Lessons from the Playroom
The Synergetic Play Therapy Institute's "Lessons From the Playroom" Podcasts are a series of recorded podcasts designed to help therapists understand the little lessons that kids teach us that make a big difference in the play therapy process. Our podcast host, Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S, is an innovative and inspiring teacher and pioneer in play therapy. She founder and President of the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute and the creator of Synergetic Play Therapy, a cutting-edge model of play therapy that bridges the gap between neuroscience and psychology. Lisa teaches and supervises all over the world, helping transform the lives of thousands of therapists and children. With these podcasts, she'll teach you practical ways to transform both you and the child clients you work with. These inspiring educational lessons are sure to leave you feeling more confident and excited for your next session!
Episodes
"It is a sparkling thing when I encounter realness of another person… When this happens, I leap to meet it." – Carl Rogers
Carl Rogers is one of the most influential—and often misunderstood—figures in psychology. In this episode, Lisa returns to Rogers' own words and teachings to explore what he was truly inviting clinicians to embody.
What does play therapy look like beyond childhood?
In this episode, Lisa is joined by Tara McDonald and Karen O'Neill of PIP Solutions UK to explore how play therapy can support healing across the lifespan. Together, they discuss how play adapts from infancy through adulthood, the importance of creating safety around play for older clients, and the powerful role ...
"The dysregulation in our body is information about the congruency of our decisions." – Lisa Dion
How do you know if a decision is truly aligned with who you are?
In this episode, Lisa explores how our nervous system offers critical information about the congruency of our choices. Moving beyo...
Original Air Date: June 12, 2019
"When it comes to giftedness, one of the most important things to focus on is how these children manage their internal worlds." – Lisa Dion
Gifted children are undeniably bright, but their intellectual abilities come with unique emotional and regulatory challenges. In this episode, Lisa Dion ex...
Original Air Date: May 29, 2019
"Every family has both peace and war, dysregulation and regulation, support and challenge." – Lisa Dion
Parents often wish for a home without arguments, but sibling rivalry is an inevitable—and often valuable—part of childhood. In this episode, Lisa Dion explores how conflicts between siblings c...
Original Air Date: January 02, 2024
Get ready to embrace the playful—and profound—world of villains in therapy! In this episode, Lisa Dion is joined by the amazing Maria Laquerre Diego, LMFT, RPT-S, as they explore how villain characters can offer clients a unique lens to understand themselves, their struggles, and their identities.
Together, they dive into why v...
Original Air Date: November 28, 2023
In this groundbreaking episode, Lisa Dion is joined by Ludmila (Mila) Golovine, CEO and President of MasterWord Services, to explore a topic rarely addressed in play therapy: working with interpreters.
Interpreters play a critical role in helping ...
Original Air Date: April 17, 2019
"Twins are master co-regulators but also susceptible to losing themselves. The key is to help them find the 'I' in 'we.'" – Lisa Dion
Twins may be nature's "2-for-1 deal," but being a twin—or working with twins—comes with unique challenges that singletons rarely face. In this episode, Lisa Dio...
Original Air Date: June 28, 2019
"It isn't about being a parent or not. It's about showing up in the playroom and being real." – Lisa Dion
Being both a parent and a play therapist comes with unique insights—but it doesn't automatically provide all the answers in the playroom. In this episode, Lisa explores the benefits and cha...
Original Air Date: November 7, 2023
Join Lisa Dion as she dives into a topic we all experience—therapists, parents, children—negative self-talk. Despite the countless affirmations we try, negative self-talk refuses to go away. But what if it wasn't meant to?
In this perspective-shifting episode, Lisa explores the purpose be...
Original Air Date: October 24, 2023
In this captivating episode, Lisa Dion is joined by three incredible colleagues—Michelle Wayman, Mili Shoemaker, and Lisa Walton—from Argentina, Australia, and the United States. Together, they explore a fascinating question: why do therapists attract the clients they do?
Have you noticed patt...
The brain is a high-maintenance organ—and it thrives on challenge! In this episode, Lisa Dion explores how play therapists can stay energized, inspired, and fulfilled by giving the brain the growth it craves while also giving ourselves permission to be authentically ourselves.
"We all have deep within us the desire to pursue something that inspires us. We have a ...
Original Air Date: October 10, 2023
In this powerful episode, Lisa Dion is joined by the incredible Heather Fairlee Denbrough—Certified Synergetic Play Therapist/Supervisor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Registered Play Therapist Supervisor—to tackle one of the most challenging and important topics in child therapy: ...
Original Air Date: September 19, 2019
"Broken toys may be a metaphor for how children see themselves." – Lisa Dion
In this episode, Lisa tackles the "little" questions that often carry big meaning in the playroom. What do you do with broken toys? How should you handle food, lying, or a child wanting to take a toy home? Each situ...
Often, when we think about boundaries, we imagine a list of rules and restrictions like: you can't do this, you can do this, and if you don't do this, this is going to happen. But this isn't actually the essence of a boundary and it's not what the boundary is designed for.
Setting boundaries is actually a courageous act that requires self-awareness and self-love. It's about prioritizing your own well-bein...
Original Air Date: July 30, 2023
In this deeply insightful episode, Lisa Dion is joined by Dr. Dee Ray, an expert in the field of multicultural play therapy, to discuss an incredibly important and timely topic for every play therapist: Multiculturalism in Play Therapy. If you don't already own Dee's book, Multicultural Play Therapy, you'll definitely want to grab a copy after listening to this conversation—it's an essential resourc...
"Perfectionism is the strategy the child is using to manage their anxiety and fear." – Lisa Dion
That child who needs everything just right? Who gets upset when the block tower falls or the drawing isn't "perfect"? There's more going on than meets the eye.
...
In this groundbreaking episode, Lisa is joined by Gabriel (Gabe) Lomas, an expert in the field of play therapy, to address a topic rarely discussed in the world of therapy: working with deaf children in the playroom. This episode offers a unique and insightful perspective that will deepen your understanding and approach to supporting children who are deaf.
In this episode, Gabe shares his expertise on the challenges and nuances of ...
Original Air Date: July 5, 2022
We are deeply saddened to share the passing of Carmen Jimenez-Pride—a fellow SPTer, therapist, healer, and a beautiful example of what it means to live fully, expansively, authentically, and without playing small.
Carmen left her mark in countless ways—throug...
This is both a milestone and a farewell. After years of heartfelt conversations, transformative insights, and connections across the globe, Lessons from the Playroom reaches its 200th—and final—episode (at least for now).
To mark this occasion, Lisa is joined by someone who has been part of the podcast from the very beginning: her daughter, Avery Dion. Many listeners will remember Avery's sweet childhood v...
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