play therapy process, how to effectively work with caregivers and what it means to create a neuroception of safety allowing both the child and the caregiver to have a deeper integration, and (....if this wasn't enough), you'll come to understand the magic of aggressive play, sand and art from the perspectives of nervous system regulation, attunement, attachment, mindfulness, and authenticity.

    Come discover what showing up in the playroom truly means and explore what is happening in the play therapy process, how change occurs, and ultimately what it takes to help children heal at profound levels. And the best part is, you get to be you on the journey! 

    Check out what past students had to say about their experiences in the course!

    "SPT is the missing piece in play therapy. I gained an understanding of who I am in the playroom - a humanness that wasn't there before." -Frances Donohue

    Join the growing number of mental health professionals, those in related roles (Child Life Specialists, School Counselors, Occupational Therapists, Coaches, etc.) and parents/caregivers who are learning SPT!

    *For program details and objectives, see below.

  • Get $100 USD OFF until September 6, 2024, when you use the Early Bird coupon code BOT2024100 at checkout!

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE COURSE DETAILS!!

    Back by popular demand - revised, energized, and with an in-person and virtual option, join us November 7th-9th, 2024, for the next The Business of Therapy course, this time in vibrant New Orleans, Louisiana! 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 - this course will help you elevate your skills and take your entrepreneurial dream to new heights! This course teaches you the steps involved in building a dream, as well as helps you understand the why behind them so you can think like a business entrepreneur. Plus, for 2.5 days, Lisa Dion, creator of Synergetic Play Therapy®, President of the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute and co-founder of the Synergetic Education Institute, will give you the key ingredients she's learned and discovered along her own entrepreneurial journey.  This course is for you, if you:
    • Have a business idea and don’t know where to start.
    • Have a successful business and want to take it to the next level.
    • Have launched a dream and can’t seem to get traction.
    • Feel overwhelmed by the many to-dos and responsibilities of your business.
    • Feel alone, confused and filled with self doubt as you think about building and growing your dream.
    • Keep finding yourself in-debt and/or not able to grow your finances.
    • Keep finding that your fears and limiting beliefs are stopping your growth.
    • Want to become more efficient with the business you have (no matter the size of your business) so that you can work more ON your business vision instead of always in the business!
    This year’s event will be held at the luxurious Hilton New Orleans/St. Charles Avenue Hotel, located in the Central Business District of New Orleans! How perfect is that? This hotel was built in 1926 as the Louisiana Masonic Temple and is minutes away from the French Quarter, home to Canal and Bourbon Street! Get ready to experience historical elegance, luxurious accommodations, culinary delights, rooftop views, and award-winning service! Let the good times roll!

    VIP Experience is SOLD OUT! WOW, that was fast! Thank you to the lucky first 20 to register!

    New this year, an exclusive VIP experience for just 20 attendees on a first-come-first-serve basis! Join Lisa for 4 additional hours on the final day and prepare to dive into more invaluable insights - Lisa will personally guide you through a series of exercises designed to fine-tune your plans and propel you toward success! Your VIP pass also comes with special surprises along the way, focused time with Lisa, and, to top it off, a night out in New Orleans together (should you wish to join)! Lisa will also be hosting a virtual "meet and greet" for VIPs only prior to the first day of the course to share details about the VIP Experience and begin to discuss your goals!

    Hear what past The Business of Therapy Participants have to say about the course in the video below!

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE COURSE DETAILS!!

    Keep scrolling to learn more about this course and the In-Person Experience! If you know that you would like to attend the course Online/Virtually, click here! *Please pay special attention to the in-person or online selection made when purchasing your course. You will not have the opportunity to switch your attendance from one format to the other after the registration deadline.
  • LEARN A SOLID PLAY THERAPY THEORY THAT COMBINES THE POWER OF PLAY WITH INTERPERSONAL NEUROBIOLOGY!

    Registration deadline is June 17th, 2024, 12pm Mountain Time, Denver

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE PROGRAM DETAILS!!

