Welcome to Play Therapy Institute of Colorado’s E-Learning Site
Please select a course below to get started.
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Register by February 24, 2026, to attend the Live Webinar on February 25th!
Holding Space in Hard Times is a support circle for mental health therapists navigating the emotional toll of current events, violence, injustice, political unrest, and collective grief. As therapists, we are trained to hold space for others, but many of us also carry personal sorrow, burnout, rage, fear, and fatigue in response to the events unfolding in the world. This live webinar series offers a space to pause, ask questions, and be held in return. It is not supervision or consultation. It is a place for community care. Join the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute's Cultural Ambassador, Liliana Baylon, as we reflect together on how the current climate impacts our minds, bodies, and clinical work, name what often goes unspoken in therapy spaces, and practice grounding and cultural humility. Through connection and honest conversation, we witness each other without the pressure to fix or perform. This space invites you to come as you are, to release what you can, and to leave feeling more connected and less alone! 2026 Holding Space in Hard Times Dates:- February 25, 2026, 11am-12pm Mountain Time (Denver)
- May 6, 2026, 5pm-6pm Mountain Time (Denver)
- August 5, 2026, 11am-12pm Mountain Time (Denver)
- November 18, 2026, 5pm-6pm Mountain Time (Denver)
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Sale!
Get these 4 amazing courses for 50% off until February 7th as part of the 2026 Play It Forward Summit!
Enjoy four groundbreaking courses from four fabulous play therapists for a discount when you purchase them as a bundle.Here’s what’s in store:
- TraumaPlay™ Pathways with Paris Goodyear-Brown: Explore the three primary pathways of posttraumatic play and learn how TraumaPlay™ helps children create coherent internal narratives.
- Adoption Themes in Play Therapy with Ann Beckley-Forest: Deepen your understanding of attachment wounds, race and culture, and adoption narratives through a prescriptive play therapy lens.
- Role-Affirming Approaches for Supporting Educators with Judith Norman: Learn role-affirming strategies to strengthen collaboration with educators while supporting teacher wellbeing and clarity.
- Empathic Understanding Through Play Therapy Themes with Dee C. Ray: Discover how identifying play themes can strengthen empathic attunement and help you confidently respond in session.
Why This Matters:
- Access to Education: Every registration funds scholarships, making essential training accessible to play therapists around the world.
- Celebrating Connection: Celebrate the power of play and its impact on the lives of children and families worldwide.
- Therapists Helping Therapists: Your purchase directly supports an inspired future for clinicians everywhere.
Ready to dive in?
Check out the course descriptions below. To view specific details and objectives, click the link to the right of each course title. -
Sale!
Registration NOW OPEN for the June 2026 Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy Program!
Register by May 12, 2026, for Early Bird pricing ($50 USD discount)!
Are you ready to learn a transformative play therapy approach that combines the power of play with the latest in interpersonal neurobiology?Discover the Program:
The level 1 Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy program is designed for both beginning and experienced practitioners, offering the tools to deepen your understanding of play therapy and apply cutting-edge neuroscience in your practice. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll explore:Regulation:
- Become an external regulator to support repatterning a child's nervous system for integration and healing.
- Learn how to teach a child interoceptive (body) awareness (the key ingredient for self-regulation and co-regulation).
- Understand how nervous system activation connects to mental health symptoms.
The Brain & Neuroscience:
- Learn how to create a neuroception of safety during emotional flooding.
- Set boundaries that support brain integration while keeping children engaged in therapy.
- Use reflections and responses that target multiple areas of the brain for deeper healing.
Collaborative Relationships:
- Build effective partnerships with caregivers to support the therapeutic process.
- Help caregivers recognize that all behaviors make sense, even challenging ones.
- Set goals, track a child's therapeutic progress, and translate the child's play to their caregivers and others.
Authenticity & Congruence:
- Use therapist authenticity to promote profound client change and prevent burnout.
- Explore aggressive play, sand, and art through the lenses of regulation, mindfulness, and attachment.
- Cultivate cultural sensitivity to honor the unique experiences and needs of each client.
Join the growing number of mental health professionals and those in related roles (child life specialists, school counselors, occupational therapists, etc.) who are learning Synergetic Play Therapy!
