Nurturing Playful Minds - Supporting Children with Chronic Symptoms
Nurturing Playful Minds is a parent-centred resource created to support children and adolescents living with chronic pain, fatigue, Long Covid, ME/CFS, dizziness, and related symptoms. It focuses on helping families understand symptoms through a neuroscience and nervous system lens, while offering practical, compassionate tools that are appropriate for young people.
The approach is especially well suited to children, recognising the role of safety, play, regulation, and emotional support in recovery.
Who This Is For
Parents and carers of children or teenagers with chronic pain, fatigue, Long Covid, or persistent symptoms
Families seeking non-invasive, evidence-based support
Parents wanting guidance that does not involve pushing, forcing, or minimising symptoms
What This Resource Offers
Clear explanations of symptoms using a brain and nervous system model that parents can understand and share with their children
Practical strategies rooted in safety, playfulness, and emotional regulation
Free resources designed specifically for families and young people
A strong emphasis on reassurance, validation, and hope
About the Creator
Nurturing Playful Minds was created by Jamie Shafir, who specialises in evidence-based cognitive and somatic therapies for chronic pain, Long Covid, ME/CFS, neural circuit dizziness, and related conditions. Jamie has extensive experience working with children and adolescents, and his work is widely referenced within mind-body and recovery communities.