    Have you been searching for ways to create a deeper impact for your clients? Or perhaps you are wanting to improve or learn more about ...
    • Becoming an external regulator to support children with integration and repatterning the activation of their nervous system.
    • Supporting healing at deeper levels through right brain to right brain attuned communication.
    • Teaching children interoceptive (body) awareness (...the key ingredient for self-regulation and co-regulation). 
    • Creating a neuroception of safety for a child when emotional flooding happens.
    • Setting boundaries with the brain in mind to not minimize, shame or shut down the child's play, but keep them engaged in their therapy process.
    • Building collaborative relationships with caregivers to support their child's therapeutic process.
    • Developing goals, tracking a child's therapeutic process, and translating what's happening during the child's therapy session to their caregiver(s) and others in the world.
    • Helping children develop a secure attachment to themselves (...a foundation of resilience).
    • Applying SPT concepts from a cultural lens for a more inclusive and culturally sensitive clinical orientation where a client's unique experiences and needs are honored.
    • How to feel a little more like YOU in the therapy process (...because we know inauthenticity is the fastest way to burnout and compassion fatigue). 
    Learn all of this and so much more! Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy is a comprehensive 32-hour program that explores the foundational skills of SPT. This six-month online program is designed for both beginning and advanced practitioners and will take you on a journey to explore the neuroscience behind what is happening in the play therapy process, how to effectively work with caregivers and what it means to create a neuroception of safety allowing both the child and the caregiver to have a deeper integration, and (....if this wasn't enough), you'll come to understand the magic of aggressive play, sand and art from the perspectives of nervous system regulation, attunement, attachment, mindfulness, and authenticity.

    Come discover what showing up in the playroom truly means and explore what is happening in the play therapy process, how change occurs, and ultimately what it takes to help children heal at profound levels. And the best part is, you get to be you on the journey! 

    Check out what past students had to say about their experiences in the course!

    "SPT is the missing piece in play therapy. I gained an understanding of who I am in the playroom - a humanness that wasn't there before." -Frances Donohue

    Join the growing number of mental health professionals, those in related roles (Child Life Specialists, School Counselors, Occupational Therapists, Coaches, etc.) and parents/caregivers who are learning SPT!

    *For program details and objectives, see below.

  • Registration Deadline for In-Person attendance is October 11, 2024.

    Registration Deadline for Virtual/Online attendance is October 31, 2024.

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE COURSE DETAILS!!

    Back by popular demand - revised, energized, and with an in-person and virtual option, join us November 7th-9th, 2024, for the next The Business of Therapy course, this time in vibrant New Orleans, Louisiana! 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 - this course will help you elevate your skills and take your entrepreneurial dream to new heights! This course teaches you the steps involved in building a dream, as well as helps you understand the why behind them so you can think like a business entrepreneur. Plus, for 2.5 days, Lisa Dion, creator of Synergetic Play Therapy®, President of the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute and co-founder of the Synergetic Education Institute, will give you the key ingredients she's learned and discovered along her own entrepreneurial journey.  This course is for you, if you:
    • Have a business idea and don’t know where to start.
    • Have a successful business and want to take it to the next level.
    • Have launched a dream and can’t seem to get traction.
    • Feel overwhelmed by the many to-dos and responsibilities of your business.
    • Feel alone, confused and filled with self doubt as you think about building and growing your dream.
    • Keep finding yourself in-debt and/or not able to grow your finances.
    • Keep finding that your fears and limiting beliefs are stopping your growth.
    • Want to become more efficient with the business you have (no matter the size of your business) so that you can work more ON your business vision instead of always in the business!

    VIP Experience is SOLD OUT! WOW, that was fast! Thank you to the lucky first 20 to register!

    New this year, an exclusive VIP experience for just 20 attendees on a first-come-first-serve basis! Join Lisa for 4 additional hours on the final day and prepare to dive into more invaluable insights - Lisa will personally guide you through a series of exercises designed to fine-tune your plans and propel you toward success! Your VIP pass also comes with special surprises along the way, focused time with Lisa, and, to top it off, a night out in New Orleans together (should you choose to join us)! Lisa will also be hosting a virtual "meet and greet" for VIPs only prior to the first day of the course to share details about the VIP Experience and begin to discuss your goals! *This limited VIP Experience is available to In-Person participants only. Select "The Business of Therapy (In-Person + VIP Experience)" from the drop down menu below to secure your spot while they last! This year’s event will be held at the luxurious Hilton New Orleans/St. Charles Avenue Hotel, located in the Central Business District of New Orleans! How perfect is that? This hotel was built in 1926 as the Louisiana Masonic Temple and is minutes away from the French Quarter, home to Canal and Bourbon Street! Get ready to experience historical elegance, luxurious accommodations, culinary delights, rooftop views, and award-winning service! Let the good times roll!

