Woven Roots Therapeutic Practice

There’s been a lot of conversation recently about how hard it is to focus— and it makes sense in the world we’re living in.

But I came across some interesting research from The Queen’s Reading Room that offers a helpful reminder of what reading can actually do for us.

Just five minutes of reading was linked to a reduction in stress of nearly 20%. Focus improved too — by around 11%. What stood out most to me though was the relational aspect… reading, particularly fiction, was associated with a decrease in feelings of loneliness and an increased sense of connection.

That’s something we don’t often talk about.

In a time where so much of our attention is pulled in fragmented directions, reading asks something different of us. It invites us into a slower, more immersive experience — one where the nervous system can begin to settle, where imagination comes online, and where we can step into another perspective without pressure.

From a therapeutic lens, that makes a lot of sense.

Stories allow us to process emotion at a safe distance. They offer symbolic language for things that can feel hard to articulate directly. They create a bridge between inner experience and the outside world.

It’s also worth noting — this research is early-stage and was commissioned by a charity, so it’s not definitive science. But it aligns with what many of us see in practice and experience personally.

So maybe the question isn’t “why can’t we focus on books anymore?”
Maybe it’s “what conditions help us return to them?”

Not pressure. Not shoulds.
Just the right book, at the right time.📚

Read more here:

The Queen's Reading Room Study - The Queen's Reading Room Her Majesty Queen Camilla

🧠🧠 Could the colour of light support mental wellbeing?

Researchers in Norway are exploring how something as simple as the colour of indoor lighting may support people experiencing mental health difficulties.

Key insights from the research:

• Light plays an important role in regulating our circadian rhythm – the body’s internal 24-hour clock that influences sleep, energy, mood, and overall wellbeing. When these rhythms are disrupted, people may experience increased vulnerability to difficulties such as depression or emotional distress.

• In a psychiatric ward in Trondheim, evening lighting was designed to reduce blue wavelengths, shifting rooms to a softer amber tone. This type of light more closely mirrors the natural changes that occur at sunset and can help the body prepare for sleep.

• In a study involving 476 people receiving mental health care, those in the blue-reduced lighting environment showed greater improvements in wellbeing and fewer incidents of distress compared with those in standard lighting conditions.

• Because the change is built into the environment, people do not need to actively do anything for it to have an effect. The surroundings themselves begin to support the body’s natural rhythms.

• Researchers believe light may influence much more than sleep, including mood, alertness, and emotional regulation.

This research highlights something many therapists already observe: our environments matter. The sensory world around us—light, sound, rhythm, and safety cues—can quietly shape how our nervous systems settle, rest, and recover.

🔗 Read the full article:

Out of the blue? How the colour of light could be used to treat mental illness A psychiatric unit in Norway has been testing its built-in lighting on conditions such as psychosis and depression

As play therapists, we already know that our work is not just with the child in the room. We are working alongside parents, caregivers, and the wider family system.

What research like this offers is not a reminder of that reality, but a deepening of our understanding of the complexity parents are navigating every day.

A recent journal article exploring caregiver experiences in families of young autistic children highlights the significant role that sensory processing differences play in family life. 

The study found that 77% of young autistic children experienced sensory processing differences in at least one sensory area — including sound, touch, movement, visual stimulation, and multisensory environments. 
For many families, these sensory experiences shape everyday routines in ways that may not always be visible from the outside. Difficulties with sleep, food, movement, transitions, and emotional regulation can accumulate across the day and across environments.

The research also found that sensory processing differences, behavioural challenges, developmental differences associated with autism, and parental mental health together explained 63% of the caregiving load reported by parents. 

For practitioners, this kind of research adds important depth. It helps us see more clearly how the child’s sensory world and the parent’s emotional world are intertwined within the rhythms of daily life.

Parents are not simply managing behaviours.
They are often navigating:

• unpredictable sensory environments
• disrupted routines
• social misunderstanding from others
• emotional labour and advocacy
• ongoing adjustments to meet their child’s needs

Research like this helps to illuminate the relational and sensory ecology that families are holding.

In the playroom, we often witness the child’s inner experience expressed through play. At the same time, this work invites us to continue holding curiosity about the experiences unfolding beyond the playroom walls — in kitchens, bedrooms, school corridors, and car journeys.

Reference

Alkas Karaca, G. E., Karaca, M. A., Tekden, M., Akarsu, R., & Karacetin, G. (2026). Understanding caregiver burden in mothers of young children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder: Role of the sensory profile. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 131, 202818.