Welcome to Play Therapy Institute of Colorado’s E-Learning Site
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In this 1.5 hour live webinar, Lisa will share her knowledge that she has acquired offering more specific "how to" action steps to help you create your business and launch your vision. Whether it is "how to write a book, how to publish a book, how to organize content for a course, how to hire people to work for you, how to leverage volunteers when then funds aren't there, now to write a business plan to receive money from a bank or investor" or something entirely different, Lisa will share with you what she has learned along the way. For course details, see below.
You have been selected to be a part of the 2019-2020 Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Cohort! Congratulations! To secure your spot, you will put down a 600.00 USD deposit. The rest of the money will be due before August and you will be emailed a link for payment along with course information closer to the start of the first retreat. Reminder that if you pay in full, you receive 400.00 off the total price for additional savings! Refund Policy: Your deposit secures your spot in the Certification Program. Withdrawal before the program begins will result in a forfeit of the full deposit amount. This deposit is non-refundable! For more information regarding dates, scroll down below.
The Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy® Intensive allows you to jump in and really experience the magic of Synergetic Play Therapy®! We hold these intensives regularly throughout the year, limiting this program to four people in order to permit extensive skill practice with individualized coaching and feedback. Each participant will be paired with a child client with whom they will work every day during the training under direct supervision as part of a therapeutic observation team. Dive into SPT and see if it's right for you!
Six-Day Synergetic Play Therapy® Intensive Prerequisite Training:- Participants should have completed or be enrolled in a Master’s Degree (or equivalent) program in counseling, social work, or education.
- Previous experience working with children and families is also required.
- A basic understanding of play therapy and play therapy skills is required.
***Please scroll to the bottom of this page for a complete list of the course details and objectives***
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!!!!
*For all class details, class objectives, research scholarship, CE credits and more, see below.- 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)
"I am always excited to repeat the retreats as an alumni for three reasons. First, there is always new information to be had. Second, each time I hear the information that Lisa imparts, I hear it in a different way. Lastly, it is so wonderful to be in such a supportive environment with like-minded people. I can’t get enough!" - Johanna Simmons Ask and you shall receive! After much feedback from Certified SPTers like you, we have broadened the Synergetic Play Therapy® Certification learning retreats and, now, the live webinar classes. As an esteemed alumni, you are invited to return and be a part of the upcoming 2024-2025 Synergetic Play Therapy® Certification Program. Embark on a one-of-a kind experience of connection and community - mentor, master, and make new memories! Choose the option that feels most congruent for you (details below) and come be yourself over and over again! In addition to the learning retreats, you also have the option of purchasing access to all of the program's bimonthly, live webinar classes! Registration closes August 1st, 2024, for the 2024-2025 Retreat Dates! For class details and objectives, please see below.
"I am always excited to repeat the retreats as an alumni for three reasons. First, there is always new information to be had. Second, each time I hear the information that Lisa imparts, I hear it in a different way. Lastly, it is so wonderful to be in such a supportive environment with like-minded people. I can’t get enough!" -Johanna Simmons Ask and you shall receive ... After much feedback from SPTers, we have broadened the Synergetic Play Therapy™ Certification retreats and now the online classes. As an esteemed alumni, you are invited to return and be part of the upcoming program. Embark on a one-of-a kind experience of connection and community ... mentor, master, and make new memories. Choose from one of three destinations for the retreats (details below) and come be yourself over and over again! In addition to the retreats, you also have the option of purchasing the live monthly online classes. Registration closes August 1st. For class details and objectives, please see below.
During your journey to become a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist you studied nervous system regulation, authenticity and congruency, interoception, emotional age, and so much more to help you become more masterful at becoming an external regulator for a child and their caregivers. You also learned how to apply these concepts to yourself for your own growth and development in order to heal yourself and develop your capacity for self-regulation. And now it is time to take the next step towards self mastery…. Go deeper into the development of yourself - Deeper into understanding the body and your own activation patterns - Deeper into your mind - Deeper into integrating your perceptions and working on emotional charges that you have held onto or are holding onto. 💖 "A dazzling few days full of paradigm shifts, connection to self and others, and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable." - Machen Champion 💖 "My experience at the Advanced Certified SPT retreat was uncomfortable, mind-blowing, and ultimately life changing and I wouldn't have it any other way." - Rachel Hardies For course details and topics covered, see below.
During your journey to become a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist you studied nervous system regulation, authenticity and congruency, interoception, emotional age, and so much more to help you become more masterful at becoming an external regulator for a child and their caregivers. You also learned how to apply these concepts to yourself for your own growth and development in order to heal yourself and develop your capacity for self-regulation. And now it is time to take the next step towards self mastery…. Go deeper into the development of yourself - Deeper into understanding the body and your own activation patterns - Deeper into the mind - Deeper into integrating your perceptions and working on emotional charges that are in the way of being an external regulator. For course details and topics covered, see below.