    Hear what fellow past The Business of Therapy Participants have to say about the course in the video below!

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE COURSE DETAILS!!

    *Please pay special attention to the in-person or online selection made when purchasing your course. You will not have the opportunity to switch your attendance from one format to the other after the registration deadline.
  • Registration Deadline for In-Person attendance is October 11, 2024.

    Registration Deadline for Virtual/Online attendance is October 31, 2024.

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE COURSE DETAILS!!

    Back by popular demand - revised, energized, and with an in-person and virtual option, join us November 7th-9th, 2024, for the next The Business of Therapy course, this time in vibrant New Orleans, Louisiana! 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 - this course will help you elevate your skills and take your entrepreneurial dream to new heights! This course teaches you the steps involved in building a dream, as well as helps you understand the why behind them so you can think like a business entrepreneur. Plus, for 2.5 days, Lisa Dion, creator of Synergetic Play Therapy®, President of the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute and co-founder of the Synergetic Education Institute, will give you the key ingredients she's learned and discovered along her own entrepreneurial journey.  This course is for you, if you:
    • Have a business idea and don’t know where to start.
    • Have a successful business and want to take it to the next level.
    • Have launched a dream and can’t seem to get traction.
    • Feel overwhelmed by the many to-dos and responsibilities of your business.
    • Feel alone, confused and filled with self doubt as you think about building and growing your dream.
    • Keep finding yourself in-debt and/or not able to grow your finances.
    • Keep finding that your fears and limiting beliefs are stopping your growth.
    • Want to become more efficient with the business you have (no matter the size of your business) so that you can work more ON your business vision instead of always in the business!

    VIP Experience is SOLD OUT! WOW, that was fast! Thank you to the lucky first 20 to register!

    New this year, an exclusive VIP experience for just 20 attendees on a first-come-first-serve basis! Join Lisa for 4 additional hours on the final day and prepare to dive into more invaluable insights - Lisa will personally guide you through a series of exercises designed to fine-tune your plans and propel you toward success! Your VIP pass also comes with special surprises along the way, focused time with Lisa, and, to top it off, a night out in New Orleans together (should you choose to join us)! Lisa will also be hosting a virtual "meet and greet" for VIPs only prior to the first day of the course to share details about the VIP Experience and begin to discuss your goals! *This limited VIP Experience is available to In-Person participants only. Select "The Business of Therapy (In-Person + VIP Experience)" from the drop down menu below to secure your spot while they last! This year’s event will be held at the luxurious Hilton New Orleans/St. Charles Avenue Hotel, located in the Central Business District of New Orleans! How perfect is that? This hotel was built in 1926 as the Louisiana Masonic Temple and is minutes away from the French Quarter, home to Canal and Bourbon Street! Get ready to experience historical elegance, luxurious accommodations, culinary delights, rooftop views, and award-winning service! Let the good times roll!

    Hear what fellow past The Business of Therapy Participants have to say about the course in the video below!

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE COURSE DETAILS!!

    *Please pay special attention to the in-person or online selection made when purchasing your course. You will not have the opportunity to switch your attendance from one format to the other after the registration deadline.
  • Get $50 USD OFF until September 6, 2024, when you use the Early Bird coupon code BOT202450 at checkout!

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE COURSE DETAILS!!

