August 14, 2025 • 11 mins
We delve into the upcoming SITH Conference (Supportive Innovations for Therapeutic Heroes) taking place October 9-11 in Las Cruces, New Mexico, with a special focus on court-involved cases and family systems work in play therapy.
• Jenny discusses her conference session "The Force Within the Family" focusing on family dynamics in play therapy
• Importance of working with the entire family system rather than just the child in therapy
• How to engage with the trifecta of home, school, and therapy for lasting change
• Special focus on LGBTQ+ affirming approaches to family therapy
• Discussion of chosen families and support systems beyond biological relationships
• Conference will include experiential learning in a courthouse with mock testimony practice
• Event features southwestern cuisine and networking with play therapy professionals
• Registration still open with conference swag and meals included
Join us at the SITH Conference this October to enhance your skills working with families and court-involved cases. Registration information is available in the episode description.
Registration: https://www.anewhopeacademy.org/sith25
A Hero's Welcome Podcast © Maria Laquerre-Diego & Liliana Baylon
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome listeners for a special episode of a Heroes
Welcome podcast.
I'm here with my co-host.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
That's me, liliana Balan, and we are here for a
special episode, maria, what arewe talking about today?
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Yeah, so we are talking about the SIFT
Conference that I host here inLas Cruces, new Mexico.
The SIFT Conference is anin-person conference.
This will be our fourth yearoffering it and if you've
listened before, you know I'm abit of a nerd, so SIF might not
be a complete surprise to you,but it stands for, in this case,
(00:37):
supportive Innovations forTherapeutic Heroes.
And what it is is my attempt tomake in-person learning fun
again, and this year I have gotthe absolute pleasure of
inviting some of my favoritepeople to come and hang out with
me for a weekend, which meansthat Jenny's here with us
(00:59):
because Jenny's one of ourfavorite people.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Do not complain.
All of you who are out theresaying like how come I'm not
your favorite people.
This is about Sith.
Okay, that's what we're saying.
So, Jen, tell us about yoursession.
What is the title?
What can listeners who have notregistered yet can pay
attention to and hurry up and goand register for your session?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Got it.
So thank you so much for havingme.
I'm so excited to be a part ofthis conference.
So my session is the forcewithin the family and so in this
session we're going to betalking about all of the ins and
outs of family dynamics and howdo we, especially as play
therapists and not, you know,just treat the child but really
(01:44):
like, look outward and what allis going on this year with the
Guardians of the Galaxy theme, Igot to thinking about the
characters in that movie, whichis movies, sorry which is like
my favorite movie and,coincidentally, my favorite
Disney ride, and thinking abouthow, you know, what does that
(02:05):
family look like?
So there's different.
There are different like, Iguess, biological family units,
but really they have a chosenfamily, right?
So, looking at that and thewhole system and how does that
work?
Where are the pieces that kindof collide with that?
So, yeah, we're going to betalking about, kind of, all the
different parts and how do wewrap that into what we're doing
(02:27):
therapeutically?
Because I think so often again,when you're working with kids,
the focus is on the child, right?
So you know, and I tell parents, there's nothing magical I can
do with your child in an hour aweek, like there's just I feel
like I'm good at what I do, butI'm not that good.
Let me just second.
(02:47):
So, um, like I don't have awand, I've got some toys and
stuff.
So, um, you know it really hasto, like you have to take the
pieces of that and then, um, youknow it has to radiate out.
So sometimes you know, somechildren do they just need a
space, like their supportsystem's pretty good.
(03:07):
They need a space where theycan process and work some stuff
out.
And you pull the family in andsometimes it is much more
focused on the child.
You pull them in as needed, butmore often it's you know you're
going to work on some thingswith a child, but you have to
change the entire system aroundthem or else it doesn't really
make sense.
So if you think about what arethe biggest parts of a child's
(03:28):
day, it's with, you know, withtheir family, with their home
unit, probably at school, andthen some kids like, maybe they
have I don't know if they'rereally into an extracurricular
or something like that maybethey spend time there, but those
are the big chunks of their day.
So again, the hour a week thatwe spend with them.
It's cool, but, like we need tolike, kind of tap into those
(03:49):
other areas and so if we can hit, you know, connect therapy with
, maybe school and home, thenyou have that whole trifecta
that's going to make, you know,change more lasting and probably
more effective.
That's what we're going to betalking about.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Yeah, Well, if you're not familiar with Jen and Jen's
work, Jen, you're an advocateand a lot of the training and
education you do comes throughan LGBTQ trans firming lens.
