Course Delivery 

The Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy has six modules delivered over 3 days:  9.00 am – 4.30 pm and includes:

• 18 hours in-person teaching with Lisa Dion

• 6 one-hour group consultations delivered online over a 6 month time period with a Synergetic Play Therapy® Consultant

• 3 pre-recorded one-hour video lessons to further your learning

• Book Review of the required book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurological Approach to Integrating Intensity

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Modules

Module 1: Understand The Set Up/Offering

Learn the game changing SPT concept of The Set Up/Offering, the Interpersonal Neurobiology projective experience and how it shows up in the relationship between the therapist and client, and the key healing agent in all therapy processes.

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Module 2: Understand States of Activation

Begin the journey into neurobiology to learn about the brain, states of activation of the nervous system and regulation, and how all a child's symptoms are expressions of the activation of the autonomic nervous system.

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Module 3: Become a Child's External Regulator

Deepen your understanding of what it means to become an external regulator to help children expand their windows of tolerance, re-pattern their nervous system and integrate their experiences.

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Module 4: Partnering with Caregivers/Tracking the Play

Understand parents/caregivers at a deeper level and learn how to become their external regulator. This module also includes how to do an intake with the brain in mind, goal setting, learning how to track a client's progress and translating the play, and how to support caregivers when they are in the session.

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Module 5: Understand Attachment and Emotional Age

Deepen your understanding of attachment, attachment to self, and attunement. Also explore the difference between a child's emotional age and their chronological age, as well as why interoception is the prerequisite for developing self-regulation.

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Module 6: Sand, Art, and Aggression in SPT

Explore how to facilitate sand, art and aggression through an SPT lens. You'll also learn how to use regulation as a way to help integrate aggressive energy in the playroom, and why the therapist is truly the most important toy in the playroom!

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Synergetic Play Therapy® Consultations

As part of the course, you will participate in 6 x monthly one hour Consultation Groups that will be led by a Synergetic Play Therapy® Consultant. Consultation is a mandatory part of the program to help you integrate what you are learning. (Please refer to the SPTI Institutional Policies)

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Participants will be required to

• Attend all 3 in person teaching days

• Attend all 6 monthly online Consultations (scheduled with an SPT Consultant)

• Before the training, purchase and read Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Intensity by Lisa Dion as this will be referenced throughout the training.

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