Holding “Hard Stories” in Play Therapy with Paris Goodyear-Brown

In this heartfelt episode, Lisa Dion is joined by Paris Goodyear-Brown, the creator of the TraumaPlay™ model and founder of Nurture House. Paris is an internationally renowned speaker, prolific author, and master clinician, whose impactful teaching left a lasting impression on Lisa during their first encounter at an APT conference.

✨ In this episode, you’ll discover:

💖 Navigating hard stories as a therapist: Paris and Lisa discuss how holding difficult stories—whether from clients or ourselves—can be challenging, especially when our own emotional reactions surface. Together, they explore how therapists are constantly on an inner journey of self-reflection to better serve others.

🌈 Embracing various play therapy modalities: Learn how being familiar with different therapeutic approaches allows therapists to embrace all types of clients who walk through the door, saying “yes, yes, and yes” to their diverse needs.

🧠 TraumaPlay™ and the “cascade of care” concept: Dive into TraumaPlay™ and hear about powerful techniques such as the "Play Therapist Palette", which helps mitigate the emotional weight of hearing hard stories.

🧘‍♀️ Self-care for therapists: Paris shares strategies for self-care, including how to detox trauma energy after difficult sessions and maintain emotional balance.

💞 Supporting parents/caregivers with hard stories: Discover how therapists can help parents and caregivers process their own emotions while also supporting their child’s journey, particularly when grief and gratitude coexist in challenging situations.

This episode is a must-listen for therapists who seek a more compassionate and connected way to work through the complexities of holding clients' difficult stories while caring for themselves.

Paris Goodyear-Brown, the Clinical Director of Nurture House and Executive Director of the TraumaPlay™ Institute, has spent years developing innovative approaches to support children and families. Her TraumaPlay™ model is a revolutionary framework for integrating trauma-informed practices into play therapy.

🎧 Listen to this episode for an inspiring conversation on how to walk alongside your clients with compassion, both in their hard stories and your own.