EPISODE · May 20, 2026 · 50 MIN
The Purpose of Play
from The Purpose Pursuit · host Hannah Miller
What does “play” actually mean once you’re an adult with responsibilities, work, life admin and a very full calendar? In this episode, Hannah sits down with two brilliant play therapists to explore why play matters far more than we realise - not just for children, but for adults too.They talk about:what play actually is (and what it isn’t)why so many adults lose touch with itthe connection between play, burnout and feeling fully alivewhy productivity can quietly crowd joy out of our liveswhat play can realistically look like in midlife and ordinary lifeWe can so often turn everything into achievement, productivity or self-improvement, and we rarely allow ourselves to do things simply because they bring us joy.A thoughtful, fascinating conversation about joy, rest, presence, burnout, purpose and what it means to feel more fully human again 🤍Guests are Lizzie Miller, Co-Founder of Living Well Family Services (contact her at www.livingwellfamilyservices.co.uk) and Emma Winmill, Co-Director of Urban Devotion Birmingham (contact her via www.urbandevotion.org) Books they mention:Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart Brown M.D. with Christopher Vaughan find it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Play-Shapes-Brain-Imagination-Invigorates/dp/1583333789/Michael Rosen's Book of Play: Why play really matters, and 101 ways to get more of it in your life by Michael Rosen, find it here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Rosens-Book-Play-matters/dp/1788161912/Why We Play: How to find joy and meaning in everyday life by Joanna Fortune, find it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-We-Play-meaning-everyday/dp/1909770868/Take the 5-minute free 'What's Next For Me?' check-in: whatsnextforme.scoreapp.comGet The Purpose Pursuit Book: https://geni.us/ThePurposePursuit Join the community - The Purpose Pursuit Together: hellohannahmiller.substack.com Connect with Hannah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hellohannahmiller/Connect with Hannah on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hellohannahmillerListen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-purpose-pursuit/id1728277525?i=1000679973398Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0wrBZfttoflvzJCjMyhjCk?si=1759c32ac727443c
What this episode covers
What does “play” actually mean once you’re an adult with responsibilities, work, life admin and a very full calendar? In this episode, Hannah sits down with two brilliant play therapists to explore why play matters far more than we realise - not just for children, but for adults too.They talk about:what play actually is (and what it isn’t)why so many adults lose touch with itthe connection between play, burnout and feeling fully alivewhy productivity can quietly crowd joy out of our liveswhat play can realistically look like in midlife and ordinary lifeWe can so often turn everything into achievement, productivity or self-improvement, and we rarely allow ourselves to do things simply because they bring us joy.A thoughtful, fascinating conversation about joy, rest, presence, burnout, purpose and what it means to feel more fully human again 🤍Guests are Lizzie Miller, Co-Founder of Living Well Family Services (contact her at www.livingwellfamilyservices.co.uk) and Emma Winmill, Co-Director of Urban Devotion Birmingham (contact her via www.urbandevotion.org) Books they mention:Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart Brown M.D. with Christopher Vaughan find it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Play-Shapes-Brain-Imagination-Invigorates/dp/1583333789/Michael Rosen's Book of Play: Why play really matters, and 101 ways to get more of it in your life by Michael Rosen, find it here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Rosens-Book-Play-matters/dp/1788161912/Why We Play: How to find joy and meaning in everyday life by Joanna Fortune, find it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-We-Play-meaning-everyday/dp/1909770868/Take the 5-minute free 'What's Next For Me?' check-in: whatsnextforme.scoreapp.comGet The Purpose Pursuit Book: https://geni.us/ThePurposePursuit Join the community - The Purpose Pursuit Together: hellohannahmiller.substack.com Connect with Hannah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hellohannahmiller/Connect with Hannah on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hellohannahmillerListen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-purpose-pursuit/id1728277525?i=1000679973398Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0wrBZfttoflvzJCjMyhjCk?si=1759c32ac727443c
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The Purpose of Play
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