Play Therapy Community

Welcome to EMDR Playground, the podcast for therapists who want to integrate EMDR and play with confidence, clarity, and creativity. Hosted by Jackie Flynn, Registered Play Therapist, EMDRIA Trainer, and author of the EMDR with Kids Flipchart, this show explores how fidelity to the EMDR model, a deep understanding of the nervous system, and the language of play can transform therapy for children, teens, and adults. Each episode offers practical strategies, expert conversations, and insights you can use right away to help your clients heal more deeply. Whether you're EMDR-trained or just beginning to explore this powerful approach, EMDR Playground is your space to grow, connect, and bring more depth and effectiveness to your work.   Haruna Nail, MA, LMHC is a licensed mental health counselor in Melbourne, Florida. She provides trauma-informed therapy for primarily adolescents and adults, and on case-by-case basis with children and seniors, with expertise in neurodiversity, anxiety, grief, life transitions, identity exploration and LGBTQ+ affirming care. Haruna integrates play, relational, and holistic approaches to support nervous system regulation and mind/body/spirit healing. She is active in the local counseling community through the Space Coast Mental Health Counselors Association and is committed to bringing creative, accessible interventions into clinical practice.   Haruna additionally helps fellow clinicians step into their purpose by deepening their integrative clinical skills, expanding their intuitive wisdom, cultivating neurodiversity-informed care, and embodying a grounded, nervous-system–aligned clinical presence.     New Consultation Group Cohort starting January 21st, 2026 CalendlyEMDR Certification Monthly Consultation Group - Haruna Nail   1:1 consultations available upon request-can contact via email [email protected]     You can Find us at jackieflynnconsulting.com emdrplayground.com facebook.com/groups/emdrwithkidscommunity facebook.com/groups/1130971706932394 instagram.com/playtherapycommunity tiktok.com/@jackieflynnconsulting youtube.com/@EMDRPlayground

Welcome to EMDR Playground, the podcast for therapists who want to integrate EMDR and play with confidence, clarity, and creativity. Hosted by Jackie Flynn, Registered Play Therapist, EMDRIA Trainer, and author of the EMDR with Kids Flipchart, this show explores how fidelity to the EMDR model, a deep understanding of the nervous system, and the language of play can transform therapy for children, teens, and adults. Each episode offers practical strategies, expert conversations, and insights you can use right away to help your clients heal more deeply. Whether you're EMDR-trained or just beginning to explore this powerful approach, EMDR Playground is your space to grow, connect, and bring more depth and effectiveness to your work. Dr. Kristin K. Wallace is a licensed mental health professional in Florida with over 20 years of experience in the field and more than 15 years working directly with families. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling with a minor in Abnormal Psychology from Florida State University, graduating cum laude, and went on to complete a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Central Florida. Driven by a deep curiosity about the emotional lives of therapists themselves, she pursued a Ph.D. in General Psychology, completing a dissertation on how marriage therapists experience the impact of their work on their own marriages. Throughout her extensive education and early career, Dr. Wallace gained wide-ranging experience—from crisis stabilization and residential treatment to school-based services and private practice—developing a clinical lens that is both empathic and evidence-based. Her career reflects a balance of research, teaching, and practice.   Dr. Wallace has contributed to studies through the University of Miami and the University of Central Florida, including the development of virtual-reality interventions for adolescent girls, and she currently collaborates with the Life Aid Research Institute to support mental health optimization among service members. In her private practice, Complete Family Consultants, she specializes in trauma, high-conflict divorce, and family dynamics, serving as a Social Investigator and Certified Family Mediator. She also teaches at the University of Central Florida and California Southern University, mentoring the next generation of clinicians. Dr. Wallace is the creator and developer of an online coparenting course, called ExProof Parenting, designed to take stressed coparents from powerlessness to hopeful empowerment. A collaborative professional in Brevard County, Dr. Wallace's approach emphasizes child-centered, solution-focused strategies in divorcing families. Outside of her professional life, she is a wife, mother of six, and car enthusiast who enjoys sports, kava nights with friends, and board games with her family.     You can Find us at jackieflynnconsulting.com emdrplayground.com facebook.com/groups/emdrwithkidscommunity facebook.com/groups/1130971706932394 instagram.com/playtherapycommunity tiktok.com/@jackieflynnconsulting youtube.com/@EMDRPlayground

Welcome to EMDR Playground, the podcast for therapists who want to integrate EMDR and play with confidence, clarity, and creativity. Hosted by Jackie Flynn, Registered Play Therapist, EMDRIA Trainer, and author of the EMDR with Kids Flipchart, this show explores how fidelity to the EMDR model, a deep understanding of the nervous system, and the language of play can transform therapy for children, teens, and adults. Each episode offers practical strategies, expert conversations, and insights you can use right away to help your clients heal more deeply. Whether you're EMDR-trained or just beginning to explore this powerful approach, EMDR Playground is your space to grow, connect, and bring more depth and effectiveness to your work.   You can Find us at jackieflynnconsulting.com emdrplayground.com facebook.com/groups/emdrwithkidscommunity facebook.com/groups/1130971706932394 instagram.com/playtherapycommunity tiktok.com/@jackieflynnconsulting youtube.com/@EMDRPlayground

