What is a Table-Top Roleplaying Game and
what is Dungeons & Dragons?

A Table-Top Roleplaying Game (TTRPG) is a collaborative storytelling experience where players take on the roles of characters in a fictional world. One person acts as the Game Master (GM). They are the narrator and guide for the game, who sets the stage, describes the world, and presents challenges. The other players create characters with unique traits, personalities, and goals, and they make choices for those characters during the game.

Gameplay typically involves:

Describing actions
- "My character tries to sneak past the guards."
Rolling dice to determine success or failure
- "You need to roll a 12 or higher to get by undetected."
Problem-solving as a team
- "I help by throwing a rock into the bushes to distract them."
Collectively telling a story together
- "You've made it to the castle doors, but now your friends need to as well..."

While similar to a book, movie, or video game, there's far more possibilities! It's a game of imagination, conversation, and a set of flexible rules to keep things structured and fair.

Dungeons & Dragons is the most well-known TTRPG (though many other TTRPGs exist, are fun, and might be used instead). First published in 1974, it's the game that launched the genre. In D&D, players usually take on the roles of adventurers in a fantasy world filled with magic, monsters, and mysteries. Each player chooses a character class (like wizard, fighter, or cleric) and develops their character's abilities and personality over time.

The game blends:

Cooperative storytelling
Imaginative problem-solving
Dice-based mechanics
And a deep sense of character and world-building

While it’s often associated with dragons and dungeons, D&D can explore a wide range of themes from heroic quests and moral dilemmas to character growth and emotional resilience. That flexibility is one of the reasons it’s become a powerful tool in therapeutic settings.

You seek to learn more?

How is it used therapeutically to help people with their mental, emotional, and social wellbeing?

When used in a therapeutic setting, a TTRPG can become a tool for growth, connection, and self-discovery. Therapeutic groups are led by trained mental health professionals who use the game to support clients with their specific emotional, social, or behavioral goals. So while every group is different, depending on who is leading it and who is playing in it, some common themes exist.

Safe exploration of identity: Playing a character lets people try on different roles or behaviors in a nonjudgmental environment.
Emotional expression: Through characters, players can not only explore feelings (e.g. fear, anger, compassion), but also change how they think about and express them.
Resilience and coping: Characters face failure, setbacks, and tough situations, allowing players to strengthen problem-solving skills.
Teamwork and communication: Players must cooperate, listen, share ideas, and make group decisions both as themselves and as their characters.
Building trust and connection: Shared storytelling can create meaningful bonds for players and their characters.
Social confidence: Practicing assertiveness, leadership, or conflict resolution in-game can translate to real-world confidence.
Growth through metaphor: The events a character experiences in the story can enable the player to find similarities to their own life and process in a creative, indirect way.

It's an imaginative space where people can learn real-life skills while having fun in a supportive group. It's about more than just random play. It’s intentional, structured, and guided by a licensed therapist who adapts the game to meet the needs of the group.

What do you need to know before joining such a group?

The specifics and logistics are going to depend on the clinician who is running it, so be sure to ask them any of your questions! That said, generally speaking, the following aspects will be true for most groups.

The GM is a licensed therapists and is leading the group. They establish the rules, limits, and plot of the game.
The game is taught at a beginner-level, no prior experience is needed.
It's not about winning or losing, it's about telling a story together.
It can be played online or in-person.
Almost everything you need to play is free, provided you have internet access. There's of course things you can buy if you like, but it's not necessary.
Safety tools and consent are always discussed so that everyone can feel safe to play.
Sessions typically include a check-in, gameplay, and time to reflect at the end.
The group may also have shared agreements like taking turns, staying in character, or using respectful language.
Most groups run weekly for a set number of weeks.
Regular attendance is important to the story and the group dynamic, so being present helps you and others get the most out of it.

If you're curious but unsure, that's completely normal. You don’t need to be a gamer, an actor, or an expert just open to trying something creative and collaborative. Every group is different, so don’t hesitate to reach out and ask questions before joining.

What is a Table-Top Roleplaying Game and what is Dungeons & Dragons?

You seek to learn more?

How is it used therapeutically to help people with their mental, emotional, and social wellbeing?

What do you need to know before joining such a group?

The specifics and logistics are going to depend on the clinician who is running it, so be sure to ask them any of your questions! That said, generally speaking, the following aspects will be true for most groups.

The GM is a licensed therapists and is leading the group. They establish the rules, limits, and plot of the game.​

The game is taught at a beginner-level, no prior experience is needed.

It's not about winning or losing, it's about telling a story together.

​It can be played online or in-person.

Almost everything you need to play is free, provided you have internet access. There's of course things you can buy if you like, but it's not necessary.

Safety tools and consent are always discussed so that everyone can feel safe to play.

Sessions typically include a check-in, gameplay, and time to reflect at the end.

The group may also have shared agreements like taking turns, staying in character, or using respectful language.

Most groups run weekly for a set number of weeks.

Regular attendance is important to the story and the group dynamic, so being present helps you and others get the most out of it.

​ If you're curious but unsure, that's completely normal. You don’t need to be a gamer, an actor, or an expert just open to trying something creative and collaborative. Every group is different, so don’t hesitate to reach out and ask questions before joining.

What is a Table-Top Roleplaying Game and
what is Dungeons & Dragons?

The GM is a licensed therapists and is leading the group. They establish the rules, limits, and plot of the game.

It can be played online or in-person.

If you're curious but unsure, that's completely normal. You don’t need to be a gamer, an actor, or an expert just open to trying something creative and collaborative. Every group is different, so don’t hesitate to reach out and ask questions before joining.