Play Now. Thrive Later. The Brain Well-Being Model and Collective Care in Action: A Framework for Healing...

— —

Nakeya T Fields

Play Now. Thrive Later. The Brain Well-Being Model and Collective Care in Action

Name: Play Now. Thrive Later. The Brain Well-Being Model and Collective Care in Action
Price: 80.69 AUD
Availability: OutOfStock
ISBN: 9781948568074

A Framework for Healing Individuals, Families, and Communities

Nakeya T Fields

$94.95 $80.69

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We will update you on expected arrival time to us. If this delay is too long, please let us know within 2 business days and we can give you options regarding cancelling or adjusting your order. More details on cancelling your order can be found in our Terms of Trade.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Therapeutic Play Foundation
21 March 2026

Age groups: children; Social work; Child & developmental psychology; Psychotherapy

Stress changes how we think, connect, and respond. Play helps the brain recover its capacity for growth.

In a world shaped by chronic stress, digital overload, emotional pressure, and increasing disconnection, Play Now. Thrive Later. offers a practical and deeply human framework for understanding how the brain responds to safety, stress, and healing.

Built around the Brain Well-Being Model(R), this book explains how play, creativity, movement, relational connection, and self-awareness support emotional regulation, identity development, and resilience across the lifespan. Rather than viewing play as something children simply outgrow, Nakeya T. Fields shows how play remains a biological and relational pathway for restoring flexibility, reflection, and well-being in both children and adults.

Drawing from clinical insight, community practice, and culturally grounded wellness approaches, the book introduces readers to key concepts including protection states of the brain, relational safety, somatic awareness, perceptual awareness, aspirational awareness, and the role of everyday experiences in shaping emotional health.

Designed for parents, educators, clinicians, community leaders, and anyone seeking a clearer understanding of stress and healing, Play Now. Thrive Later. bridges mental health education with practical reflection. Appendices include visual tools, self-awareness charts, and the Brain Well-Being Model(R) to support personal learning and professional application.

This is not simply a book about play. It is a guide to understanding why the brain protects, what helps it soften, and how intentional moments of connection can shift the course of well-being.

By: Nakeya T Fields
Imprint: Therapeutic Play Foundation
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 19mm
Weight: 549g
ISBN: 9781948568074
ISBN 10: 1948568071
Pages: 282
Publication Date: 21 March 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Nakeya T. Fields, LCSW, PPSC, RPT-S, is a licensed clinical social worker, mental health entrepreneur, and creator of the Brain Well-Being Model(R), a framework that helps individuals understand how stress, play, relational safety, and self-awareness shape emotional regulation and resilience. She is Chief Executive Officer of The Therapeutic Play Foundation and founder of Innovative Wellness Consulting, where she develops community-centered behavioral health, wellness education, and systems of care that bridge clinical practice, schools, and community wellness. Her work focuses on expanding access to mental health understanding through culturally grounded, practical models of collective care.

Reviews for Play Now. Thrive Later. The Brain Well-Being Model and Collective Care in Action: A Framework for Healing Individuals, Families, and Communities

""A powerful guide to understanding how joy and play can become pathways to healing and long-term well-being, especially in communities shaped by historical trauma."" - Devon Ivey, Ed.D., Director of Research, Families Uniting Families / Project Fatherhood ""Play is not a pause from growth-it is the path to it. In Play Now. Thrive Later, Nakeya reminds us that joy, curiosity, and presence are the foundations of a life well-lived. Through her words, we are invited to reconnect with the parts of ourselves that fuel resilience and imagination. This book is both a gentle reminder and a powerful call to embrace play as essential to thriving."" - Dr. Freda Rossi, Assistant Superintendent Student and Family Services, Hayward Unified School District