The Healing Power of Fun: Nourishing the Nervous System through Joyful Presence
We all have slightly different definitions of what it means to have fun in life. For some of us, that might mean a night out with friends, dancing, live music, etc. For others it may be a cozy night in with a book by the fire, picnic with friends on the beach.. or any combination of things that make our hearts feel that light childlike wonder that can at times feel illusive as adults.
One thing is for certain.. FUN can have major benefits on our mental health.
In the world of healing and psychotherapy, we often speak about grief, trauma, and the courageous work of turning toward pain. And while all of this is vital, there’s another medicine we don’t always give enough credit to — fun. Joy. Laughter. Playfulness. These aren’t just pleasant distractions. They are deeply regulating experiences for the nervous system and essential nutrients for the brain, body, and spirit.
As a somatic and Gestalt therapist, I work with clients who carry developmental wounds, unresolved patterns, and layers of “unfinished business” stored not just in the mind, but in the tissues, breath, and subtle energy systems. Fun may seem frivolous in the face of suffering — but in truth, it’s one of the most potent ways we come back to ourselves. Let me explain.
Joy Is a Regulator
When we laugh, play, dance, or engage in something lighthearted, our nervous system gets a signal that it is safe. The ventral vagal branch of the parasympathetic nervous system — the part associated with connection, calm, and social engagement — becomes more active. This is the same part of the nervous system that allows us to make eye contact, feel a sense of belonging, and rest in the arms of another.
Fun isn’t just relief from stress — it’s an active experience of not being in threat. For clients living with chronic stress, developmental trauma, or long-standing inner criticism, cultivating a relationship with fun can be like discovering an internal sanctuary that was always there, just waiting to be remembered.
The Brain on Fun
Neuroscience shows us that states of joy and novelty activate the brain’s reward system. Dopamine — the neurotransmitter associated with motivation and pleasure — surges when we engage in activities we enjoy. Importantly, these experiences are often accompanied by increased neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to form new connections and patterns.
This is vital in therapy. When we’re working with entrenched beliefs like “I’m not good enough” or “It’s not safe to be myself,” introducing joy can create the internal flexibility needed for new beliefs to take root. It’s not about bypassing pain; it’s about widening the window of what’s possible in the present moment.
Ayurveda, Yoga, and the Rhythms of Joy
In Ayurveda, the science of life, joy is considered a vital expression of ojas — the subtle essence of vitality and immunity. When ojas is strong, we feel grounded, resilient, and luminous. Laughter, play, and pleasure increase ojas. Likewise, yoga — when practiced not as performance but as presence — invites us into a playful relationship with the body and breath.
Some of the most profound healing I’ve witnessed has happened not in the midst of tears, but in moments where a client bursts into spontaneous laughter, sighs deeply after moving their body, or remembers a part of themselves that once loved to sing, paint, or skip down the sidewalk.
These moments are not separate from the work — they are the work.
Parts that Play: An IFS Perspective
From an Internal Family Systems (IFS) lens, many of us have “exiled” parts that once knew how to have fun — the dancer, the trickster, the curious child. Perhaps these parts were shamed, silenced, or simply forgotten in the survival-focused hustle of growing up.
As we do the inner work of befriending protectors and witnessing exiles, we may find that joy organically bubbles up. And we might even meet a part who says, “I just want to play again.” In IFS, we welcome that impulse. It’s not regression — it’s reintegration.
Gestalt and the Here-and-Now of Joy
In Gestalt therapy, we speak of the “here and now” — the aliveness of this moment. Fun is one of the purest expressions of being here now. It interrupts the looping narratives of the past and the anxieties of the future. It invites spontaneity, embodiment, and encounter.
A spontaneous laugh shared between therapist and client can be a moment of profound contact — a spark of relational healing where the system learns, “It’s safe to be seen and to feel good.”
Fun Is Sacred
Fun doesn’t need to be loud or silly. It might look like a gentle smile during a yoga posture, a shared glance of relief, the pleasure of feeling sun on your skin. When we treat fun as sacred — as a path of reconnection, not distraction — it becomes a form of medicine.
So if you’ve felt stuck, heavy, or disconnected lately, consider this an invitation. Not to try to be happy, but to become curious:
What used to bring me joy before the world told me to be serious?
What happens in my body when I let myself laugh or move freely?
Is there a part of me that misses play?
Therapy can be a place for tears — and it can also be a place for giggles, grins, and spontaneous dance breaks. Both are valid. Both are welcome.
Because healing isn’t only about mending what’s broken — it’s about remembering what’s still alive.
If this speaks to you, or you sense that your system is longing for a reconnection with joy, you’re not alone. Your inner child, your breath, your nervous system — they’re all rooting for your aliveness.
And sometimes, that begins with letting yourself have a little more fun.
🌿
Interested in learning more or working together?
I offer a warm, grounded space for sensitive, deep-feeling people who are ready to feel more resourced, resilient, and rooted. Reach out and book a free 15-minute consultation if you’d like to connect.