PlayGrounding

Our mental health systems are broken. The work of getting well can make us feel worse than we did when we started. PlayGrounding is about finding the courage to seek the help we need and the hope to keep going when it feels like nothing is working and no one is listening.

Exercise to Heal, Not Hurt, with Nia Instructor Jenn Hicks 05/27/2021

Exercise to Heal, Not Hurt, with Nia Instructor Jenn Hicks Exercise is an important part of a healthy life, but how we do it is important. Jenn Hicks has been teaching Nia through a body/fat positivity and Health At Every Size lens ever since recovering from her eating disorder and exercise addiction. The practice draws from martial arts, dance arts, and healing arts, empowering people of all shapes and sizes by connecting the body, mind, emotions and spirit. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/19263635

Screen-Free Week! A Conversation with Jean Rogers, Director of the Children’s Screen Time Action Network 04/28/2021

Screen-Free Week! A Conversation with Jean Rogers, Director of the Children’s Screen Time Action Network Screen Free Week is the Children's Screen Time Action Network’s annual celebration of unplugging, reconnection, and joy. They’re celebrating differently this year because screens have become the only means of connection for so many of us. But maybe that’s all the more reason to focus on this area of our lives? The idea is not to unplug altogether, but to increase our awareness of screen time so that we can build our discernment muscles and make sure the kids in our lives are building theirs as well. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/18902900

Psychologically Safe Workplaces 04/14/2021

Psychologically Safe Workplaces How can we play like children, but as adults? And how could it transform the workplace if we learn to develop deeper, adult ways of playing as we got older instead of putting it away? And most importantly, how can play principles be incorporated into our workplace relationships and career goals? This conversation tackles all of these questions and more with Lauren Yee, Cultivator of Curiosity. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/18730787

Playful Humans: Rethinking Social Media 04/08/2021

Playful Humans: Rethinking Social Media Mike Montague, founder of Playful Humans Clubhouse and host of the Playful Humans Podcast, discusses one of the most difficult issues facing us humans these days – what to do about social media. We talk about our response to The Social Dilemma, which leads us to a deeper discussion about how we can rethink what it means to curate, not our feeds, but what we choose to focus our minds on to live a more healthy, playful life. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/18658340

So, Tell Me How You Really Feel - Unraveling Spiritual Jargon 04/03/2021

So, Tell Me How You Really Feel - Unraveling Spiritual Jargon Alessandra Calderin has a very no-nonsense approach to health and spirituality that I really appreciate. Conversations about spirituality can take on characteristics similar to a religion with its own jargon and its own sets of assumptions. If you don’t agree with those assumptions or understand the jargon, it can seem as if you’re on the outside looking in. In this episode, Alessandra and I talk about spiritual jargon and examine the ideas behind the words. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/18591581

The Joy of Dementia (You’ve Got To Be Kidding!) 03/17/2021

The Joy of Dementia (You’ve Got To Be Kidding!) Dementia is seen as one of the most horrible things that can happen to a person – a “loss of self” or “living death.” Susan Massad and Mary Fridley are part of a coalition working to challenge that way of looking at dementia, known as “the tragedy narrative.” They created a workshop called The Joy of Dementia Workshop (You’ve Got To Be Kidding!). Using improvisation and social therapeutics, they teach how we can reframe what memories are and who we are as human beings, even if we can’t acc /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/18370823

Religious Trauma Syndrome, Healing Spiritual Wounds 03/04/2021

Religious Trauma Syndrome, Healing Spiritual Wounds Spirituality and religion are linked to positive physical and mental health outcomes, but at times, unhealthy teachings can cause more problems than they solve. On this episode, Gary Ware interviews Kara, the host of PlayGrounding. Through her work toward interfaith ordination, she’s begun the process of uncovering her own story of religious trauma, sexual assault, and finding her way back to a healthy spiritual life. None of it would have been possible without rediscovering the power of play as an adult. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/18183791

Work and Play Should Coexist: Transform Your Workplace 12/16/2020

Work and Play Should Coexist: Transform Your Workplace Rona Lewis, Founder and CEO of Playful Minds Project, explains her work with businesses to improve mental health in the workplace. Rona doesn’t believe in work/life balance. Work is part of life! So how do you balance it all? It’s about taking time to make time work for you. And above all, having an attitude of play that makes life an adventure, not a responsibility. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/17213366

Play to Live: A Mental Health Story of Panic to Playfulness 12/09/2020

Play to Live: A Mental Health Story of Panic to Playfulness If you’ve ever believed you couldn’t share your own story or let your voice be heard until you “fix” yourself, then you need to hear what Jessica has to say. Jessica Brustad, Co-Founder of Playful Mind Project, has worked with individuals struggling with mental health issues like anxiety, OCD and Postpartum Mood Disorders and has helped companies like Google and Microsoft improve their cultures through her original style and mindfulness programs. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/17121719