Episode 110: I Am the Shell In this episode, I share a personal moment from the Violet Solomon Oaklander Foundation (VSOF) conference...an experience that stayed with me long after I came home. During a Sandtray demonstration with Dr. Peter Mortola, I was invited to choose a figure that stood out in the tray. I thought it would be the woman reading a book. But it wasn't. It was the shell. Through the Oaklander Model's projective process, I stepped into the voice of that weathered shell and something inside me shifted. What came out surprised me. Moved me. Reminded me of who I am beneath the roles and rhythms of daily life. In this episode, I reflect on • What it felt like to be part of this international community rooted in Violet's legacy • How Dr. Karen Fried's work and mentorship have shaped my clinical path • Why I believe I'll be a forever student of this model • How the Oaklander approach integrates naturally with EMDR • What the shell revealed about identity, belonging, and becoming This story isn't polished. It wasn't scripted or recorded in the moment. It's something I've been holding, returning to, and slowly integrating over time. Like so much of this work, it's lived. If you've ever felt the quiet recognition of seeing yourself in something small and symbolic, or if you're curious about the deeper layers of play therapy and Gestalt, this episode is for you. Thank you for being here. I'm so glad to share this with you.   Additional Resources: Play Therapy Community® Facebook Group: Join Here Neuroscience of Play Therapy Course: Learn More EMDR Consultation with Jackie Flynn: Schedule Here Business Coaching with Jackie Flynn: Schedule Here Self-Paced Trainings & Symposium Library: Explore Here Live EMDR with Kids Training: Details Here EMDR with Kids Flip Chart: Purchase on Amazon Book Jackie for Training/Speaking Events: Email: [email protected] Polyvagal Theory: Watch on YouTube Synergetic Play Therapy: Learn More Oaklander Model: Explore Here Marshall's Workshop: Discover More Adlerian Play Therapy: Visit Here EMDRIA (EMDR International Association): Find Out More

Podcast Episode: The Power of First Connection After a Long Break Welcome back to the Play Therapy Community Podcast. Today, we're focusing on an essential topic that child therapists can use in their own lives and when working with parents and families: the importance of those first moments when reconnecting with a child after a long break. Whether it's been a day, a week, or longer, the way we reconnect carries deep, lasting messages for children. I want to share three key points that child therapists can apply to their work with families, emphasizing the importance of greeting children with love and warmth to help shape how they see themselves and the world. 1. Facial Expressions Communicate Deep Messages Facial expressions are one of the most powerful ways we communicate with children. In those first moments of reconnection, parents' faces tell their children how they are seen and valued. When parents greet their children with love and warmth, they're sending a message that says, "You matter. You are safe. You are loved." On the flip side, if disappointment or frustration shows through, it can have an entirely different impact, often being internalized by the child and affecting how they see themselves. As therapists, we can guide parents to be mindful of how their facial expressions are a mirror that reflects back their child's sense of worth. 2. Pause and Regulate Before Connecting Therapists can help parents understand the importance of taking a moment to pause and regulate before reconnecting with their child, especially after a long day or period of separation. Encourage them to take a breath, check in with their emotions, and clear their minds before the interaction. Without this pause, stress can easily seep into the connection, unintentionally sending the wrong message. By regulating first, parents can bring their full, calm presence, meeting their child with love and patience, which sets a positive tone for the reconnection. 3. Connection Shapes How Children See Themselves and the World As therapists, we understand how connection deeply shapes a child's sense of self and worldview. Children absorb the feedback they get from their environment, especially from their caregivers. That initial moment of reconnection—whether warm or distant—sets the tone for how they see themselves and their place in the world. Encourage parents to offer a loving, calm presence in these moments, affirming their child's value and helping to shape their identity in a positive, supportive way. It's not just about avoiding negative expressions, but about actively showing love, care, and joy. This practice helps children see themselves as worthy and loved, building a strong foundation for their self-esteem.     Final Reflection: As child therapists, we have the unique opportunity to support parents in recognizing the powerful impact of these first connections. Encourage families to take a moment to pause, regulate, and connect with love. These small, intentional acts have a lasting impact on how children see themselves and the world.       Additional Resources: Play Therapy Community® Facebook Group: Join Here Neuroscience of Play Therapy Course: Learn More EMDR Consultation with Jackie Flynn: Schedule Here Business Coaching with Jackie Flynn: Schedule Here Self-Paced Trainings & Symposium Library: Explore Here Live EMDR with Kids Training: Details Here EMDR with Kids Flip Chart: Purchase on Amazon Book Jackie for Training/Speaking Events: Email: [email protected] Polyvagal Theory: Watch on YouTube Synergetic Play Therapy: Learn More Oaklander Model: Explore Here Marshall's Workshop: Discover More Adlerian Play Therapy: Visit Here EMDRIA (EMDR International Association): Find Out More