Sidequest: D&D and Escapism

Join me on a sidequest as I investigate the topic of D&D and escapism. The CoVid-19 pandemic has uprooted many of our normal routines, and most of us have found ourselves in new and strange circumstances we are having to interface with. I wanted to explore the idea of using D&D as a way to cope with these challenges through the idea of escapism, so I talked with a licensed mental health professional about the topic. Listen in to learn about how D&D can not only help you pass some, but can also be a powerful tool to help you through challenges in your life.

 

Here are a few resources if you're interested in learning more about what Cheryl mentions in our interview (You can learn more about her by visiting www.couchandpen.com):

 

Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy: 
https://ifs-institute.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdZZ7sTX840

 

Art Therapy:

https://arttherapy.org/

https://www.ieata.org/

 

"Sandtray" Therapy:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_24MzxFkYY

https://www.pcsandtray.com/

https://www.sandtraytherapyinstitute.com/

(Note that the terminology for this mode of therapy is not standardized, so it may be referred to differently by some therapists)

 

Therapists using D&D as a form of Therapy:

https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/how-tabletop-games-like-dungeons-dragons-can-be-therapeutic-for-players

https://erraticus.co/2019/07/10/dungeons-dragons-popular-communal-therapy/

 

And here are some YouTube videos with Megan Connell, the psychologist using D&D in sessions

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Megan+A.+Connell++dungeons+and+dragons

 

Please note that you should speak with a licensed mental health professional who is certified in the above topics before attempting to use any of the aforementioned methods to work through challenges in your life.