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Why We Play

How to find joy and meaning in everyday life
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( 85 ratings, 26 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Why We Play by Joanna Fortune explores the essential role of play throughout our lives, particularly focusing on its impact on our personal development and relationships. Drawing from personal stories and professional insights, the book delves into how play influences our emotions, interactions, and overall well-being, offering a captivating understanding of a fundamental human activity.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in exploring how play shapes human behaviour and relationships through insightful anecdotes and psychological analysis. It's a fascinating read that delves into the significance of play at any age, offering both professional insights and personal reflections that might resonate with you if you value understanding the deeper aspects of human interaction and development.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

An essential toolkit about the transformative power of play in our everyday lives.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
Discover how to reconnect with the child in you and unlock the transformative power of play to live a more joyful life. Can you remember the utter delight of playing chase in the park, flying a kite in the summer breeze, or sinking your hands into a box of paints? As children, playing is how we make sense of the world and our place in it. Why then, as adults, do we forget how to play? Drawing on over twenty years of neuroscientific research, psychotherapist Joanna Fortune has discovered that play is the key to living a happier and more meaningful life. She shares the social, emotional, and physical health benefits of why it's so good for us, including how to:
  • Practice micro moments of joy to boost positive mood
  • Embrace wonderment to help unlock creativity and problem solving
  • Find the fun in your everyday to alleviate stress
  • Use storytelling to heal from trauma and find emotional resilience
  • Nurture a holiday state of mind to rest your brain and recharge
  • Utilise simple techniques to repair and strengthen relationships
From the first blissful sip of freshly brewed coffee to an immune-boosting good laugh with close friends, this groundbreaking book shows how play is rooted in our daily experiences. With helpful insights, tips, and exercises, you'll discover the tiny changes that will revolutionise your life and why you're never too old for play. Fans of Atomic Habits and Solve for Happy will love Why We Play. Read what everyone is saying about Why We Play:

Brilliant... joyful and transformative.' Stefanie Preissner

I absolutely adore this book and it was such a treat to read. - Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

The author does a tremendous job at collating scientific data... I am amazed at the writing, it did not lag or lack any substance. Amazing! - NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

I loved the mixture of scientific research and suggestions on how to play... a very accessible read and equally good to read through or just dip into the play suggestions... An excellent and important book that I'd recommend. - NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

An excellent reference guide to how we can introduce play and fun into every aspect of our lives, including the workplace where "a curious mind is a playful mind". The exercises are terrific! - NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

What I like most about the book are the many exercises you can try to play, either alone or with another person. I really enjoy being silly so some of her exercises already belong to my daily routine. Seeing even more ideas was very inspiring for me.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781909770867

Publisher: Octopus Publishing Group

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 14 September 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Thread

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 220g

Pages: 352

About the Author

Joanna Fortune is a Psychotherapist specialising in the parent-child/adolescent relationship. She is also a Trauma and Attachment repair specialist with over 20 years clinical experience. She is a media contributor on all aspects of parenting and child/adolescent development and host of the 15-Minute Parenting podcast. Joanna's life started as one of 5 children in Wicklow in Ireland and her career adventures have taken her far and wide, from the forests of Russia to the Hollywood Hills of LA. She is also the author of the 15-Minute parenting series based on her parenting model of small changes that make big differences resulting in less tears and more laughter.

Also by Joanna Fortune

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  • 15-Minute Parenting: 8-12 Years
    As featured in Grazia's 21 of the Best Parenting Books in 2020. "Joanna's books give you every answer to every question you have as a parent with practical methods to tackle every obstacle and connect with your child and help them flourish." - Madeleine Shaw "When I tried Joanna's approach during the first lockdown, I was both comforted and excited...
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  • 15-Minute Parenting: The Teenage Years
    "When I tried Joanna's approach during the first lockdown, I was both comforted and excited by how such a small change could have such a big impact." Dr. Suzanne McClean Parenting through the teenage years can be challenging and overwhelming. With over twenty years of clinical practice, psychotherapist and parenting expert Joanna Fortune has devised a simple and proven 15-Minute...
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