How Play Heals Your Nervous System (And Why It’s the Missing Piece in Your Healing)

When Was the Last Time You Let Yourself Play?

Not to be productive. Not to check something off your list. Not because you were “supposed to,” but just because it felt good? Take a moment and really sit with that question. When was the last time you let yourself fully drop into play, without guilt, without hesitation & without the need to earn it first? For so many of us, that moment feels distant, blurry, forgotten. Not because we don’t want to play, but because somewhere along the way, we were taught that play is something to outgrow. That fun is for children. That joy is indulgent. That life is meant to be serious, structured, and productive.

But here’s the truth: play isn’t just a break from healing - it IS healing. If you’ve been feeling stuck, disconnected, or like something is missing… it may not be more discipline or more structure that you need.

It may be more play.

Your nervous system is always scanning your world, quietly asking: "Am I safe?" And when life feels heavy - when stress, burnout, or past experiences keep you in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn - your system stops looking for joy and it starts looking for survival.

But, play does something incredible. It interrupts the pattern. It tells your nervous system: We are safe. We can let go. We can breathe again. Here’s how:

• It shifts you out of survival mode by moving your body from a stress response into safety and presence.

• It rewires the brain for resilience. It teaches you to take small risks, embrace the unknown, and trust yourself.

• Play also releases stored tension. When you engage in movement, laughter, or creative expression, your body discharges built-up stress.

• Lastly, it reconnects you with joy. And joy is not a luxury, it’s a nervous system necessity.

This is why play is so essential to healing! It isn’t an escape from growth, it’s what makes growth sustainable. But, if play is so powerful, why does it feel so hard? Because, somewhere along the way, you might have been conditioned to believe:

• Play is childish.

• Play is unproductive.

• Play has to be earned.

• Play is for people who have "time for it."

But the truth is: Play is for you. Right now. Exactly as you are.

Think of children. They don’t play because they are stress-free. They play because it helps them process the world, learn, have fun, let go, connect with themselves, and connect with others. They move, they create, they explore; it’s how they learn, heal, and make sense of their emotions. And that same magic is still in you! You just have to give yourself permission to access it again. Many people struggle to reconnect with play because they think it has to look a certain way. But play isn’t just about games or silliness (though it can be). Play is about finding what brings you joy, freedom, and flow. For you, play might look like:

• Movement – Dancing in your kitchen, jumping on a trampoline, stretching in the morning.

• Creativity – Doodling, painting, baking something new - just for the fun of it.

• Curiosity – Exploring a new place, trying something spontaneous, learning for joy.

• Laughter – Watching stand-up, playing an improv game, letting yourself be silly.

Play is simply the act of dropping into joy, without judgment. So take a moment to reflect…

• When was the last time you got lost in something fun?

• What’s something you used to love doing, but haven’t in years?

• If you could play, guilt-free, for one hour, what would you do?

  This week, I invite you to do one thing that feels playful; no agenda, no pressure, and no need to justify it. Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Put on a song you loved as a kid and dance like no one’s watching.

  • Try a hobby with zero pressure to be good at it.

  • Play a childhood game: hopscotch, a board game, something silly.

  • Let yourself be spontaneous! Break a tiny “rule” you’ve set for yourself, just for fun.

  You don’t have to be “done healing” to feel joy. You don’t have to “deserve” fun to let yourself experience it.

  Play is your birthright. And when you let yourself play, you teach your nervous system something powerful: "I am safe. I am alive. I am allowed to feel joy."

  I’d love to hear from you!:
  What’s one playful thing you’re going to try this week? Email me here and let me know!

  And if this resonated with you, we explore the power of play, joy, and nervous system healing even deeper inside my 12-week coaching program.

  Enrollment for March is open now - if you’re curious, you can book a free 1hr 1:1 Vision Session here: [BOOKING CALENDAR] (No strings attached, promise).

  You don’t have to heal alone. And you don’t have to wait to feel joy. Let’s do both together.

  Remember that you are inspiring, you are loved, keep going!

  I am cheering you on!

  XOXO,
  Coach Coop