"Play is one of the best ways develop curiosity. When we turn on our curiosity switch, we connect to what scientists call the "seeking system", a complex system that promotes life itself. It is the seeking system within our nervous system, our collective unconscious, our biological drive to maintain life, that sends us out to find new resources, to uncover the way forward, to nourish and find safety.
Play therapy is a historically recognized activity for both children and adults. It is both a verbal and nonverbal way to explore. By exploring with curiosity, we climb out of the stuck places where our behavior has hurt others or ourselves. We stimulate neuronal growth in new areas of the brain. We experience emotional shifts. We find new words for experiences that previously were beyond expression.
All mammals devote time to play. In therapy we experience how much healing and growth can occur in the sand tray or with a brush in hand. Creative therapies are not about learning to be good artists, they are about allowing energies and processes to emerge when the seeking system is engaged. Playing is serious business!"
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