    Back by popular demand - revised, energized, and with an in-person and virtual option, join us November 7th-9th, 2024, for the next The Business of Therapy course, this time in vibrant New Orleans, Louisiana! 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 - this course will help you elevate your skills and take your entrepreneurial dream to new heights! This course teaches you the steps involved in building a dream, as well as helps you understand the why behind them so you can think like a business entrepreneur. Plus, for 2.5 days, Lisa Dion, creator of Synergetic Play Therapy®, President of the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute and co-founder of the Synergetic Education Institute, will give you the key ingredients she's learned and discovered along her own entrepreneurial journey.  This course is for you, if you:
    • Have a business idea and don’t know where to start.
    • Have a successful business and want to take it to the next level.
    • Have launched a dream and can’t seem to get traction.
    • Feel overwhelmed by the many to-dos and responsibilities of your business.
    • Feel alone, confused and filled with self doubt as you think about building and growing your dream.
    • Keep finding yourself in-debt and/or not able to grow your finances.
    • Keep finding that your fears and limiting beliefs are stopping your growth.
    • Want to become more efficient with the business you have (no matter the size of your business) so that you can work more ON your business vision instead of always in the business!

    Hear what past The Business of Therapy Participants have to say about the course in the video below!

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE COURSE DETAILS!!

    Keep scrolling to learn more about this course and the Virtual/Online Experience! If you know that you would like to attend the course in-person, click here! *Please pay special attention to the in-person or online selection made when purchasing your course. You will not have the opportunity to switch your attendance from one format to the other after the registration deadline.
  • Get $50 USD OFF until September 6, 2024, when you use the Early Bird coupon code BOT202450 at checkout!

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE COURSE DETAILS!!

    Back by popular demand - revised, energized, and with an in-person and virtual option, join us November 7th-9th, 2024, for the next The Business of Therapy course, this time in vibrant New Orleans, Louisiana! 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 - this course will help you elevate your skills and take your entrepreneurial dream to new heights! This course teaches you the steps involved in building a dream, as well as helps you understand the why behind them so you can think like a business entrepreneur. Plus, for 2.5 days, Lisa Dion, creator of Synergetic Play Therapy®, President of the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute and co-founder of the Synergetic Education Institute, will give you the key ingredients she's learned and discovered along her own entrepreneurial journey.  This course is for you, if you:
    • Have a business idea and don’t know where to start.
    • Have a successful business and want to take it to the next level.
    • Have launched a dream and can’t seem to get traction.
    • Feel overwhelmed by the many to-dos and responsibilities of your business.
    • Feel alone, confused and filled with self doubt as you think about building and growing your dream.
    • Keep finding yourself in-debt and/or not able to grow your finances.
    • Keep finding that your fears and limiting beliefs are stopping your growth.
    • Want to become more efficient with the business you have (no matter the size of your business) so that you can work more ON your business vision instead of always in the business!

    Hear what past The Business of Therapy Participants have to say about the course in the video below!

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE COURSE DETAILS!!

    Keep scrolling to learn more about this course and the Virtual/Online Experience! If you know that you would like to attend the course in-person, click here! *Please pay special attention to the in-person or online selection made when purchasing your course. You will not have the opportunity to switch your attendance from one format to the other after the registration deadline.
  • Join us for an opportunity to go back to the basics (and meet full Recertification requirements for your Certified Synergetic Play Therapist or Certified Synergetic Play Provider credential!)

    Registration deadline is June 17th, 2024, 12pm Mountain Time, Denver

    Renewal of the Certified Synergetic Play Therapist or Certified Synergetic Play Provider credential is required every 3 years. In order to renew, students must earn at least 18 hours of CE credits specific to Synergetic Play Therapy. Excess hours may not be rolled over into the next 3 year cycle. If CE credits are not submitted, students will no longer be able to use the title Certified Synergetic Play Therapist or Certified Synergetic Play Provider until renewal occurs. This course meets the full requirement of renewing your Certified Synergetic Play Therapist or Certified Synergetic Play Provider credential. During the Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® Recertification program, you will have the opportunity to go back to the foundational understandings and tenets of Synergetic Play Therapy. Likely the first time you took your Level 1 Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy program (whether it was this course or an intensive), you spent the majority of your time trying to orient towards a new way of being in the playroom while grabbing ahold of some of the details of the Synergetic Play Therapy philosophy. This is why it is so important to go back to the basics every few years (and the information gets updated too!) and now you have the opportunity to do so and fill in the missing details in your understanding and to also confirm what you have fully integrated!  Plus this Intro program has undergone some amazing changes in 2023 with new/updated content and teachings. Learn more about the changes here! SPT is the missing piece in play therapy. I gained an understanding of who I am in the playroom – a humanness that wasn’t there before.” -Frances Donohue Renewal Program Requirements: 
    • Attend and take notes at all 3 live webinars (see dates below)
    • Complete each video module and take notes on the provided handouts, indicating the date you watched each module
    • Complete an Integration Assignment to help you reflect on your learning.
    • Upload all of your course notes and Integration Assignment to a shared Google Drive folder, provided by the Institute.
    *For program details and objectives, see below.
  • LEARN A SOLID PLAY THERAPY THEORY THAT COMBINES THE POWER OF PLAY WITH INTERPERSONAL NEUROBIOLOGY!

