Dungeons & Dragons and… therapy?

What if your therapist prescribed you one “Dungeons & Dragons” game per week for anxiety?

That reality might not be far off, according to Wired, with the rise of therapeutic tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs).

In TTRPGs…

… players sit around a table, taking on the personas of fictional characters. This type of role-playing can be a helpful tool when used in a mental health setting by:

• Providing a safe space to explore identity, traumas, and social skills
• Helping clients who might be uncomfortable with traditional therapy

Now, startups are springing up to meet the need:

• Game to Grow created its own TTRPG and offers provider training programs.
• Geek Therapeutics has a range of certifications and trainings.
• Game Therapy UK and The Bodhana Group house educational resources.

TTRPGs may seem like a relic of the past…

… but business is still booming. “Dungeons & Dragons” earns an estimated $100m-$150m annually.

And thanks in part to a prominent feature in Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” the game has a new batch of young fans, with 24% of players between 20 and 24 years old.