LIMITED TO 60 STUDENTS - RESERVE YOUR SEAT TODAY
Get ready for an enriching experience! Registration is open for the Advanced Self Mastery Program taking place from June 26th to June 29th, 2024 at the stunning Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa in Waikoloa, Hawaii.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PROGRAM DETAILS!
During your journey to become a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist/Play Provider you studied nervous system regulation, authenticity and congruency, interoception, emotional age, and so much more to help you become more masterful at becoming an external regulator for a child and their caregivers. You also learned how to apply these concepts to yourself for your own growth and development in order to heal yourself and develop your capacity for self-regulation. And now it is time to take the next step towards self mastery! This advanced retreat is not your typical program — it's a unique personal development experience designed to support you in your ongoing personal journey and deepen your understanding of yourself. Think of it as a deeper unraveling of the question "who am I?" You'll spend 4 days live in-person with your fellow Certified SPTers delving deeper into yourself. That’s right! These 4 days are just for you - not for your clients, but for you (... although we do know that any work we do for ourselves inevitably helps our clients). Go deeper into the development of yourself - Deeper into understanding the body and your own activation patterns - Deeper into the mind - Deeper into integrating your perceptions and working on emotional charges that are in the way of fully becoming an external regulator. "The retreat was a beautiful invitation to be held and grow in community as I explored a deeper understanding and appreciation within myself." - Kim Buller "A dazzling few days full of paradigm shifts, connection to self and others, and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable." - Machen Champion For program details and topics covered, see below.
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 webinar 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.
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.
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.
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!
Congratulations on your Acceptance into the Becoming a Synergetic Play Therapy® Supervisor Course!
Please use this product to complete your registration for the Becoming a Synergetic Play Therapy® Supervisor Course. The deadline to register for this course is September 21, 2023, 12pm Mountain Time (Denver). Your registration will not be considered complete until payment is received. Please see below for all course details including important class dates/times, your instructor(s) information, and Cancellation policies! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.
Congratulations on your Acceptance into the Becoming a Synergetic Play Therapy® Supervisor Course!
Please use this product to begin your 3-month payment plan and complete your registration for the Becoming a Synergetic Play Therapy® Supervisor Course. The deadline to register for this course is September 21, 2023, 12pm Mountain Time (Denver). Your registration will not be considered complete until payment is received. Please see below for all course details including important class dates/times, your instructor(s) information, and Cancellation policies! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact info@synergeticplaytherapy.com.
"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 supervisor- one of the most important and influential roles in a play therapist's journey. Hear what other Certified SPT Therapists/Supervisors had to say about the course Application Deadline September 1st, 2022! 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 this training Please scroll down for class details and objectives. [aelia_currency_selector_widget title="Select your currency based on your location and wait for the page to refresh before adding to cart." widget_type="dropdown"]
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 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
Whether you're looking for how to engage the resistant child, turn Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) into opportunities for growth and resilience, use yoga to increase your ability to connect to yourself and your clients, or create a neuroception of safety in the playroom, we have you covered. Explore these topics and so many others in our one-hour courses below. Then choose 4 courses to create a bundle for only $119 and save (valued at $140 USD!) You can buy as many bundles as you would like (each as a new order)! See below for course descriptions. To view course details and objectives, click to the right of the title.
1 time payment for: Christine Nicholson 750.00 AUD [aelia_currency_selector_widget title="Select your currency based on the retreat location you would like to attend and wait for the page to refresh before adding to cart." widget_type="dropdown"] For example: If you reside in the US but want to attend the retreats in Canada you will choose the Canadian Currency, wait for the page to refresh, and then select your plan to add to your cart.
The Synergetic Play Therapy Institute® in collaboration with PIP Solutions presents “Conceptualizing Cases from a Synergetic Play Therapy® Lens”. Translating a right brain play experience into a left brain conceptualization is not an easy task. Play therapists often grapple with a sense of uncertainty when trying to comprehend a child’s unique therapeutic progression and assessing whether goals are being achieved. This course, led by Lisa Dion, aims to address this issue by introducing a structured framework derived from Synergetic Play Therapy. Students will gain insights into how to conceptualize cases effectively and apply this framework to enhance the efficacy of their therapeutic interventions.
This 1.5-hour recorded webinar, in the form of a roundtable discussion, delves into the evolving landscape of diversity, inclusion, and cultural awareness in mental health, exploring how to create a more inclusive and culturally sensitive clinical practice. Led by Lisa Dion, guest panelists Marshall Lyles, Liliana Baylon, and Robert Jason Grant will share their insights and expertise on a range of essential topics, fostering a deeper understanding of the role culture plays in the therapy process, embracing neurodiversity, and creating inclusive play spaces to cater to individual needs. *The course is provided by the Synergetic Play Therapy Foundation. The Synergetic Play Therapy Foundation is dedicated to helping make play therapy trainings accessible and affordable to clinicians worldwide and to funding research initiatives in Synergetic Play Therapy®. The Synergetic Play Therapy Foundation provides scholarships to clinicians seeking post-graduate training in Synergetic Play Therapy® or another play therapy model of their choosing. Scholarships are funded through donations from webinars, donors, and supporters of Play Therapy. By purchasing this course, you are making a direct donation to the Synergetic Play Therapy Foundation. All proceeds will contribute to future scholarships and to the foundation itself! Please scroll down for course details and objectives.