“I’m learning Synergetic Play Therapy with Lisa Dion after over 20 years of providing play therapy and 10+ years of providing play therapy training and supervision. I'm here today to tell you that what she is teaching is a game changer. Every one of us needs to understand in an embodied way what it means to combine neurobiology and relationship as the foundation of all the work we are doing with clients, but also with colleagues, friends, family members and SELF. Much of what I’m learning, I've known and done intuitively for years but it is SO liberating to connect the dots and have an understanding through the neurobiological lens of WHY we need to utilize and trust what we feel in our own bodies when in connection with another person.”“It’s been over 2 years since I took the Synergetic Play Therapy [program]. One of the best choices I’ve ever made. The magnitude of deeply attuning with our clients...and ourselves...is immeasurable!”“I personally took a lot out of this [program], not all of it was new, but what was new was extremely useful and impactful. What wasn’t new was an excellent reminder to go back to my roots of attachment and emotional work when working with children just like I have worked with youth and adults over the years but in a slightly different context. My entire team has felt the positive impact of this training on our work and we are very happy that we all did it at the same time. We will be able to continue to practice it together and that is very exciting.”“This experience has been validating to my entire human experience, and offered a clear framework to better connect with myself, client, and world! I know this was only the tip of the iceberg into integrating these powerful concepts, and I'm so hooked, I've already signed up for certification to continue my journey!”“This [program] was a perfect combination of understanding the current science/research, gaining clinical understanding and learning new practical skills in order to find the perfect balance of how to work with clients and their families.”“This [program] really was more of an experience. I connected with myself on a deeper level and feel it is going to help me immensely in my work. Lisa explained the content in a simple way that I was able to understand, including multiple learning tools to solidify concepts. It was phenomenal!”Upcoming Registration Deadlines:
- June 2026 Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy Program
- Early Bird Registration Deadline: May 12, 2026
- Final Registration Deadline: June 22, 2026, 12pm Mountain Time (Denver)
- October 2026 Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy Program
- Registration Opens: June 22, 2026, 12pm Mountain Time (Denver)
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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 22, 2026, 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 demonstrate that they have remained engaged in the study of foundational Synergetic Play Therapy teachings through identified courses/programs. This program meets the full requirement for renewing the Certified Synergetic Play Therapist or Certified Synergetic Play Provider credential. Students who do not complete recertification requirements can no longer use the title of Certified Synergetic Play Therapist or Certified Synergetic Play Provider until renewal occurs. 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, 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, to fill in the missing details in your understanding and to also confirm what you have fully integrated, plus the teachings are always being updated with new research and nuance!Click here to learn more about how the program has changed over the last few years!
Recertification Program Requirements:- Attend all 3 live webinars (see dates below) and take notes on the provided handouts
- Complete each video module and take notes on the provided handouts
- Complete an Integration assignment to help you reflect on your learning
- Email all notes to the Institute to confirm completion of the program and to receive your CE Certificate
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Welcome Back Certified SPTer!
Deadline to Register for the 3.5 Day Online Learning Retreat is June 30, 2026. Deadline to Register for the 4.5 Day Learning Retreat is November 30, 2026.
Did you know that as an esteemed alumnus of the Synergetic Play Therapy Certification program, you have the opportunity to return to the online learning retreats and join new cohorts of the Certification program - eager, possibly terrified, and ready to be inspired? (Remember that?)Why Come Back?As part of the ongoing commitment to keep the teaching of Synergetic Play Therapy ever-evolving, we continue to update the Certification program content. By returning to the online learning retreats, you will:- Be reminded of the power of the SPT Tenets
- Receive some of the most up-to-date and current understanding of interpersonal neurobiology and SPT theory
- Practice your Synergetic Play Therapy skills with play, sand, and art
- Have the opportunity to do your own personal work toward growth and transformation
- "Come home" to yourself and find even more ways to be fearlessly authentic
- Inspire the new cohort of aspiring Certified SPTers and share your own genius
- AND, meet FULL SPT Credential/Recertification requirements!
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Space is Limited! Sign Up TODAY to Reserve Your Spot!
Renewal of the Certified Synergetic Play Therapist or Certified Synergetic Play Provider credential is required every 3 years. In order to renew, students must complete an approved program focused on principle SPT concepts and submit a CE Verification Form to the Institute as confirmation. This program meets FULL SPT Credential Renewal/Recertification requirements for the Certified Synergetic Play Therapist/Certified Synergetic Play Provider credential! During the 3-Day In-Person Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy 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 a Level 1 Introductory course/program, 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, to review and stay up to date on the most current information. Now you have the opportunity to do so and fill in the missing details in your understanding IN PERSON! Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy Recertification Program Requirements:- Attend and participate fully in 3 days of in-person training in Boulder, Colorado
- Complete additional online video lessons
- Complete an Integration Assignment to help you reflect on and demonstrate your learning
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Learn a solid play therapy theory that combines the power of play with interpersonal neurobiology in Boulder, Colorado!
Early Bird Registration Deadline is May 19, 2026! Apply Coupon Code "Boulder2026" at checkout for $50 USD off the first month!
Click here to experience how you can transform you and your child clients from the inside out!
