Therapeutic D&D: Play, Perspective & the Alchemy of Group Storytelling

Why does rolling a d20 sometimes reveal more about a person’s inner world than a standard intake? In this 90-minute interactive session, therapist and Certified Therapeutic Game Master Kevin Klevjer leads a short live-play demo of therapeutic Dungeons & Dragons, then breaks down what clinicians can learn from it.

You’ll see how structured adult play boosts creativity, supports perspective-taking, and creates space for honest feedback—without losing the depth or emotional safety we aim for in group work.

This event is part of our Therapist Voices series, where clinicians share practice-based techniques that expand how we think about therapy and group work.

You’ll learn how to:

• Use live, low-stakes roleplay to surface relational patterns and cognitive schemas in a way clients can see and discuss.
• Facilitate feedback and debrief rituals that balance safety, curiosity, and accountability within the group.
• Leverage game mechanics and narrative metaphors to increase insight, build social skills, and normalize experimentation.
• Adapt therapeutic D&D for diverse adult groups while maintaining ethical boundaries and trauma-informed pacing.

Format (90 min)
An experiential, interactive session that blends demonstration, brief teaching, and reflective discussion.

• Intros: We'll make time for attendee introductions to facilitate referrals
• Live demo: A brief D&D vignette with two volunteers to show character creation, game dynamics, and group reflection.
• Clinical translation: Key conceptual frameworks and concrete techniques drawn from Kevin’s therapeutic groups.

A replay along with any slides or supplemental material will be provided to all members who RSVP for this event.