Play Therapy Community

In this episode, Jamie shares with us some basic information about Sandtray Therapy.   She discusses the importance of formalized training and warns against offering sandtray therapy to your clients if you have not received adequate training. Sandtray is a powerful tool that can open up and heal some painful issues that require specialized training to ensure client emotional safety.   Jamie Lynn L...

In this episode, Sarah Wayland shares with us a bit about the developing brain and the differing aspects of those with an autism spectrum disorder.   She shares personal stories about the importance of the child relationship and how fluctuations in the parents' emotional regulation can effect the child.   Sarah discusses how children with an autism spectrum disorder often struggle with social situ...

In this episode, Althea Simpson shares with us about how she uses food to support her clients in session when necessary.   She explains that some clients may have experienced the trauma of neglect and being without food in their past which can feel extremely dysregulating to clients.   When we use food in session, we help our clients to feel nurtured and cared about.  Althea Simpson is the founder...

In this episode, Samantha Willis shares with us about the painful experiences that our LGBTQ youth often go through alone.  She stressed the importance of acceptance and compassion.   She mentions the benefits of displaying symbols, such as a rainbow, that communicate a message that she is a safe person to authentically share with.   She recommends that therapists connect with other therapists in...

In this episode, Sandra explains how shame impacts a child's development.  She offers some tips to process through shame as well as presents a technique that therapists can use to support their clients through the healing process.  Sandra B. Stanford, LMHC, has a heart for people who find themselves in hard situations. Because of this passion, she earned her Master's Degree in Psychological Counse...

Lisa Dion is the creator of Synergetic Play Therapy and is the founder and director of the Play Therapy Institute of Colorado   She is experienced in many settings to include private practice, schools, social services, foster care agencies, and orphanages.    Synergetic Play Therapy's name was influenced by Lisa's love for the brain and understanding what happens in the nervous system.     The col...

Jill Aller  is an adoption consultant for A Step Ahead Adoption Services and is an adoptive mom of two children, ages 6 and 4.  Jill has a B.A. in Psychology, a Master's degree in Teaching and an Ed. S. degree in Counseling. She adopted her two children through the help of A Step Ahead adoption services and had such a great experience with them that she went to work for them four years ago. Both c...

"In between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our power to choose our response.  In our response lies our growth and our freedom."  ~ Viktor Frankl     "Nobody can bring you peace but yourself."  ~  Ralph Waldo Emerson   "Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love." ~  Mother Teresa     "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a sing...

Katie May is the "Group Guru".   She works exclusively with teenagers in a teen support center in Flourtown, Pennsylvania.     Groups energize Katie. She says that groups can' save th'e world.     In groups, people feel less alone in their struggles and they start to heal in ways that individual therapy can't provide.    Her groups are focused on the ideas of connection.   She told us about a grou...

Build Love Maps Knowing each other's world is so vital to the health of a relationship.  It's important to make exploration of each other's world an ongoing effort.  This can help strengthen the relationship and help each person in the relationship to feel felt and cared about. Share Fondness and Admiration Fondness and admiration is noticing what's going right and what's good rather than putting...

Double Mirror Doodle Using a large piece of paper and 2 crayons, have the student doodle a mirror image design. This helps with grounding, focus, and clarity through bilateral integration of both hemispheres of the brain.  Materials Large Paper  2 crayons What Happened Next Using a large piece of paper and something to write with, have the student sequentially tell the story of what happened from...

Dr. Taylor is an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida.   She's also the Center for Play Therapy Training and Research Director, as well as the Play Therapy Certificate coordinator.     She earned her graduate degrees from the University of North Texas.    She learned from many of the leaders in the Play Therapy world.     Dr. Taylor is trained in Adlerian Play Therapy developed...

Dr. Stacy Van Horn is currently a full-time faculty member and School Counseling Coordinator at the University of Central Florida in the Counselor Education and School Psychology Program within the Department of Child, Family and Community Sciences. She teaches graduate students at both the masters and doctoral level primarily in the areas of career development, counseling with children and adoles...

