ParkTalk Podcast: Connecting Recreation and Mental Health

Friday, May 8, 2026

Episode Description:

Providing the community with opportunities to live a healthier life, both physically and mentally, is one of the goals of the Naperville Park District. Clinical therapists Christina Mondragon Schrader and Bryce Goll join the ParkTalk Podcast to discuss the relationship parks and recreation has with mental health.

Quotes from the Episode:

How does parks and recreation connect to mental health?

Naturally, from a mental health and neuropsych angle, the more active you are it’s a natural mood booster. Endorphins, the natural chemicals we produce, it kind of helps instigate that production, and it helps lower stress hormones, such as cortisol. Finding ways to decrease stress and increase those good feeling chemicals is always a good thing, and that is something that naturally happens when we are more active. – Christina Mondragon Schrader

Community. Community is something that kind of brings everyone together, not just at school but your soccer program or whatever your park district has to offer. It allows kids to get involved and work on those communication skills and leadership skills. – Bryce Goll

What are some immediate stress relief benefits from getting outdoors?

A natural anti-anxiety decreaser is simply touching grass – being one with nature, grounding yourself to the earth – just really connecting in with nature. – Christina Mondragon Schrader

Give yourself 15 minutes a day to allow yourself to do nothing. Being okay with listening to your breathing, whatever is going on in your backyard, walking down the street, sitting outside to have your morning cup of coffee – it’s all therapeutic. – Bryce Goll

How can different types of recreation affect an individual’s mental health?

It’s about new experiences. It’s trying new things. It’s learning something about yourself. Creating that connection and understanding “Hey, I can do this by myself” or “I can do this with friends.” If we don’t push ourselves to do those things, we’re never going to truly know who we are and what our identity is. – Bryce Goll

It helps build autonomy as a person figuring out what we like versus what we don’t like. It can create the opportunity to be comfortable in the uncomfortable. Everything that a park district has to offer can also give those internal life lessons in learning how to manage through the discomfort. – Christina Mondragon Shrader.