In the bustling tapestry of modern life, there's a few crucial threads that often get overlooked but hold the key to a prosperous future: social and emotional well-being, mental health and… play! 

When people think about achieving success in life, formal environments such as schools and universities often come first to mind. But the base of success is more than that. Actually, it begins way earlier. 

”Mental health is the basis upon which humans thrive. It is built in the formative years, within the environment in which the child grows up – family, extended family, school, and community. The more stable the child's environment, the more stable their level of mental health, the bigger the probability of success in life”, says Andreea Abe Neagu (in opening picture), child and family psychologist, expert in psychological assessment and therapeutic intervention, and author.

Meet Andreea Abe Neagu – Reshaping education one playful interaction at a time

Andreea Abe Neagu is a renowned expert in the realm of child and family psychology, an advocate for holistic development, and a pioneer in the healing power of play. 

With a wealth of national and international specializations in clinical psychology, integrative psychotherapy, play therapy, family therapy, drama therapy, and adult therapy, she's equipped with a diverse toolkit to address the multifaceted needs of children, adolescents, families, parents, and adults.

As a sought-after speaker on parenting and child mental health, she illuminates the path to creating nurturing environments in family and educational settings.

The Power of Play in Education

Andreea advocates for embracing play as a fundamental tool for learning and communication, urging educators to observe and learn from children's innate curiosity and creativity. Moreover, by reconnecting with their own inner children, adults can unlock precious treasures—creativity, spontaneity, and a thirst for exploration - that are essential for fostering healthy development in children.

When asked how educators can integrate play into the learning process, in order to make it easier and more enjoyable, Andreea says: "Play is the child’s language and the main way of expressing their internal world. I would encourage educators to notice more what children naturally use as means of learning and communicating with the world around them and to allow themselves to learn from children and the unique and spontaneous way they can learn when they are (apparently) just playing. So let the children guide them and also reconnect with their own inner children, those parts of the Self that hold precious treasures, mandatory when working with children, such as creativity, spontaneity, free spirit, unique approaches to seeing and understanding the world, and a huge urge for exploration.”

Lack of play can generate ADHD and other behavioral, social-emotional problems

Today’s parents and educators face many challenges when it comes to the process of raising healthy and well-equipped children. Andreea Abe Neagu believes that the main challenge is the overstimulation that children experience in all their environments. 

”Too many toys, excessive access to gadgets and electronics at an early age, too many activities every day, an overload of impractical information. I recommend parents to reduce as much as possible whatever is excessive in the lives of their families. They should start with themselves because children do what parents do, not what parents say. If they follow this recommendation, the predisposition for mental health problems will be far lower”, Andreea explains.

She says she would make the same recommendation for educators. ”Let children experience play, especially free play, more often. Numerous studies show us that children who don’t play enough during their formative years are more predisposed to developing behavioral, social-emotional, and motor problems, frequently labeled as ADHD, oppositional-defiant disorder, behavior disorder, clumsiness, slowness, and others like these.”

Safer and better learning environments

In her vision for the future, Andreea envisions a collaborative approach to mental health support, addressing the root causes of childhood adversity. ”I hope that I can contribute more in the area of creating multidisciplinary teams that can work together to support children, especially when they experience hardships”, she says.

By fostering partnerships between mental health specialists, educators, doctors, parents, and community members, she believes we can mitigate the impact of toxic stress and trauma, paving the way for a brighter, more resilient generation.

Learning Tapestry, an opportunity to redefine the future of education

Andreea thinks that education is the way we can build essential skills that will help us adapt to this rapidly changing world. Moreover, education focused on the social and emotional well-being of children is the one that will make a difference.

Andreea Abe Neagu will be sharing more insights at Learning Tapestry, a groundbreaking conference on educating the heart and mind. Taking place on June 5-6, in Bucharest, this event promises to be a transformative experience for all educators, policymakers, industry experts, and innovators who seek to nurture the next generation's education, mental health and well-being. Tickets are available here.

”Promoting these types of education models through events like Learning Tapestry is a must. I wish there would be such events each month, where meaningful adults who contribute to children’s development in any way can receive support and resources to become the pillars that sustain the development of a good psychological foundation for children”, she adds.

Join the Movement! 

Together with world renowned speakers such as Dave Snowden, Ed Dunkelblau, Leo Thompson and many others, Andreea Abe Neagu invites everyone to weave a tapestry of resilience, compassion, and hope for a healthier future.

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