Yes, and I'm, I mean, I can sayI'm assuming, but I know
because I saw all of your stufflike this this workshop is also
(04:26):
through that lens.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yes, it's hard for me to like look through another
lens at this point, so, but itis, and, and I think you know,
looking at dynamics within ourqueer families, I mean, there's
there's so many different layers.
There's like, yeah, you know,are there portions of the family
, the you know the biologicalfamily, that are not actually in
the family unit anymore, wherethere you know was, are there
(04:54):
pockets of support that are nolonger there?
And you know, again, familythis isn't, this isn't just, you
know, maybe grandparents whoyou know, you don't want no
longer talk to, um many kidswhen they, you know, do
transition and whatever thatlooks like.
Um, even if their family, liketheir immediate family, is
(05:15):
supportive, there are otherpeople that they may lose, like
nannies, um, I know families whohave lost nanny and you know a
nanny that has been there withthem since birth and has always
been around, no longer is cause,you know that reasons, um, you
know um family friends, closefamily friends.
So, again, that's that's why,when, when I talk about family,
(05:37):
I'm I don't just mean like thebiological family unit, it's
more kind of like a, like yoursupport system.
Who are, who are the peoplearound you?
Speaker 1 (05:46):
So found family like you talked about with the
guardian example.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
yeah, and I think also right, like this topic in
regards to family.
Most of us who are playtherapists do not get proper
training, if any, in regards tohow to work with systems and
therefore we're really goodabout working with one nervous
system in the room and we had tolearn a whole language about in
(06:10):
regards to the play therapyworld, in regards to what we
witnessed and how we translatethat to notes, but to do that
with the whole system, thefeedback that I get from most
play therapists is that I do notknow how to do it or it's very
intimidating.
So I think your topic not onlythrough the lens that you are
seeing everything, but also thesystemic point that you're
(06:33):
bringing is going to be reallyimportant for everyone to go and
learn from you.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
I am excited to talk about it.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
I just yeah, I think it's.
I'm so appreciative becausethis is, you know, this year,
sits.
We're focused on court-involvedcases, which are often family
dynamics are at play, which iswhy Jen's workshop is so
important for our time togetherand it is something unless
you've gone.
Like you know, liliana and Iare very vocal about being MFTs,
(07:05):
and so we're trained to workwith systems.
Social workers are trained towork with different systems and
in different ways, but if you'regoing through the play
credential, there isn't a lot offocus on working with systems
or the family system inparticular through the play
therapy lens.
So I am so appreciative of yourvoice and your unique lens
(07:28):
because when I think aboutfamilies and queer families and
LGBTQ clients looking for play,you are one of my go-to
resources for that, and so, yeah, I'm super excited that you're
going to come to New Mexico andthat we get to hang out for a
couple of days and kind of geekout about things you're
(07:51):
passionate about.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
I can't wait.
I really am so excited.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
So Maria.
What are the dates of theconference?
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Yeah, so it's this October.
It's going to be the 9ththrough the 11th, so it's a
Thursday, friday, saturday we'reactually going to spend half a
day in the courthouse.
We actually have a local judgethat's going to come out and
talk to the group for a littlebit and we're going to do some
mock testifying.
For those that want to be bravein the courtroom, we're going
(08:21):
to have some fantastic food foryou guys now that you're
visiting the Southwest.
Yeah, so we'll have all of that.
We'll put the registration linkbelow with all of our
information.
There's still time to registerand come and hang out in the
Southwest In the fall.
It's actually really pretty andit's not as hot as it is right
(08:42):
now.
I can't promise it won't be hotbecause it's the desert.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
She's talking to me, since I have hot flashes.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
So it's going to be great.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
But yeah, we're going to be in the.
We're actually going to be injust inside Mesilla, which is
one of our oldest little townshere, at a very adorable venue.
But we promise to have.
I mean, if you've been to anyof my things, you know I like to
have a good time.
So we're going to have a greattime and do some learning along
(09:14):
the way.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
As if you need any more reasons to come in.
You just heard they're going tofeed us, so that's huge for me.
That's my love language.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
I've seen previews of the swag also, so yeah, they're
so fun.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Right, and then again , the focus is on systems and
we're going to be able to playat a court so that you can have
the experiential piece which ishelpful for all of you.
