Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing Games

<p><em>Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing Games</em> provides a comprehensive approach to implementing therapeutically applied role-playing game (TA-RPG) groups for mental health practitioners. </p><p>When facilitated by a trained professional TA-RPGs are a powerful tool for insight growth and change for individuals and communities. The Game to Grow Method of Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing Games is a transdiagnostic transtheoretical group intervention developed over a decade of practice using Dungeons & Dragons and other popular tabletop role-playing game systems as well as leveraging therapeutic factors from acceptance and commitment therapy marriage and family therapy drama therapy and interpersonal process groups. TA-RPGs are conceptualized as a gaming system layered on top of established intervention techniques. They can accommodate a multitude of game systems and align with theoretical mechanisms for change found across therapeutic orientations. </p><p>This work serves as a comprehensive training manual for TA-RPGs providing a valuable resource for mental health professionals interested in incorporating TA-RPGs into their practice.</p>