WELCOME!
We are thrilled to have you as part of the Synergetic Education Institute community! Let’s start by orienting you to this program which consists of two sections. The first is the Fundamentals Course, which includes learning key components of Synergetic Play Therapy®. The Fundamentals Course has been created specifically for individuals who wish to take a Synergetic Approach to Education but have not yet completed a Level 1 Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® program. Please note that this course has been paired down to focus on specific concepts to prepare students for A Synergetic Approach to Education, and, therefore, is not a full replacement for the Level 1 Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy® program. Should your goal be to apply for the Synergetic Play Therapy® Certification program, you must complete the entire Level 1 program.
The second section of the program builds upon this foundation adding new concepts, and applying it all to working with educators and schools. You’ll learn strategies for use in educational settings that promote trauma-informed, social-emotional support. You’ll learn how to explain the neuroscience behind these strategies, as you develop your skills in supporting others in deepening their knowledge and awareness. Embodying Synergetic Play Therapy® principles as we collaborate with teachers will move us toward our ultimate goals of empowering teachers and supporting shifting their perceptions of students!
We are so excited to be on this journey with you!
Let’s get started,
Judy and the SEI Team
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Navigating the Learning Platform:
Click here to watch a 5-minute video that will walk you through the learning platform and show you where to find everything you need to be successful in this course. While watching this video, and all videos, the images you see below will be in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, to turn on closed-captioning, simply click on the cc icon (it is circled in red below), you will have the option of choosing English auto-generated captions, or customizing the captions.
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Important Live Webinar Dates:
Please mark your calendars for the dates and times listed below. You may use this Time Converter Tool to adjust to your timezone! *All live webinars will be held via Zoom.
Class 1 – Who Are You in the Lives of Educators?, November 5, 2024, 5-6:30pm Mountain Time (Denver)
Class 2 – The Neurobiology of Behavior from an Educational Lens, November 19, 2024, 5-6:30pm Mountain Time (Denver)
Class 3 – The Process of Developing Self-Regulation: Adding the Missing Elements, December 3, 2024, 5-6:30pm Mountain Time (Denver)
Class 4 – Brain-Aligned Strategies and Practical Neuroscience, December 17, 2024, 5-6:30pm Mountain Time (Denver)
Class 5 – Developmental Mindsets Paradigm, January 14, 2025, 5-6:30pm Mountain Time (Denver)
Class 6 – Creating Regulatory Environments from a Multi-Tiered Lens, January 28, 2025, 5-6:30pm Mountain Time (Denver)
Class 7 – Obstacles and Perceived Adult Challenges, February 11, 2025, 5-6:30pm Mountain Time (Denver)
Class 8 – Obstacles and Perceived Student Challenges, February 25, 2025, 5-6:30pm Mountain Time (Denver)
Class 9 – Moving Through Perceived Challenges, March 11, 2025, 5-6:30pm Mountain Time (Denver)
Class 10 – Shifting Paradigms: Utilizing a Regulatory-Focused Approach, March 25, 2025, 5-6:30pm Mountain Time (Denver)
Class 11 – Our Role in Shifting Perception, April 8, 2025, 5-6:30pm Mountain Time (Denver)
Class 12 – Tying it All Together, April 22, 2025, 5-6:30pm Mountain Time (Denver)
Join Zoom Meeting for ALL Live Webinars & Consultation Groups
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84978439148
*All live webinars will be recorded and uploaded to your course site within 24 hours should you be unable to attend.
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Mandatory Book: The required book for this program is Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Intensity by Lisa Dion. The book is also currently available in Audio format and two translations: Spanish and Japanese!
If you have not already purchased the required reading, you can get it at a 25% discount. This only applies for purchase made in the U.S. Go here to redeem: https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393713190. Use coupon code LDION21 or https://WWNorton.com/rd/LDION21.
If you reside in Australia/New Zealand, you can order the book through Booktopia, Dymocks, QBD, Amazon AU, etc. Search the ISBN, 9780393713190 to pull results quickly.
And, if you are unable to locate the book in your country, please email us at info@synergeticplaytherapy.com, so we can contact the publisher and assist you in obtaining a copy.
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Online Consultation Groups:
If you have not already done so, please use the link below to complete a short questionnaire to support us in assigning you to a consultation group that most closely meets your needs! You must complete the form below by NO LATER THAN November 20, 2024, for your preferences to be considered in consultation group assignments.
Consultation Group Questionnaire
Consultation groups will begin the week of December 8, 2024. Once assigned, you will receive an email from the Institute with your group dates and times. We will also upload the consultation group assignments and schedule here once completed. Click here to view consultation groups and schedule.
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Program Materials:
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CSU Credit:
Participants receive a Certificate of Completion at the end of this program and can also register to earn graduate credit from Colorado State University. To receive credit, you must register with Colorado State University and pay a fee of $65 USD per credit hour. This option also has additional work requirements.
Click here for more information and to register for CSU credit
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Meet Your Instructor:
Judith Norman, MA, MS, LPC, RPT-S is Licensed as both a Professional and School Counselor. Judith is the creator of the Developmental Mindsets Paradigm, is a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor and is also Certified as a Synergetic Play Therapy® Teacher and Supervisor, and in EMDR therapy, along with being trained in Mindfulness in Education. She has been utilizing the tenets of Synergetic Play Therapy® in educational settings for the past 10 years, leading to the development of social-emotional, trauma-informed programming to support students and educators.
Judith has been a School Counselor at Title One schools and two-way bilingual immersion schools, has worked at the district level as a Social Emotional Learning Coach in the United States, and as a School Counselor and Director of Guidance at an international school overseas. Having worked at the intersection of education and mental health for over 20 years, Judith trains and supervises both school-based and clinical mental health professionals. Judith speaks nationally, and consults, and teaches internationally, has developed SEL and trauma-informed programming across various levels of school functioning, and has supported Department of Education state-wide initiatives with district and state-wide training for educators, school-based mental professionals, and educational leaders. Judith led her school district in implementing a Kaiser Permanente “Thriving Schools Grant,” aimed at advancing social-emotional wellness and behavioral health in school districts. Judith co-authored a chapter with Lisa Dion in “Play-Therapy Treatment Planning with Children and Families.”
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To get started and begin accessing the program lessons, you will first need to complete and agree to the Program Agreements. Please click on “A Synergetic Approach to Education – Program Agreements” under “Course Content” below to begin!