So please come and join us, jen, thank you for coming and
talking to us about your sessionand thank you Welcome.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Yeah, do you want to know a fun random fact?
Yeah, you two know this, Ithink.
So before I was a therapist Iwas a litigation paralegal.
So stuff with the court.
I love it so much.
I like to talk about familiesin the court a little bit too.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Yeah, absolutely yeah .
Speaker 2 (10:10):
So thank you everyone .
Please go.
If you have not registered, goregister.
We're going to have theinformation below the video, I'm
sorry, below the podcast.
And come and hang with us untilnext time.
Bye.
Welcome listeners for a special episode of a Heroes
Welcome podcast.
I'm here with my co-host.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
That's me, liliana Balan, and we are here for a
special episode, maria, what arewe talking about today?
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Yeah, so we are talking about the SIFT
Conference that I host here inLas Cruces, new Mexico.
The SIFT Conference is anin-person conference.
This will be our fourth yearoffering it and if you've
listened before, you know I'm abit of a nerd, so SIF might not
be a complete surprise to you,but it stands for, in this case,
(00:37):
supportive Innovations forTherapeutic Heroes.
And what it is is my attempt tomake in-person learning fun
again, and this year I have gotthe absolute pleasure of
inviting some of my favoritepeople to come and hang out with
me for a weekend, which meansthat Jenny's here with us
(00:59):
because Jenny's one of ourfavorite people.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Do not complain.
All of you who are out theresaying like how come I'm not
your favorite people.
This is about Sith.
Okay, that's what we're saying.
So, Jen, tell us about yoursession.
What is the title?
What can listeners who have notregistered yet can pay
attention to and hurry up and goand register for your session?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Got it.
So thank you so much for havingme.
I'm so excited to be a part ofthis conference.
So my session is the forcewithin the family and so in this
session we're going to betalking about all of the ins and
outs of family dynamics and howdo we, especially as play
therapists and not, you know,just treat the child but really
(01:44):
like, look outward and what allis going on this year with the
Guardians of the Galaxy theme, Igot to thinking about the
characters in that movie, whichis movies, sorry which is like
my favorite movie and,coincidentally, my favorite
Disney ride, and thinking abouthow, you know, what does that
(02:05):
family look like?
So there's different.
There are different like, Iguess, biological family units,
but really they have a chosenfamily, right?
So, looking at that and thewhole system and how does that
work?
Where are the pieces that kindof collide with that?
So, yeah, we're going to betalking about, kind of, all the
different parts and how do wewrap that into what we're doing
(02:27):
therapeutically?
Because I think so often again,when you're working with kids,
the focus is on the child, right?
So you know, and I tell parents, there's nothing magical I can
do with your child in an hour aweek, like there's just I feel
like I'm good at what I do, butI'm not that good.
Let me just second.
(02:47):
So, um, like I don't have awand, I've got some toys and
stuff.
So, um, you know it really hasto, like you have to take the
pieces of that and then, um, youknow it has to radiate out.
So sometimes you know, somechildren do they just need a
space, like their supportsystem's pretty good.
(03:07):
They need a space where theycan process and work some stuff
out.
And you pull the family in andsometimes it is much more
focused on the child.
You pull them in as needed, butmore often it's you know you're
going to work on some thingswith a child, but you have to
change the entire system aroundthem or else it doesn't really
make sense.
So if you think about what arethe biggest parts of a child's
(03:28):
day, it's with, you know, withtheir family, with their home
unit, probably at school, andthen some kids like, maybe they
have I don't know if they'rereally into an extracurricular
or something like that maybethey spend time there, but those
are the big chunks of their day.
So again, the hour a week thatwe spend with them.
It's cool, but, like we need tolike, kind of tap into those
(03:49):
other areas and so if we can hit, you know, connect therapy with
, maybe school and home, thenyou have that whole trifecta
that's going to make, you know,change more lasting and probably
more effective.
That's what we're going to betalking about.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Yeah, Well, if you're not familiar with Jen and Jen's
work, Jen, you're an advocateand a lot of the training and
education you do comes throughan LGBTQ trans firming lens.
Yes, and I'm, I mean, I can sayI'm assuming, but I know
because I saw all of your stufflike this this workshop is also
(04:26):
through that lens.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yes, it's hard for me to like look through another
lens at this point, so, but itis, and, and I think you know,
looking at dynamics within ourqueer families, I mean, there's
there's so many different layers.
