BMO and the Power of Play

Some of you may already be familiar with Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time series. But, in case you aren’t, here’s a quick summary:

Adventure Time is your classic hero’s journey with post-apocalyptic twists, bubble gum heads-of-state, and a robot/video game console/VHS player/alarm clock/camera/best friend who self-identifies as gender fluid. Have I lost you? Stay with me.

BMO, voiced by the talented Niki Yang, is the personification of play on several levels. BMO is an actual play tool since zhe is the means by which Finn, the human, and Jake, the dog, play their video games. BMO is an instigator of imaginative IRL role play games for him/herself and his/her friends. BMO engages in zher own playtime with BMO’s alter-ego the [gender-yet-to-be-self-determined-robot, Football. Perhaps BMO’s creator MO says it best:

If you’ve been to our office lately, you’ve probably seen our collection of Adventure Time plushies. We bought them for a number of reasons (Larisa is a forever fan), but our main objective was to encourage ourselves and our clients to embrace play. In psychotherapy, play can be a powerful tool for processing trauma, relieving stress, and learning social skills. It can be easy to spot the power of play for kids, but at BBC we believe it is an equally powerful tool for adults.

In our current political climate, there is much to do. We at BBC often find ourselves thinking there is not enough time to do all that is required for ourselves, our clients, and our country. Making time to play can feel self-indulgent. But it isn’t. Play is restorative. It can remind us of our purpose in the world of work. Play is fun. By engaging in fun, even in the darkest times, we nourish our resilience – the ability to try again even in the face of unspeakable odds. So in between the work and the responsibility, we encourage you to play. To remember with BMO that growing up doesn’t mean losing the whimsy of fun: