Defining Play and Its Psychological Features

Join us in a profound exploration of fun, creativity, and self-care in our latest Embracing Intensity Podcast episode with special guest Boontarika Sripom. Dive deep into the significance of play in nurturing personal growth and bringing joy into our lives, especially for the intensely creative and gifted. Boontarika, a life coach with a passion for play and a background in clinical psychology and human development, shares her insights on how engaging in playful activities can foster innovation, relieve stress, and support our overall well-being. Discover the psychological foundations of play, its role in human development, and how to incorporate more playful moments into your daily routine. Whether you're seeking ways to rejuvenate your creative spirit or find balance in your intense life, this conversation is a reminder of play's transformative power.

For the creative, differently wired, and divergent thinker, play can be as natural as breathing. For some of us, there are layers of shame or uncertainty that inhibit playing across the lifespan. We may be separated from an essential part of maintaining authenticity. This conversation will explore the power of play, sprinkle archetypal journeys within play and fandoms, and encourage listeners to honor their inner children by playing. To those who continue playing: My inner child honors yours. I just waved at you across the playground. :)

About Boontarika:

Boontarika Sripom, MA is a therapy-informed life coach. Her work focuses on coaching using archetypes and understanding the cognition of the differently wired, specifically highly sensitive, creative, and gamer folks. She believes knowledge, guidance, and compassion leads to insights, individual acceptance, and empowerment to change. Boonie is a former preschool teacher, paraprofessional in special education, Outreach Counselor Intern, and College Counselor for creative students. She earned her Master’s in Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Her favorite games are Age of Empires, World of Warcraft, and Minecraft. She is currently playing Fortnite, Roblox, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

In this episode:

• Rejuvenating rest and exploring creativity as self-care with Sharon Burton's upcoming book release.

• The significance of play, especially for intense, gifted, creative individuals.

• Boontarika introduces her talk on play's importance, touching on her background in clinical psychology and love for video games.

• Discussion on the psychological aspects of play, highlighting its components like being purposeless, voluntary, and having inherent attraction.

• Mentions of Stuart Brown and the National Institute of Play, and their work on defining the components of play.

• Boontarika shares personal anecdotes and illustrations to explain concepts of play.

• Exploration of play's therapeutic and developmental benefits, including combating depression and fostering a sense of community.

• Reference to Jane McGonigal's works on how games can improve our lives and the role of gamification.

• Emphasis on the therapeutic aspects for neurodivergent individuals and how play serves as a safe space.

• Reflection on societal pressures, adulthood's responsibilities, and the overall decline in play.

• Discussion turns to practical ways to reintegrate play into life and its broader benefits.

• Concluding thoughts on the cultural and personal importance of play, inviting the audience to explore their own playful nature.

• Integrating play into educational settings and acknowledging the varying definitions of play.

Boontarika's Website

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