    **Early bird discount ends May 14th, 2024. Use coupon code "Intro2024" at checkout!**

    Registration deadline is June 17th, 2024, 12pm Mountain Time, Denver

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE PROGRAM DETAILS!!

    Have you been searching for ways to create a deeper impact for your clients? Or perhaps you are wanting to improve or learn more about ...
    • Becoming an external regulator to support children with integration and repatterning the activation of their nervous system.
    • Supporting healing at deeper levels through right brain to right brain attuned communication.
    • Teaching children interoceptive (body) awareness (...the key ingredient for self-regulation and co-regulation). 
    • Creating a neuroception of safety for a child when emotional flooding happens.
    • Setting boundaries with the brain in mind to not minimize, shame or shut down the child's play, but keep them engaged in their therapy process.
    • Building collaborative relationships with caregivers to support their child's therapeutic process.
    • Developing goals, tracking a child's therapeutic process, and translating what's happening during the child's therapy session to their caregiver(s) and others in the world.
    • Helping children develop a secure attachment to themselves (...a foundation of resilience).
    • Applying SPT concepts from a cultural lens for a more inclusive and culturally sensitive clinical orientation where a client's unique experiences and needs are honored.
    • How to feel a little more like YOU in the therapy process (...because we know inauthenticity is the fastest way to burnout and compassion fatigue). 
    Learn all of this and so much more! Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy is a comprehensive 32-hour program that explores the foundational skills of SPT. This six-month online program is designed for both beginning and advanced practitioners and will take you on a journey to explore the neuroscience behind what is happening in the play therapy process, how to effectively work with caregivers and what it means to create a neuroception of safety allowing both the child and the caregiver to have a deeper integration, and (....if this wasn't enough), you'll come to understand the magic of aggressive play, sand and art from the perspectives of nervous system regulation, attunement, attachment, mindfulness, and authenticity.

    Come discover what showing up in the playroom truly means and explore what is happening in the play therapy process, how change occurs, and ultimately what it takes to help children heal at profound levels. And the best part is, you get to be you on the journey! 

    Check out what past students had to say about their experiences in the course!

    "SPT is the missing piece in play therapy. I gained an understanding of who I am in the playroom - a humanness that wasn't there before." -Frances Donohue

    Join the growing number of mental health professionals, those in related roles (Child Life Specialists, School Counselors, Occupational Therapists, Coaches, etc.) and parents/caregivers who are learning SPT!

    *For program details and objectives, see below.

  • Get $100 USD OFF until September 6, 2024, when you use the Early Bird coupon code BOT2024100 at checkout!

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE COURSE DETAILS!!

    Back by popular demand - revised, energized, and with an in-person and virtual option, join us November 7th-9th, 2024, for the next The Business of Therapy course, this time in vibrant New Orleans, Louisiana! 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 - this course will help you elevate your skills and take your entrepreneurial dream to new heights! This course teaches you the steps involved in building a dream, as well as helps you understand the why behind them so you can think like a business entrepreneur. Plus, for 2.5 days, Lisa Dion, creator of Synergetic Play Therapy®, President of the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute and co-founder of the Synergetic Education Institute, will give you the key ingredients she's learned and discovered along her own entrepreneurial journey.  This course is for you, if you:
    • Have a business idea and don’t know where to start.
    • Have a successful business and want to take it to the next level.
    • Have launched a dream and can’t seem to get traction.
    • Feel overwhelmed by the many to-dos and responsibilities of your business.
    • Feel alone, confused and filled with self doubt as you think about building and growing your dream.
    • Keep finding yourself in-debt and/or not able to grow your finances.
    • Keep finding that your fears and limiting beliefs are stopping your growth.
    • Want to become more efficient with the business you have (no matter the size of your business) so that you can work more ON your business vision instead of always in the business!
    This year’s event will be held at the luxurious Hilton New Orleans/St. Charles Avenue Hotel, located in the Central Business District of New Orleans! How perfect is that? This hotel was built in 1926 as the Louisiana Masonic Temple and is minutes away from the French Quarter, home to Canal and Bourbon Street! Get ready to experience historical elegance, luxurious accommodations, culinary delights, rooftop views, and award-winning service! Let the good times roll!