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.
Eating challenges in children can show up in many ways. From the refusal to eat to eating too much, underneath often lies the need for perfectionism and control. Helping kids take these challenges off their plates involves offering choices and uncovering co-existing issues, as well as providing parental support. This course takes a look at this important struggle.
Eating challenges in children can show up in many ways. From the refusal to eat to eating too much, underneath often lies the need for perfectionism and control. Helping kids take these challenges off their plates involves offering choices and uncovering co-existing issues, as well as providing parental support. This course takes a look at this important struggle.
Every therapist has been there - in a session with a child who doesn't want to come in the room, a child who doesn't want to do the task, a child who only wants to avoid the issue. This webinar explores what to do when a child client's language and behavior say "no." Join us as we explore resistance, with a focus on differentiating resistance from avoidance and differentiating resistance from the dorsal collapse in the nervous system. Emotional flooding is explored as well.
Every therapist has been there – in a session with a child who doesn’t want to come in the room, a child who doesn’t want to do the task, a child who only wants to avoid the issue. This course explores what to do when a child client’s language and behavior say “no.” Join us as we explore resistance, with a focus on differentiating resistance from avoidance and differentiating resistance from the dorsal collapse in the nervous system. Emotional flooding is explored as well.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?"
In response to COVID-19, the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute began offering free webinars to address the challenges, stress and impact that therapists, teachers, parents, and those on the frontlines were facing. Since then, we've continued to offer free webinars to support you on your professional and personal life's journey. Please enjoy free access to these very special webinars. You may view and share it with as many people as you feel it would help.
In this free one-hour webinar, you’ll understand how to manage your stress, fear, anxiety and depression and why it’s important to do so … And that’s not even the best part - You’ll be shown mindfulness strategy after mindfulness strategy, offered understanding of the neuroscience behind each, and guided through how to use them - go from “not just a good idea” to why you would do it and when you would use it.
Lisa Dion and her dear friend, Peter Bliss join forces again to support you in staying connected during the Holidays ....with the message that staying calm is not the objective or solution for getting through not only the challenges and uncertainty of the world we live in right now, but also this holiday season (because as we know, it's not always about cheer and jubilee).
Chances are, you read the title of the webinar and thought, "What! You want me to do what with rejection?!" (We know ... it might not quite make sense yet.) Or perhaps you know that rejection has a purpose in your life, but you still find yourself having a "love/hate" relationship with it. Either way, rejection can be one of the toughest things to experience - it gets right down to your core self and brings up all of your "Am I ok?" feelings. And this is what we're going to talk about in this one-hour free webinar! ... and more specifically, how to embrace it! - like you're best-est of friends (Yes, you heard that right too.)
Therapists and clinicians are always experiencing a secondary impact when working with clients who have experienced or are experiencing trauma, crisis, or challenge. A big statement, we know, but it's true. We can't avoid being impacted and it has a lot to do with the brain's mirror neuron system. When we're in the midst of listening or playing through the trauma with the child, we're tracking our client's non-verbal cues. And as we're tracking our client's non-verbal cues, their non-verbal cues are giving us insight into what is happening within them. THIS puts us directly IN the experience with our clients. We'll experience the fear together, the anxiety together, the sadness together, the overwhelm together - Whatever is going on, we'll experience it together including the trauma. That's why we would love to have you join us for this FREE 1-hour webinar to help you navigate the secondary traumatization that can often come along with this profession that we love!
Oh yes! You likely know what we're talking about ... the feeling of never being "good enough" ... holding yourself back because of pervasive feelings of shame and self-doubt ... the constant worry/anxiety of not measuring up or fear of being outed as a fraud. It may trap you in a cycle of self-doubt, erode your courage and confidence, undermine your success, and lead to missed opportunities, unfulfilled goals, and a tendency to hide or hold yourself back. Sound familiar?... [Sigh ] ... Let's take a deep breath and acknowledge how challenging and debilitating "imposter syndrome" can be. Lisa wants to help you begin to overcome imposter syndrome in your life.
Have you found it difficult, confusing, tiring, or maybe even exhausting wearing your two hats day in and day out? One as a therapist and the other as a parent?... Lisa totally gets it!!...as both a therapist and a parent these past 15 years. This one-hour recorded webinar that will help you discover ways to be the most important toy in both the playroom and in your own home!Title