There's like, yeah, you know,are there portions of the family
, the you know the biologicalfamily, that are not actually in
the family unit anymore, wherethere you know was, are there
(04:54):
pockets of support that are nolonger there?
And you know, again, familythis isn't, this isn't just, you
know, maybe grandparents whoyou know, you don't want no
longer talk to, um many kidswhen they, you know, do
transition and whatever thatlooks like.
Um, even if their family, liketheir immediate family, is
(05:15):
supportive, there are otherpeople that they may lose, like
nannies, um, I know families whohave lost nanny and you know a
nanny that has been there withthem since birth and has always
been around, no longer is cause,you know that reasons, um, you
know um family friends, closefamily friends.
So, again, that's that's why,when, when I talk about family,
(05:37):
I'm I don't just mean like thebiological family unit, it's
more kind of like a, like yoursupport system.
Who are, who are the peoplearound you?
Speaker 1 (05:46):
So found family like you talked about with the
guardian example.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
yeah, and I think also right, like this topic in
regards to family.
Most of us who are playtherapists do not get proper
training, if any, in regards tohow to work with systems and
therefore we're really goodabout working with one nervous
system in the room and we had tolearn a whole language about in
(06:10):
regards to the play therapyworld, in regards to what we
witnessed and how we translatethat to notes, but to do that
with the whole system, thefeedback that I get from most
play therapists is that I do notknow how to do it or it's very
intimidating.
So I think your topic not onlythrough the lens that you are
seeing everything, but also thesystemic point that you're
(06:33):
bringing is going to be reallyimportant for everyone to go and
learn from you.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
I am excited to talk about it.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
I just yeah, I think it's.
I'm so appreciative becausethis is, you know, this year,
sits.
We're focused on court-involvedcases, which are often family
dynamics are at play, which iswhy Jen's workshop is so
important for our time togetherand it is something unless
you've gone.
Like you know, liliana and Iare very vocal about being MFTs,
(07:05):
and so we're trained to workwith systems.
Social workers are trained towork with different systems and
in different ways, but if you'regoing through the play
credential, there isn't a lot offocus on working with systems
or the family system inparticular through the play
therapy lens.
So I am so appreciative of yourvoice and your unique lens
(07:28):
because when I think aboutfamilies and queer families and
LGBTQ clients looking for play,you are one of my go-to
resources for that, and so, yeah, I'm super excited that you're
going to come to New Mexico andthat we get to hang out for a
couple of days and kind of geekout about things you're
(07:51):
passionate about.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
I can't wait.
I really am so excited.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
So Maria.
What are the dates of theconference?
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Yeah, so it's this October.
It's going to be the 9ththrough the 11th, so it's a
Thursday, friday, saturday we'reactually going to spend half a
day in the courthouse.
We actually have a local judgethat's going to come out and
talk to the group for a littlebit and we're going to do some
mock testifying.
For those that want to be bravein the courtroom, we're going
(08:21):
to have some fantastic food foryou guys now that you're
visiting the Southwest.
Yeah, so we'll have all of that.
We'll put the registration linkbelow with all of our
information.
There's still time to registerand come and hang out in the
Southwest In the fall.
It's actually really pretty andit's not as hot as it is right
(08:42):
now.
I can't promise it won't be hotbecause it's the desert.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
She's talking to me, since I have hot flashes.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
So it's going to be great.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
But yeah, we're going to be in the.
We're actually going to be injust inside Mesilla, which is
one of our oldest little townshere, at a very adorable venue.
But we promise to have.
I mean, if you've been to anyof my things, you know I like to
have a good time.
So we're going to have a greattime and do some learning along
(09:14):
the way.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
As if you need any more reasons to come in.
You just heard they're going tofeed us, so that's huge for me.
That's my love language.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
I've seen previews of the swag also, so yeah, they're
so fun.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Right, and then again , the focus is on systems and
we're going to be able to playat a court so that you can have
the experiential piece which ishelpful for all of you.
So please come and join us, jen, thank you for coming and
talking to us about your sessionand thank you Welcome.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Yeah, do you want to know a fun random fact?
Yeah, you two know this, Ithink.
So before I was a therapist Iwas a litigation paralegal.
So stuff with the court.
I love it so much.
I like to talk about familiesin the court a little bit too.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Yeah, absolutely yeah .
Speaker 2 (10:10):
So thank you everyone .
Please go.
If you have not registered, goregister.
We're going to have theinformation below the video, I'm
sorry, below the podcast.
And come and hang with us untilnext time.
Bye.
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