    VIP Experience is SOLD OUT! WOW, that was fast! Thank you to the lucky first 20 to register!

    New this year, an exclusive VIP experience for just 20 attendees on a first-come-first-serve basis! Join Lisa for 4 additional hours on the final day and prepare to dive into more invaluable insights - Lisa will personally guide you through a series of exercises designed to fine-tune your plans and propel you toward success! Your VIP pass also comes with special surprises along the way, focused time with Lisa, and, to top it off, a night out in New Orleans together (should you wish to join)! Lisa will also be hosting a virtual "meet and greet" for VIPs only prior to the first day of the course to share details about the VIP Experience and begin to discuss your goals!

    Hear what past The Business of Therapy Participants have to say about the course in the video below!

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE COURSE DETAILS!!

    Keep scrolling to learn more about this course and the In-Person Experience! If you know that you would like to attend the course Online/Virtually, click here! *Please pay special attention to the in-person or online selection made when purchasing your course. You will not have the opportunity to switch your attendance from one format to the other after the registration deadline.
  • Please use this payment plan to begin your custom installment plan of $179/month for 8 months toward your balance of $1,432 USD for the 2023-2024 Synergetic Play Therapy Certification program.   Please contact the Institute with any questions, info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.
  • JOIN US FOR OUR SIGNATURE PROGRAM AND GROW AS A PROFESSIONAL!

    Registration deadline is January 22nd, 2024, 12pm Mountain Time, Denver

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE PROGRAM DETAILS!!

    Have you been searching for ways to create a deeper impact for your clients? Or perhaps you are:
    • Looking for game-changing concepts, ideas, and techniques to repattern a child's nervous system and become a more effective external regulator in the playroom?
    • Wanting to experience aggressive play, sand, and art from the perspectives of nervous system regulation, attunement, attachment, mindfulness and authenticity?
    • Feeling burned out and want to find ways to come back to yourself or feel "green" again, like a new therapist full of curiosity and liveliness?
    • Curious how to create a neuroception of safety for both the child and the caregiver to experience deeper integration?
    • Wanting to learn a solid play therapy theory that combines the powers of play with interpersonal neurobiology?
    • Or just wanting to feel a little more like YOU in the play therapy process?
    Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® is a 32-hour program that takes you on a journey to explore the neuroscience behind what is happening in the play therapy process, how to repattern a child's nervous system, and what it means to become an external regulator in the playroom.

    You will learn how to effectively work with caregivers and what it means to create a neuroception of safety allowing both the child and the caregiver to have a deeper integration.

    And if this wasn't enough, you will come to understand the magic of aggressive play, sand and art from the perspectives of nervous system regulation, attunement, attachment, mindfulness, and authenticity.

    You'll learn all this while also learning how to avoid burnout and compassion fatigue. Come discover what showing up in the playroom truly means and explore what is happening in the play therapy process, how change occurs, and ultimately what it takes to help children heal at profound levels. And the best part is, you get to be you on the journey! 

    Check out what past students had to say about their experiences in the course!

    "SPT is the missing piece in play therapy. I gained an understanding of who I am in the playroom - a humanness that wasn't there before." -Frances Donohue

    *For program details and objectives, see below.

  • Applications Are Now CLOSED! Thank you to all that applied for the 2023-2024 program!

