GAME THERAPY
What Matters to You, Matters Here
Game Therapy is an emerging modality that meets clients in a space they already
inhabit — one defined by imagination, play, strategy, and community. By intentionally
incorporating video games, card and tabletop games, anime, manga, and broader geek
subculture into the therapeutic relationship, clinicians at Mindful Path can build authentic
rapport with clients who may otherwise struggle to engage in traditional talk therapy.
At its core, Game Therapy aligns naturally with humanistic values. Just as person-
centered therapy honors each individual's inner world and lived experience, Game
Therapy honors the client's passions as legitimate and meaningful vehicles for self-
expression. When a clinician engages genuinely with a client's love of a game or a
beloved anime series, it communicates something powerful: you are seen, and what
matters to you matters here.
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HOW IT WORKS
How It Works Therapeutically
Rapport and the therapeutic alliance
Clients who identify deeply with geek subculture often carry a history of feeling misunderstood or othered. When a clinician engages meaningfully with their world — asking about a favorite RPG character, co-exploring a moral dilemma from an anime arc — it accelerates trust in ways that traditional intake conversations simply cannot.
Story and metaphor as projection
Games and anime are rich with narrative, conflict, loss, identity, and resilience. A client may find it far easier to articulate their fear of failure through the lens of a character they love than to speak about themselves directly. This safe distance is clinically valuable, not avoidant — it's a doorway.
Strengths-based insight
The skills clients develop in gaming — persistence through failure, strategic thinking, emotional regulation under pressure, collaborative problem-solving — are real, transferable competencies. Game Therapy helps clients recognize and name these strengths and consciously apply them to real-world challenges.
Identity affirmation
For many clients, especially adolescents and young adults, their geek identity is central to their self-concept. Validating that identity within the therapeutic space sends a clear message: all of you belongs here.
Psychoeducation through play
Themes of grief, trauma, belonging, justice, and transformation appear throughout gaming and anime narratives. Clinicians can use these shared stories to introduce concepts like emotional regulation, cognitive distortions, or attachment patterns in language that feels natural and resonant rather than clinical.
At Mindful Path Psychology, Game Therapy is not about playing games for fun in the office — it is a deliberate, structured integration of a client's lived cultural world into the work of healing and growth.
OUR GROUPS
Grow, Connect, and Thrive—Together
Our therapy groups provide a supportive space to build skills, gain insight, and connect with others. Using evidence based approaches like CBT, Narrative Therapy, role play, and creative techniques, participants work on improving social skills, managing anxiety, strengthening focus, and exploring personal growth in a structured and engaging environment.
Dungeons and Dragons Game Therapy for Teen Social Skill Building
Providing In Person groups! Tabletop game therapy can challenge teens (13-17) to build social skills and address symptoms of social anxiety and/or depression. Through a person-centered approach, the group utilizes a combination of psychodrama, game-therapy, art-therapy, and role-play to help teens build self-confidence and discover self-worth. Under the direction of licensed clinician Joe Atanasio, PsyD, teens will engage in a problem solving game-adventure which encourages team work, self-reflection, and overcoming personal fears. Sessions are $80/per for a total of 10 weeks. Currently taking most Blue Cross insurance plans. Will work with out-of-network benefits.
Dungeons and Dragons Game Therapy for Adults with Anxiety
Providing In Person groups! This group utilizes the table-top game Dungeons & Dragons to facilitate the building of social skills, assist in management of anxiety, and establish supportive relationships for feelings related to isolation and depression. Talk therapy, role-play, emotional sharing, and even some art therapy are all thrown into the mix for a unique immersive experience. Common therapy goals include developing communication and assertiveness skills, professional identity development, learning how to work in a team, and building personal emotional insight. $100 per session for 10 sessions. Currently taking most Blue Cross insurance plans. Will work with out-of-network benefits.
Executive Functioning Group
This group utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy strategies to help participants gain skills in executive functioning. Role-plays, art therapy, and game therapy will also be incorporated to create a unique and engaging environment. Common goals for group members may include: reducing procrastination, improving time management, and learning how to develop an effective routine. Additionally, this will be a non-judgmental and supportive space to explore the impact of emotions and stress on executive functioning, and strategies to improve emotion regulation and reduce stress. $100 per session for 10 sessions. Currently taking most Blue Cross insurance plans. Will work with out-of-network benefits.
Narrative Therapy Group
This group is inspired by Narrative Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). In 10 weeks, we will give careful attention to the stories in our lives, exploring how different perspectives can open new possibilities for meaning and change. This group is well-suited for clients who would benefit from structured reflection on their lived experiences, including those navigating identity concerns, interpersonal difficulties, or the lingering effects of stressful or traumatic events. Sessions are $80/per for a total of 10 weeks. Currently taking most Blue Cross insurance plans. Will work with out-of-network benefits.