In this Aware on the Air Podcast Erin Tanner Jospe interviews Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S, about Synergetic Play Therapy® and new ways of thinking about a child’s moods based on perception and biology. Dion discusses how parents (and educators) can help a child manage his moods by [...]
"All symptoms and behaviors a child displays are attempts at regulation." - Lisa Dion When life and situations become unpredictable, children have to orient to the unfamiliar just like adults do. The difference is that their brains are a little further behind in their capacity to [...]
By Erin Bennetts, LCSW, RPT Recently I was meeting with a new client’s parents for the first time. We were discussing their desired outcome for their child’s engagement in play therapy. “We just want him to find ways to manage his intense feelings," “It would be great [...]
By Kelly Miller, LCSW, RPT Everybody has emotions and feelings, but not everybody feels or expresses their emotions. For many years, I thought that emotions and feelings were synonyms, but they are in fact different. Feelings are defined as a physical state or reaction, according to the Webster [...]
"It's normal that you're going through waves of dysregulation right now. All 4 threats to the brain are being activated."- Lisa Dion During a crisis, such as the current pandemic, waves of dysregulation can often feel like a daily experience and even the norm. Why? Because [...]
Daily Strategies to help yourself regulate during moments of dysregulation You can print a copy of the strategies using the link below Printable Card Daily Strategies to help yourself regulate during moments of dysregulation You can print a copy of [...]
The virtual regulation room can be used to explicitly and intentionally teach self-regulation skills, including interoception, as well as give educators and students opportunities to access regulation as needed. The "In the regulation room" video gives you an overview of what you will find in the [...]
By Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S The more therapists I teach, the more aware I become that the concept of regulation or becoming regulated is often misunderstood. Many people think that being regulated means being calm, but that isn't always the case. From a Synergetic Play Therapy Perspective, [...]
By Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S "Mom, I am struggling because I can't concentrate in class!" This is something most children have said at some point – maybe they feel that science is boring, math is too hard, or history is so last year. But, while it’s a [...]
Dysregulation wreaks havoc with our ability to control our behavior. Neuroplasticity has taught us that we can alter our brains through new experiences. This means we can adapt and re-organize the networks connecting the areas of our brain. The more well-developed our networks, the more options [...]