    "The experience of becoming a Synergetic Play Therapist Supervisor has been a journey in deepening my relationship and attachment to myself and therefore to those around me. I feel better resourced and skilled to support play therapists in their work and their own journeys. This course connected me to a community that I feel deeply privileged to be a part of. During a challenging time for our planet, I felt a connection to others that sustained me." -Katrina Bevelander Are you ready to become a Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor? For Certified Synergetic Play Therapists who meet the prerequisites we offer a path to becoming a Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor*. These courses also count towards Registered Play Therapy Supervisor requirements (please check with APT to determine full requirements). In this training, students will learn how to apply the Synergetic Play Therapy® philosophy and tenets to the supervisory relationship. Through video observation, didactic learning, group discussion, and self study (this course is heavy on independent study), students will learn how to step into the role of play therapy supervisor - one of the most important and influential roles in a play therapist's journey. Course Prerequisites: • At least two years post SPT Certification, holding a clinical caseload during that time with a focus on the application of Synergetic Play Therapy® principles • Demonstrate at least a year's worth of post-certification supervision/consultation with a Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor within 2 years of starting this course • Hold current LPC or LCSW Mental Health license or equivalent licensure/ability to offer supervision in your state or country • Hold "current" status of the Certified Synergetic Play Therapist™ credential • At least one year of purchase and participation in the SPT Community Membership within 2 years of starting this course Click Here to Submit Your Application for Fall 2023 (Applications have Closed) Please note: Completion of a Legal and Ethical Issues in Play Therapy Supervision course is not a prerequisite for this course, however, it must be completed before you can obtain the designation Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor. You will be asked to provide documentation of completion of a Legal and Ethical issues in Play Therapy supervision course. You will also need to have two supervisees during the six months of the course and that are willing to be video-taped. *Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor is a protected title held by those who have taken and completed all requirements of this training. Hear what other Certified SPT Therapists/Supervisors had to say about the course!   Please scroll down for course details!  
  • You've landed in the right place! Whether you've had Synergetic Play Therapy® training and are searching for ongoing support in its application OR you're new to Synergetic Play Therapy® and would like to receive consultation through an SPT lens, we've got you covered! This is for you if you:
    • Have previously enrolled or are currently enrolled in an SPT course and want ongoing support to continue to learn and grow in your application of Synergetic Play Therapy®;
    • Have taken any of our 1-hr, 2-hr, 3-hr courses and would like consultation from an SPT lens;
    • Have ever attended an event or 2-day training with Lisa Dion and would like consultation to continue to integrate what you learned into your practice;
    • Or have never taken a course through the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute® and would just love consultation support from an SPT lens!
    Use the dropdown menu below to select the duration of the individual consultation session you would like to purchase: Individual Consultation - 30 minutes, Individual Consultation - 50 minutes.  For 50 min group consultation, please refer to the details in the description of this product. Then use the quantity tool to select how many of these sessions you would like to purchase and add to cart! If you're a student currently enrolled in the Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® course or the SPT Certification program and you need to "make-up" a required session, please CLICK HERE to be redirected to the correct product.  
  • "Absolutely transformative! - connected the dots in ways I didn't know needed connecting." -Michelle Tolison  In this course offered by the Synergetic Education Institute™ you'll learn strategies for use in educational settings that promote trauma-informed, social-emotional support in schools. You'll learn how to explain the neuroscience behind these strategies, as you develop your skills in supporting others in deepening their knowledge and awareness. You'll learn how to work with educators and/or within educational systems, while addressing frequently asked questions and concerns, such as:
    • How can an understanding of the impacts of trauma help in school environments?
    • How might the expressions of trauma show up in the classroom?
    • How do I know if it's trauma, or just behavior?
    • Why is building relationships with some students so challenging?
    • Why are the things I've always done before, not working with "these kids?"
    • Why am I so exhausted all the time?
    • What about the impact this is having on the "good" kids?
    Embodying Synergetic Play Therapy principles as we collaborate with teachers, will move us toward our ultimate goals of empowering teachers and supporting shifting their perceptions of students. "SPT One Foot in Education is a must-take course for school counselors and those who work with, and in school systems. It revealed paradigm shifts I needed to make as I met teachers (not just the students) where they're at as I teach SPT concepts in my schools. It feels like a light was shone on what I've been missing when delivering SPT material the past few years and I can't wait to see how the staff respond!" - Helen Ritchie, Certified SPT Therapist/Supervisor A pre-requisite for this course is that you need to have completed one of the following SPT introductory courses below (price of pre-requisite is independent of this course's pricing):
    • The Six-Month Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy Online Course
    • Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy Intensive Training
    • The Synergetic Play Therapy Supplemental Course
    • Three-Day Live Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy Course
    *For additional class details and objectives, please see below.
  • Out of stock

    Course Will BE Rescheduled Due to Unforeseen Circumstances!

