Tabletop role-playing games (ex. Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder) can be used to deliver various types of therapy to children. While rolling dice, children gain practice regulating their emotions, collaborating with others, perspective taking, and expressing themselves through their character. Our TTRPG groups use the Game to Grow method, which was developed by the non-profit organization Game to Grow, which provides a supportive environment in which participants can develop the five “core capacities” of the approach, which include regulation, collaboration, planning, perspective, and pretend play. This type of group is effective for youth who may identify as neurodivergent by allowing them to engage socially through structured yet flexible play.
