D&D Therapy
Social Skills Gaming Groups
For kids, teens & adults
Berkeley, CA
Anne Szostek has eight years of experience supporting Autistic and ADHD youth and their families, and has been acting as the storyteller (GM) in D&D sessions for neurodivergent youth for four years. She specializes in working with players to co-create engaging, unique stories that provide them with the opportunity to explore their personal super powers and growth points in a fun and socially supportive environment while improving their speech, language, cognitive abilities, and social skills.
Anne takes a strength based approach to working with neurodivergent individuals that helps them understand and transform their challenges and learn to feel powerful in any situation, no matter how challenging. She also has extensive experience working with families from a wide variety of cultures, and is skilled in adapting her games to meet the cultural and linguistic needs of her clients.
Dungeons & Dragons is a popular tabletop roleplaying game featuring heroes, villains and monsters that only requires dice, paper, pencils, and imagination. We use this game as a base for neurodiversity affirming, strengths-based group therapy sessions with elements of CBT (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy) and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) to create an immersive group therapy method that acts as a super powered conduit for therapeutic growth.
This therapeutic milieu is particularly supportive for Autistic, ADHD and otherwise Neurodivergent individuals as well as for people who are affected by electronics addiction (click to read more). It is appropriate for people age 8 or older.
Our clients are matched with groups of similar age and ability. Each group member creates their own character and will be guided through an adventure where they can grow in their ability to build supportive and accepting relationships, develop stronger self advocacy skills, improve self esteem, and reduce anxiety, depression and other mental health symptoms related to the demands of everyday life. The goal of our groups is to provide clients with a sense of autonomy which they utilize in developing important self regulation, executive function, leadership, and teamwork skills.
Game sessions will be in person and take place weekly. Clients/caretakers will also have access to regular monthly meetings with a licensed therapist to discuss progress.
We are in the process of establishing groups for the following ages: 8-11, 12-18, 18-24, and 25+. Groups will be held in Berkeley and Santa Rosa CA.
Contact us to set up a free 30 minute consultation call. During that time we can answer any questions you may have about D&D and its therapeutic benefits and ensure that you or your child are a good fit for our programs.
If you choose to enroll in a group, we will set up our initial therapy session to discuss goals and then begin game sessions.
Read more about the research
behind D&D Therapy
Group
Locations
Our Berkeley groups are held at:
Spirited Play Labs
2930 Shattuck Ave #206
Berkeley, CA 94705
We are looking forward to starting groups elsewhere in the San Francisco Bay Area. Please contact us for more information about groups in your area.