    Please contact the Institute if you have any questions in the meantime!

    As a Play Therapist Supervisor supporting supervisees (or as someone on their way to becoming a supervisor), you know that working with children and their families involves a complexity that is like no other, especially when thinking about legal and ethical considerations.  When navigating the ethical issues that arise during the play therapy process, we have found that many Play Therapy Supervisors often ask:
    • What exactly is my role and how do I stay in my role?
    • What should my paperwork and documentation look like?
    • What are my ethical responsibilities as a supervisor?
    • How do I increase my awareness on how cultural diversity impacts play therapy, and thus supervision?"
    To address these and other important questions, Liliana Baylon, LMFT-S, RPT-S* and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute's Cultural Ambassador, will lead you through a 3-hour online course on the topic of "Ethical Issues in Play Therapy Supervision". This live webinar course will help you and other Play Therapist Supervisors manage both the administrative and clinical aspects of play therapy supervision while adhering to general ethical considerations and guidelines. And, if you are a Certified SPTer planning to enroll in the next offering of the Becoming a Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Supervisor program, completion of this course will count toward the program requirement of completing a course related to the topics of legal and/or ethics in play therapy supervision! This is an opportunity to get that requirement out of the way now!   For class details and objectives, see below.
  • With an understanding of aggressive play based on brain function and neuroscience, this book provides therapists with a framework to work authentically with aggressive play, while making it an integrative and therapeutic experience for the child. Through the lens of principles from Synergetic Play Therapy®, therapists are taught how to integrate the intensity experienced by both the child and the therapist during aggressive play in a way that leads towards greater healing and integration.  The book explains the neurological processes that lead kids to dysregulation and provides therapists with tools to help their clients facilitate deep emotional healing, without causing their own nervous system to shut down. Chapter Topics Include:
    • Aggression in the Playroom and Making Aggressive Play Therapeutic
    • Understanding the Nervous System
    • What Regulation Really Means
    • Developing Yourself as the External Regulator
    • The Set-Up in Play Therapy
    • Authentic Expression
    • Setting Boundaries
    • Working with Emotional Flooding
    • Hyper-Aroused Play
    • Observing Play
    • Hypo-Aroused Play
    • Working with Parents
    See book study details below.
  • 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.
  • With their changing brains and hormones, finding ways to integrate play with pre-teens and teens can at times just feel “Awkward”.  Learn how to navigate therapy with our clients who are no longer children, but also not quite yet adults. From twelve-year-olds to seniors in high school, adolescence is a time filled with change. This can make the notion of bringing play therapy to this population a challenge. Do we play? Do we talk? Do I ask questions? What do I do?"  As such, many therapists find themselves at a loss with this age group, feeling just as confused as they do!  In this workshop, play therapists will delve into the mysteries of the teenage mind as we bust myths and glean insight into how to best offer therapeutic support.  Using neuroscience, Developmental, Synergetic, and Systemic theories, participants will explore how to navigate this "awkward" and sometimes "overwhelming" developmental stage using an eclectic framework of non-directive and directive play therapy approaches.  Understanding how to assess the teen's emotional age, an area often missed when working with this population, will also be covered as a way to understand how to incorporate play into the therapy process.   The information presented is designed to open minds and hearts as participants uncover the wisdom of the changing brain and the wisdom of the teenage years.  Through lecture, demonstration, and discussion, this workshop will deconstruct this mysterious stage and support play therapists in discovering how they can help mature and remodel the teenage brain, while supporting movement towards the discovery of the authentic self- the cornerstone of the development of a teenager's identity. To get a sense for the course, check out this short video below:
    See course details below.

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