Playful Minds Project: Welcome to Play-Care 12/01/2020

Playful Minds Project: Welcome to Play-Care The co-founders of the recently launched Playful Mind Project, play experts Jessica Brustad and Rona Lewis, are focusing their launch on one of the hardest hit demographics during the Covid-19 pandemic – working moms. They're not therapists, but their work is informed by therapeutic exercises like cognitive behavioral therapy. They specialize in stress relief through Purposeful and Attuned Play using fun and interactive games and exercises to help alleviate stress and overwhelm. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/17022464

Say Yes To Yourself w/International Improv Innovator, Charly Ford 11/22/2020

Say Yes To Yourself w/International Improv Innovator, Charly Ford This week you’re going to meet Charlette (Charly) Ford, a seasoned entertainer, executive producer and curator of the You’s A Fool Improv and Variety Show in Atlanta, GA. Charly is an Improv Acting Coach and bold event host, she brings charisma, comedy, and culture to her students and audiences alike. She’s not the type to tiptoe around, and she teaches people of all ages to step into their confidence and learn to trust themselves. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/16911974

Play: Our Instinctive Therapist and Portal to the Soul w/Vince Gowmon 11/05/2020

Play: Our Instinctive Therapist and Portal to the Soul w/Vince Gowmon Play can be an empowering spiritual experience, regardless of what you practice, or what religious or spiritual subculture you belong to. And no one has been better, over the years, at helping us understand that play has an important role in healing from trauma and helping us deal with shame than healer, speaker, author, and poet, Vince Gowmon. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/16701296

Discover the Playground of Possibilities w/Kay Ross 10/20/2020

Discover the Playground of Possibilities w/Kay Ross Kay Ross believes that life is an improvisation game and a playground of possibilities. She is an improv performer and an Applied Improvisation trainer; a bodyworker/healer; the Head Tour Guide in The Playground of Possibilities, which guides people to choose more joyful, resourceful thoughts, beliefs and stories about themselves and the world so they can take inspired action. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/16482785

Foster Creativity and Play for a Brighter Future 10/06/2020

Foster Creativity and Play for a Brighter Future Have you ever heard the quote, “Be the person you needed when you were younger.” This quote by Ayesha Siddiqi is embodied in the work of Rita Ezenwa-Okoro. Rita lives in Lagos, Nigeria and is the Founder and Lead Visionary of Street Project Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that uses creative arts and performing arts tools to facilitate opportunities for youth employment, social mobilization and cross-cultural dialogue in Nigeria. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/16297172

You're Not Broken: Overcoming Play Deprivation w/Gary Ware 09/25/2020

You're Not Broken: Overcoming Play Deprivation w/Gary Ware Gary Ware is concerned about your plan to work an all-nighter to finish that project. You might want to listen to his advice, because he's been where you are. Gary is the founder of Breakthrough Play, where he helps teams be more creative, confident, and collaborative using play. He has over half a decade of experience with improvisation, and over 14 years in the field of Digital Marketing. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/16149617

Being + Becoming: It's Time to Ditch the Script 09/12/2020

Being + Becoming: It's Time to Ditch the Script None of the problems our world is facing right now can be solved if we can’t find new ways to talk to each other. Consensus seems impossible and we find ourselves asking, are we doomed to fail? Or is it possible to become something new? Maybe we’re following a script that isn’t working? Maybe it’s time to improvise? /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/15980801

Someone is Waiting for YOU to Show Up, w/Jeff Harry 09/03/2020

Someone is Waiting for YOU to Show Up, w/Jeff Harry Was 2020 supposed to be “your year”? Of course, sometimes things don’t go the way we want them to, but Jeff Harry has a message for you. Play is a superpower that helps you become more resilient not only in the face of our personal struggles, but the struggles facing our country and the world. So get ready to put away your expectations and start seeing the opportunities. All you have to do is rediscover your play. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/15872162

How to Plan a Play Day in Your Community 08/14/2020

How to Plan a Play Day in Your Community Pat Rumbaugh, founder of Let’s Play America, has a new e-book called The Play Day Handbook, which is an amazing, step-by-step guide for how to create play days for your community. Their play days, and all the advice in the Play Day Handbook, are relevant for kids-only play days, play days at nursing homes, and more importantly, play days for all ages to play together. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/15607598