Pam Dyson, MA, LPC-S, RPT-S, is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, child development expert and parenting coach.  In addition to her private practice www.pamdyson.com   in Plano, Texas she provides consultation and supervision services and facilitates play therapy workshops at conferences throughout the US. She is the recipient of the Association fo...

In this episode Billie Jo covers the following:   Description of what Infant Mental Health is and what professional support in this area involves. A discussion on the impact that ages 0-3 has on a child's development – emotional, physical, cognitive, etc. Clarification of who could benefit from Infant Toddler Mental Health Support Tips for therapists working with children and families.   https://w...

Ellis Edmunds is a licensed psychologist in Oakland, CA.  He has a private practice working with teens and adults struggling with anxiety.  He is passionate about Mindfulness practices and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.  He also loves to play games of all kind and has created a therapeutic board game called The Mindful Bus that can be used with groups or in a one on one setting.  He believes g...

In this episode Dr. Kat covers the following:   Understanding what Maternal Mental Health is and where to find trained professionals to help. Where to get training for professionals working with mothers in the mental health field. Understanding postpartum depression, anxiety, and much more. Reducing the shame of maternal mental health struggles through support, education, and sharing stories. Her...

Expert Guest: Mercedes Samudio, LCSW Mercedes Samudio, LCSW is a parent coach, speaker, and author who helps parents and children communicate with each other, manage emotional trauma, navigate social media and technology together, and develop healthy parent-child relationships. Over the course of her career, she has worked with adoptive families, foster families, teen parents, parents navigating t...

My guest today is Dr. Jonathan Singer, Ph. D., LCSW, who is an expert in the area of suicide. He is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Loyola University in Chicago and the founder and host of The Social Work podcast. He co-authored the book, Suicide in Schools . This episode focuses on suicide pacts and the social media component and is the second piece of a two-part series. The language we...

My guest today is Dr. Jonathan Singer, Ph. D., LCSW, who is an expert in the area of suicide. He is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Loyola University in Chicago and the founder and host of The Social Work podcast. He co-authored the book, Suicide in Schools . This episode focuses on suicide assessments and interventions and is the first of a two-part series. Therapists can do much at vari...

Lucy Lauer , is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with 26 years' experience as a Registered Dietitian. She specializes in helping people navigate the rough waters of disordered eating to achieve a healthier life and relationship with food. She has experience with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Nocturnal Eating Disorder, and the range of dysfunctional eating patterns tha...

Episode 53 – Sandtray Therapy and the Brain Expert Guest: Amy Flaherty, LPE-I, RPT is the Founder and Director of the Southern Sandtray Institute located in Jonesboro, AR. She has a hybrid program to credential therapists as a Registered Integrative Sandtray Therapist (RIST).  In addition to the formal credentialing program, Amy also offers online sandtray training through The Sandtray Suite. To f...

Episode 52 – Supporting Grieving Children and Families at the Dougy Center   In this episode: Jana Cristofaro covers the following:   Describes the mission of The Dougy Center. Tells how it was created (Dougy's story). Describes who is eligible to receive services through your program and what is the process. Describes what services look and feel like at the Dougy Center. Provides tips that you ha...

  Episode 51: Introduction to Play Therapy Community Podcast and Host, Jackie Flynn EdS, LMHC, RPT Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! This episode was previously known as Parenting in the Rain Podcast. I created this community as a space for us (Child Therapists!) to connect with other and learn together.  If you're anything like me, you like the idea of having tons of information at...

Episode 50, When Your Child Makes a Mistake In This Episode:   Mistakes are part of our humanness.  They are bound to happen from time to time.  In fact, they need to happen for us to grow.  For our kids, allowing them to make mistakes can make all of the difference. As parents, it is helpful to allow our children's mistakes to teach them about life.   It can be difficult, though.  Especially, if...