Maegan Costanzo has been playing Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) since 2019, drawn to the game’s ability to help tell stories that are important to us, whatever they may be. So when Drexel University’s Behavioral Health Department offered an opportunity this spring to take a course titled “Questing for Wellness: Dungeons & Dragons as a Psychotherapeutic Modality,” she registered right away.
During this training, Maegan learned how D&D can be used as a psychotherapeutic modality. “I knew this had the potential to be magic for our clients,” Maegan said. Evidence is increasing on the usefulness of role-playing games in therapy, which can be engaging during structured group learning to help clients improve their level of social functioning while also working on underlying symptoms and triggering scenarios.
A D&D therapeutic group fits seamlessly into Rosewood’s approach to recovery and mental health. “Therapy can be done in so many more ways besides traditional talk-therapy groups. It can be less redundant for our clients and more engaging for those who struggle with vulnerability or social anxiety in a traditional group setting.”
As a therapeutic modality, Maegan helps clients process what happens in the game and relate it back to real-life challenges. She finds that some clients base their characters on challenges they have experienced in real life and uses her clinical knowledge to present them with in-game situations based on those real-life challenges. Clients are then able to process how their character handled the situation and how that can be translated to their own life.
“Roleplaying as a character helps us step into others’ shoes, learn empathy, gain understanding for others, practice social skills, solve problems in creative ways, work with others in a team setting despite differences in skill or belief, recognize that all of our actions have consequences, and so much more, all without having real-world effects,” Maegan says of role-playing. “It helps us explore who we want to be, who we don't want to be, and who we can grow to be in a setting that's not only fun but less threatening than exploring these things in the real world.”
Maegan now facilitates this group once a week on Fridays, which is a great way for clients to roll into the weekend. Laughter is often heard from the room as clients engage in fun and silly campaigns, like the time ingredients in a kitchen came to life and they had to investigate how it happened. As an avid Halloween fan, Maegan even planned a spookier campaign for clients to work through.
One of Maegan’s favorite moments: “One of our characters has been equipped with a set of calligrapher's tools as part of their starting equipment, and it is a running joke every week that the adventure will eventually be solved by them writing a strongly worded letter.”
For those looking to do something similar with their therapy groups, Maegan encourages it: “As long as you have some level of familiarity with the rules and structure of the game, DO IT! If you're looking to gain more insight into the game and how it runs, check out shows like Critical Role and Dimension 20. I promise you won't regret it.”
Featured in:
The Rosewood Connection - Issue 16
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