Who Gives You Permission to Play? 07/30/2020

Who Gives You Permission to Play? According to Andrew Walsh’s daughter, he is “A librarian who teaches grown-ups how to play”, which is far more important than any “real” job description. Hear about his research into how adults play and about his newest book, a compilation called Forgotten Lancashire Folk and Fairy Tales. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/15409949

Dream the Culture Forward w/Artist Scott Froschauer 07/16/2020

Dream the Culture Forward w/Artist Scott Froschauer Scott Froschauer is an artist known by many for his public art installations of street signs. In this conversation about play and activism, he discusses how how experiential art has a lot in common with improv. It grounds us in the moment and helps us, as he describes it, “do a check on who’s in charge of your inner voice.” /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/15238379

The Global Play Brigade 07/09/2020

The Global Play Brigade Meet Cathy Salit and Fernanda Liberali, founders of The Global Play Brigade, a volunteer community of play and performance activists, improvisers, clowns, musicians, educators and therapists who have come together in response to the global pandemic and the distressing, inequitable state of our world. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/15147608

A Difficult Ritual - "Heavenly Brown Body" 06/06/2020

A Difficult Ritual - "Heavenly Brown Body" "Heavenly Brown Body" is Leslie's most recent installation, based on a haunting poem by the late Mark Aguhar called "Litanies to My Heavenly Brown Body." His work is challenging and for some of us, myself included, it’s really hard to take in. But we’ve all been learning that the most important first step toward healing as our nation responds to the murder of George Floyd, is to listen. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/14717198

Game On...line! 05/29/2020

Game On...line! Mary Catanzaro, Founder of POGO Events in New York City, left her career in the corporate world to bring people together for scavenger hunts and game nights throughout the city. Hear how she built her business like a family and is dedicated to keeping it running through this tough time so that anyone, anywhere, can have access to connection and fun. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/14611673

Living With Death 05/21/2020

Living With Death Death has been heavy on our minds during the Coronavirus pandemic. This conversation with interfaith Death Midwife Rev. Maggie Burbank Yunoki is a great way to open up to new ways of thinking about death and finding deeper meaning for our lives. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/14519294

Where Can Courage Take Us? 05/16/2020

Where Can Courage Take Us? The whole world is going through a trauma right now. And your part is no smaller than anyone else's. It's vital right now to find the courage to face our emotions and find ways to enjoy life. Even if it takes baby steps to get there. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/14441789

Play Therapy: Rediscover Yourself 05/07/2020

Play Therapy: Rediscover Yourself Therapists tell us how important it is to play and enjoy life. But what about playing IN therapy? Apparently, that’s actually a thing. Jamie Lynne McCoppin is a Drama Therapist who can help you discover your play personality and rediscover parts of yourself you probably haven’t encountered in a very long time. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/14330006

Slack or Snap? It's Up to You 02/28/2019

Slack or Snap? It's Up to You The very idea that play is important is a hard sell - especially for stressed-out grownups with responsibilities and long to-do lists. But if we don’t cut ourselves some slack, we’re setting ourselves up for a fall. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/8816846

Everyday Adventures: Learning to Love the Unknown 02/14/2019

Everyday Adventures: Learning to Love the Unknown When I’m burned out, the last word I want to hear is adventure. But thanks to Stacey Newman Weldon of Adventure Wednesdays, I learned that adventures don’t have to be over-complicated vacations. Adventures can start small, stimulate our creativity, keep our minds sharp and our hearts full. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/8639801

Surprised By Joy 02/07/2019

Surprised By Joy In a mental health crisis, play is a vitally important part of our healing process. So why can it be so hard to give ourselves permission actually do it? Join Kara for an exploration of the things that get in the way of play and our pursuit of joy. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/8551292

Six Steps Toward Building Your Play Practice 12/01/2017

Six Steps Toward Building Your Play Practice In this episode, I (Kara Fortier, you know, the host) will talk about how I finally became an adult who plays. A playful mindset came so easily to us as children, but we adults build up lots of roadblocks keeping us from it. Incorporating play has been a process. It wasn’t as easy as just deciding to “do” play. I’ve spent some time reflecting on the stages I went through that finally got me here. I can now say that not only do I understand how important play is, I’m experiencing the power of play firsthand. It’s already started changing the way I think and approach big life decisions. For instance, the recent career decision I’ve made about the future of PlayGrounding. These six steps are the stages I observed in myself and have helped me put context around what I’m learning from the PlayGrounding interviews so far. I hope you enjoy this episode and rest assured - we’re going back to interviews next week and most importantly… disaster has been averted. PlayGrouding is back and sticking around for a long, long time. /episode/index/show/playgrounding/id/6001227

PlayGrounding

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