Tabletop Gaming as Outreach: Big Successes, Critical Fails, and Learning from Both

This session shares the work of two psychologists in bringing tabletop gaming to the masses as mental health outreach. Presentation will cover several modalities and events and discuss the successes, failures, and lessons learned. Particular emphasis will be placed upon takeaways that can be transmitted for attendees to be more successful in their own endeavors. Special focus will be given to a modality featured in TIME that focsus on client and community collaboration.

Learning Objectives:

1.Understand Key Modalities: Identify and describe various tabletop gaming modalities used for mental health outreach, including their specific therapeutic applications.

2.Evaluate Successes and Challenges: Analyze the successes and challenges encountered in applying tabletop gaming as a therapeutic tool, based on real-world case examples presented.

3.Apply Lessons Learned: Recognize key lessons from the presenters' experiences that can be adapted and applied in attendees' own mental health outreach or therapeutic settings.

4.Integrate Client and Community Collaboration: Explore the highlighted modality that focuses on client and community collaboration, understanding its unique approach and potential benefits in therapeutic contexts.

5.Plan for Implementation: Develop an actionable plan for integrating tabletop gaming into therapeutic practice or outreach initiatives, with a focus on effective strategies and potential obstacles.