Lessons from the Playroom

• 199. EMDR Sand Tray Therapy for Trauma Healing: Ana Gomez on Symbols, Attachment, & Integration

  In this episode, Lisa welcomes back Ana Gomez, internationally recognized expert in EMDR Therapy, complex trauma, and dissociation, for her third appearance on the podcast. Ana shares insights from her brand-new book, EMDR Sand Tray-Based Therapy: Healing Complex Trauma and Dissociation Across the Lifespan, offering practical, innovative strategies for trauma work. Together, Lisa and Ana explore the evolution of Ana’s integrative approach, combining her love of symbols, dreams, and sand tray work with EMDR therapy. This powerful union creates a flexible pathway for clients to safely access and process traumatic experiences, reorganize their relationship with their life stories, and unlock reparative, healing moments—even when verbal language is limited. In this episode, you’ll learn about: How sand tray symbols and avatars act as “story keepers,” allowing children and adults to safely engage with overwhelming experiences. Real-life clinical examples, including a transformative case with a child in foster care who connected with his experiences through symbolic play before he could verbalize them. Strategies for integrating EMDR and sand tray therapy with individual clients, parent-child dyads, families, and group settings. How to honor protective patterns and internal defenses while gradually moving experiences from implicit memory into explicit awareness. Ways parents can actively participate in sessions, supporting attachment completions and delivering guided interweaves under the therapist’s guidance. Practical insights for therapists, play therapists, and trauma professionals seeking adaptable, client-centered approaches that facilitate healing, integration, and identity work. Ana also shares where to find her book and access her global trainings and workshops, providing clinicians with tools to deepen their practice and expand their therapeutic repertoire. Whether you’re EMDR-trained, a play therapist, or simply curious about innovative trauma work, this episode is packed with wisdom, inspiration, and practical guidance for your clinical toolkit.  

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• Vicarious Trauma & Compassion Fatigue: What Every Therapist Needs to Know (Best Of)

  Original Air Date: May 3, 2020 The word compassion means ‘to suffer with’ or merge with. This is different than empathy." – Lisa Dion As play therapists, we hold so much. And often, we don’t realize how deeply the work impacts us—especially when we’re navigating crises both personally and professionally. In this essential episode, Lisa explores the nuanced differences between vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue—experiences that are far more common in the field than we may recognize. She also reflects on what happens when therapists are living through the same crises as their clients (as many did during the COVID-19 pandemic), and how that overlap can amplify the emotional toll. This is a deeply important conversation that shines a compassionate light on the realities of holding space for others—without losing ourselves in the process. 🎧 If you’re a play therapist, caregiver, or anyone who supports others through pain, this one is for you.

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• 198. Wounded Healers in the Playroom: How Attachment Histories Shape Our Work

  What happens when therapists bring their own attachment histories into the playroom—consciously or not? In this deeply validating and insightful conversation, Lisa welcomes back Dr. Clair Mellenthin—renowned play therapist, author, and professor—to unpack her groundbreaking dissertation research and explore how a therapist’s personal story shapes their clinical work, especially within family-based play therapy. Together, they explore: Why many play therapists are drawn to the work as “wounded healers” Research that debunks the myth of needing to be fully healed to help others How personal attachment wounds show up in the playroom—and why doing our own work matters The power of mentorship and community in creating earned security and ongoing healing How support systems help therapists feel seen, grounded, and more confident with families Common struggles therapists face when working with parents, especially with limited training Practical steps for building confidence through integration, connection, and focused learning Moving stories that show the healing ripple from therapist to family Whether you’re a student, seasoned therapist, or supervisor, this episode offers normalization, challenge, and inspiration—helping you reflect on your therapeutic presence, embrace your vulnerabilities, and cultivate authentic connection in the healing space.  

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• Special: Where Are We Now? Reflecting on the Evolution of Play Therapy

  This episode originally aired in June 2023 when Synergetic Play Therapy turned 15 this year 🎉 (and was also Lisa’s birthday week! 🥳), which made it the perfect moment to pause and reflect on how far the field of play therapy has come—and where it might be headed next. In this celebratory episode, Lisa dives into the evolution of the mental health and play therapy fields—from early models focused on behavior change to today’s integrative approaches that honor the nervous system, the body, and the power of relationship. You’ll hear about the rise of neuroscience, Polyvagal Theory, interpersonal neurobiology, and the increasing recognition that you—the therapist—are the most important toy in the playroom. 💕 And of course, Lisa can’t help but look to the future, offering thoughts on what might be next for the field, including the emerging role of perception and the mind in the healing process. 🎧 Whether you’ve been tuning in since 2017 or just recently joined us, thank you. We’ve reached over a million downloads, and we’re so grateful you’re part of the journey.

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• 197. Why the Playroom Must Evolve: Embracing Digital Play Therapy & AI (Part 2)

  In this powerful follow-up episode, Lisa reunites with psychologist, author, and digital play therapy pioneer Dr. Jessica Stone to explore the ever-evolving intersection of technology, artificial intelligence, and mental health. Together, they dive into why the playroom must evolve—offering a grounded, nonjudgmental look at how digital tools and AI are showing up in children's lives and what that means for us as therapists.  Together they explore: Is digital play therapy the same as virtual play therapy?  How do you ethically use tools like ChatGPT, story generators, or VR in the therapeutic process?  And what deeper needs might children be trying to meet when they turn to technology? From theoretical foundations to real-life examples and practical strategies, Lisa and Dr. Stone address common clinician concerns—like fear of the unknown, resistance to change, or overwhelm—and reframe digital tools not as replacements for traditional play, but as powerful entry points for connection, healing, and expression. You’ll hear honest reflections, tips for engaging tech-wary caregivers, and new ways to bring congruence and confidence to your practice—whether you’re curious, cautious, or actively integrating technology into your sessions. 🎧 Bonus: This is Part 2 of Lisa and Dr. Stone’s conversation! Be sure to check out their earlier episode 84: Wrapping Our Minds Around Digital Play Therapy.

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