You asked and we answered! For those of you who have wanted to enroll in our signature Level 1 Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy program, but are seeking an in-person experience, this program is for you! 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)
- And so much more!
"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!
Check out what past students had to say about their experiences here.
Keep scrolling to learn about program dates, cost, learning objectives, scholarship opportunities, CE credit hours, and more. -
Learn a solid play therapy theory that combines the power of play with interpersonal neurobiology in Boulder, Colorado!
Early Bird Registration Deadline is May 19, 2026! Apply Coupon Code "Boulder2026" at checkout for $50 USD off!
Click here to experience how you can transform you and your child clients from the inside out!
You asked and we answered! For those of you who have wanted to enroll in our signature Level 1 Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy program, but are seeking an in-person experience, this program is for you! 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)
- And so much more!
"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!
Check out what past students had to say about their experiences here.
Keep scrolling to learn about program dates, cost, learning objectives, scholarship opportunities, CE credit hours, and more. -
2026-2027 Synergetic Play Therapy® Certification Program
Early Bird Application Deadline is April 1, 2026 Final Application Deadline is June 16, 2026 (or until program is full)
You've already seen the powerful impact of Synergetic Play Therapy through the Level 1 Introductory program—now, imagine what’s possible when you take your skills even further. The Synergetic Play Therapy Certification program is designed to help you embody the therapeutic skills that will unlock profound transformation for both you and your clients. Imagine feeling more attuned, confident, and capable in every session—able to guide your clients through breakthroughs that go beyond the surface. As one participant put it, “I already got my money’s worth in just the first day!” Are you ready to embody the next level of healing and authenticity? Start your journey now to discover how this program can transform your practice.*Keep scrolling to learn about program dates, cost, learning objectives, scholarship opportunities, CE credit hours, and more!
If you are ready to submit your application, 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!
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WELCOME BACK!
As a The Business of Therapy alum, you know how much of an impact this course can have on you and your business goals! This year’s event will be held at the luxurious Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio!Hear what fellow The Business of Therapy participants have to say about the course in the video below!
***VIP Experience is SOLD OUT!!**
Thank you to the 20 participants who have registered for the VIP Experience! If you’d like to be added to the waitlist for the VIP Experience, please contact the Institute. You must be registered for the In-Person course to be added to the waitlist.
First offered in 2024, 20 in-person attendees, on a first-come-first-serve basis, will have the chance to join Lisa for 4 additional hours on the final day of the course to get feedback from Lisa and peers and to personalize your vision and plans! The VIP pass also comes with special surprises along the way and an optional social gathering at the end to connect with fellow VIPs! Lisa will also be hosting a virtual "meet and greet" for VIPs only prior to the first day of the course to clarify goals!"Attending The Business of Therapy has been nothing short of transformational for my business journey year after year! [In 2024] I joined the VIP experience, and WOW, it was a total game-changer! The extra time with Lisa provided invaluable clarity, awareness, and direction for my business path. I left feeling inspired, laser-focused, and ready to take bold, strategic action.” – Liliana Baylon
*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. -
WELCOME BACK!
As a The Business of Therapy alum, you know how much of an impact this course can have on you and your business goals! This year’s event will be held at the luxurious The Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio.Hear what fellow The Business of Therapy participants have to say about the course in the video below!
***VIP Experience is SOLD OUT!!**
Thank you to the 20 participants who have registered for the VIP Experience! If you'd like to be added to the waitlist for the VIP Experience, please contact the Institute. You must be registered for the In-Person course to be added to the waitlist. First offered in 2024, 20 in-person attendees, on a first-come-first-serve basis, will have the chance to join Lisa for 4 additional hours on the final day of the course to get feedback from Lisa and peers and to personalize your vision and plans! The VIP pass also comes with special surprises along the way and an optional social gathering at the end to connect with fellow VIPs! Lisa will also be hosting a virtual "meet and greet" for VIPs only prior to the first day of the course to clarify goals!"Attending The Business of Therapy has been nothing short of transformational for my business journey year after year! [In 2024] I joined the VIP experience, and WOW, it was a total game-changer! The extra time with Lisa provided invaluable clarity, awareness, and direction for my business path. I left feeling inspired, laser-focused, and ready to take bold, strategic action.” – Liliana Baylon
*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. -
Register Today to Reserve Your Spot!
Back by popular demand - revised, energized, and with both an in-person AND virtual option - we invite you to join Lisa Dion for The Business of Therapy, November 12th-14th, 2026!Hear what past The Business of Therapy participants have to say about the course in the video below!
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. **If you have taken The Business of Therapy course before, please check your email your email for a link to the Returning Student product page or contact the Institute.