The Playground
Healing Beyond Words: A Play Based Approach to Trauma Recovery
Trauma lives in the body. So does healing.
Imagine a space where you don’t have to explain yourself.
Where, instead of performing, pushing through, or shutting down,
you get to breathe, move, and play in a way that feels right for you.
Do you long for relief, authentic connection, and a way forward that doesn’t rely on words alone? Are you hungry for more freedom and wholeness in your life and relationships?
The Playground is an experiential group designed for people who have been through hard things, who may feel stuck in their healing journey, or are looking for a different way in. Drawing from interpersonal neurobiology and theater, The Playground uses gentle movement, sensory imagination, and group connection to offer a space where you can reconnect with your body, release emotional weight, and rediscover your capacity for trust, presence, and play.
What to Expect:
Unlike traditional talk therapy, The Playground uses guided movement, sensory awareness, and interactive exercises to help you:
Reconnect with your body in a way that feels safe and grounding
Rewire unhelpful patterns through play, imagination, and embodied expression
Rebuild trust in yourself and others through authentic connection and communal synchronization
Who it’s for: Anyone feeling stuck in their healing journey, looking for a somatic approach to trauma recovery.
What to expect: Guided exercises drawn from interpersonal neurobiology, somatic therapy, group process work, and theater
Led by: Katie Lin (MA, LMHCA), a licensed psychotherapist and experiential group facilitator.
No performance. No expectations. Just space to breathe, play, and heal at your own pace.
Ready to experience healing beyond words?
What past participants have said:
"I loved attending The Playground with Katie! Katie is an incredibly skilled facilitator and guide. Her grounded, and loving presence made it comfortable and easy to experiment with something new and get playful. She made it extremely comfortable to participate in what you wanted and leave what you didn't feel up for. I showed up feeling tired and a bit down and I left feeling connected and grateful - it was just what I needed!" - Amy
“I think this is fantastic for folks wanting to bridge any gaps they feel with their own intuition, in the presence and collaboration with others. It balances structure and freedom in such a way that, like a playground, you get to choose how much challenge is right for you." - Rachel
“The playground is a playful guided meditation, allowing you to explore ways of being human, explore ways of being embodied, individually and in a community of sorts. The playground is a potent addition to individual therapy." - Eileen
"I left feeling refreshed at having made contact with some parts of myself that I haven't gotten to play with much." - Judy
"Stepping outside of the unspoken rules of polite, everyday social encounter to enter the world of The Playground can call up some nervousness. But Katie and Emma offer a profoundly spacious and supportive container for this work, and the power of the ensemble is undeniable. Seeing other people be brave can offer us new permission to be brave; seeing others be playful can unveil a part of us that has been longing to express our sacred silliness. At the Playground, you get to practice giving and receiving, saying yes and saying no, risking and resting, within a circle that values boundary, consent, and collaboration. Let yourself risk showing up with curiosity - there's so much to enjoy and explore!" - Susannah
“I wasn’t fully sure what to expect, but I enjoyed being guided through the exercises of The Playground by Katie. I realized during why it’s called The Playground; you are able to try quite a few different things and can start and stop at-will - a very unique experience of mindfulness and intentionality.” - Waverly
About the Facilitator
Katie Lin (she/her) is passionate about weaving together the mind and the body. She is an artist, licensed psychotherapist (LMHCA), and certified BodyTalk practitioner (CBT) who loves to ponder and play at the intersection of the body-mind-spirit, trauma healing, and theater. Katie grew up between the Czech Republic and the U.S., and feels most at home when she is weaving together diverse ways of being in the world.
Want a sneak peek at what we do?
In these videos, co-creators Katie and Emma describe their inspiration for The Playground and demonstrate some of the exercises we do together.
Katie and Emma share their inspiration behind creating The Playground.
We demonstrate a mirror.
Emma and Katie demonstrate a roll down.