Grief and Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons, as a co-created story, has the power to help clients process emotions in real time in ways that are relevant to them. Utilizing Adlerian conceptualization and treatment planning, we’ll talk together about ways we have used D&D to process our own grief and loss and also our clients.

Objective:

·     Describe 3 ways in which D&D can be utilized to process grief in a play therapy setting.

·     Name 2 ways in which D&D would be a culturally sensitive way to process grief in a play therapy setting.

·     Identify 2 ways the Crucial Cs can be used to help clients process loss.

·     Identify 3 ways in which D&D can simulate grief and loss in a play therapy setting.

References:

·     Baker, I. S., Turner, I. J., & Kotera, Y. (2022). Role-play games (rpgs) for mental health (why not?): Roll for initiative. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. Retrieved December 22, 2022, from https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-022-00832-y

·     Causo, F., & Quinlan, E. (2021). Defeating dragons and demons: Consumers’ perspectives on mental health recovery in role-playing games. Australian Psychologist, 56(3), 256–267. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://doi.org/10.1080/00050067.2021.1890983

·     Deterding, S. (2017). Alibis for adult play: A Goffmanian account of escaping embarrassment in adult play. Games and Culture, 13(3), 260–279. Retrieved December 30, 2022, from https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412017721086

·     Henrich, S., & Worthington, R. (2021). Let your clients fight dragons: A rapid evidence assessment regarding the therapeutic utility of ‘dungeons & dragons’. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 1–19. Retrieved January 31, 2022, from https://doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2021.1987367

·     Sidhu, P., & Carter, M. (2021). Pivotal play: Rethinking meaningful play in games through death in dungeons & dragons. Games and Culture, 16(8), 1044–1064. Retrieved January 8, 2022, from https://doi.org/10.1177/15554120211005231