Mental Health: Utrecht

When did you last do something just for fun — with no goal, no productivity, no outcome?
For many of us, play slowly disappears as life becomes more serious. Work, responsibilities, expectations… and somewhere along the way, “play” starts to feel unimportant — even a bit guilty.
But what if play isn’t a luxury?
In Play, Stuart Brown argues that play is not childish or trivial — it’s a core part of being human, as essential as sleep or rest. It shapes how we think, connect, create, and even how resilient we are in life.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4997659-play?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=fzFXhcGY46&rank=1

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## What we’ll explore together

This will be a lighter, more energising session focused on curiosity and reflection:

• What actually counts as “play” in adult life?
• Why do we stop playing as we grow older?
• What happens when life becomes too serious?
• Different “types” of play (creative, physical, social, imaginative)
• How play influences creativity, relationships, and well-being
• How to reintroduce play without it feeling forced or childish

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## What to expect

• A relaxed, low-pressure conversation
• Light reflection exercises (nothing heavy or personal unless you want to share)
• A chance to reconnect with curiosity, fun, and spontaneity
• A slightly more playful atmosphere than previous sessions 🙂

This is not a lecture or therapy session — just a group of people exploring what it means to feel a bit more alive and engaged.

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## Who is this for?

• Anyone who feels life has become a bit too serious
• Anyone curious about creativity, joy, and balance
• Anyone who wants a lighter, more uplifting discussion

No need to have read the book.

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## Tone

Curious. Light. Relatable
You can participate as much or as little as you like.

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## Closing

> “We don’t stop playing because we grow old — we grow old because we stop playing.”