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Mental & Behavioral Health
SWB knows that positive play is an antidote to mental and behavioral health challenges faced by both adults and youth, alike. Research abundantly cites psychological and emotional benefits of play including:
Stress Reduction and Emotional Release
Play allows individuals to momentarily step outside of their daily pressures and responsibilities, creating a psychological space where they can relax and recharge.
Enhanced Emotional Resilience
Play fosters long-term emotional resilience, increasing individual ability to bounce back from adversity. Play is fundamental for children to develop emotional regulation.
Improved Cognitive Function and Creativity
Play allows us to think freely, make new connections and solve problems in innovative ways. The unstructured nature of play encourages divergent thinking, which leads to the exploration of multiple possibilities rather than a single correct answer.
Combats Anxiety and Depression
Play offers a break from negative through patterns and ruminations and physical activities trigger the release of endorphins and lower cortisol levels and increases serotonin.
Build Social Connections and Reducing Loneliness
Play allows individuals to connect on a deeper level through cooperation, shared goals and emotional expression. Children learn to navigate social relationships and build friendships through play.
*Hover over a category to learn more
The Power of Play
SWB promotes play every single day and we change, through the power of soccer, deeply held morays and generational perspectives of mental and behavioral health as social stigma.
And beyond the soccer field, we bring our work into conference rooms with researchers and academics.
In 2024, in partnership with the University of California, San Francisco, we received a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund our behavioral health program, Meet Me on the Pitch (MMotP), to improve academic and social outcomes for youth who have experienced trauma through play.
In April of 2026, SWB will be presenting the Annual Conference at the Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture in Detroit, MI on Task-Shifting Through Play: Defining the Practitioner Role to Bridge Behavioral Health and Belonging for Newcomer Youth.
And everyday, in between, SWB coaches and youth:
Conduct a daily practice of SEL circles and engage in peer and staff supported restorative practices to build resilience and learn positive approaches to conflict management.
Monitor against baseline survey data that are relevant for SEL/mental health through our program indicators and outcomes.
Partner with the relevant community services to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services to get any additional support youth and families need.
SWB is creating systems change by promoting one of the most natural mental and behavioral health preventatives and delivering it at scale: PLAY!
Get Involved
Ready to take the next step? Whether you’re looking to volunteer, give, or connect with local programs, there are so many ways to support underserved youth and bring our mission to life.
