Permission to Play: Utilizing Dungeons & Dragons in Play Therapy

Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) is more than just a game people play to escape from reality. It can help shape and change the way we live our lives. Through the experiences our characters have, we can choose to incorporate those into our lives or not. It is also a way for individuals and families to experience situations and learn in non-threatening ways with no real-world consequences. Not only will individuals get to experience new ways of thinking, they will be able to expand on the skills they already know, as well as practice skills they might not be proficient with quite yet.

Play Therapy Learning Objectives:
1. Adapt a D&D session to the play therapy theory from which you practice.
2. Name 3 to 4 skills individuals can work on while using D&D in play therapy sessions.
3. Create a character during one or more play therapy sessions with your client.
4. Be able to describe to parents why D&D is a useful modality within play therapy sessions.