Have you ever wanted to connect with other people but felt unsure about joining a group?
Maybe traditional group therapy sounds intimidating. Perhaps you’re more comfortable getting to know people while doing something together. Or maybe you’re already a Dungeons & Dragons fan and are curious about how a game could be part of therapy.
Therapeutic Dungeons & Dragons brings storytelling, imagination and group therapy together. For neurodivergent youth and adults, it can offer a different way to explore relationships, communication and personal growth—all while sharing an adventure.
At Embodied Resilience Wellness Clinic, we offer in-person therapeutic D&D groups in London, Ontario. You don’t need to know how to play, and a formal diagnosis isn’t required.
Dungeons & Dragons, often called D&D, is a collaborative storytelling game. Each player creates a character, and the group works together to explore an imaginary world.
Your character might be a curious wizard, a resourceful rogue or a bard who would rather talk their way out of trouble than pick up a sword. Along the way, the group might solve a mystery, help a village or figure out how to navigate a dangerous forest.
A game facilitator guides the adventure, describing what’s happening and playing the characters the group encounters. The players decide what they want to do, and dice help determine the outcome of certain actions.
In therapeutic D&D, a trained facilitator brings a therapeutic lens to the experience. As the group plays, there are opportunities to explore things that also come up in everyday life: asking for help, expressing an idea, navigating uncertainty or figuring out what to do when a plan changes.
You’re still playing a game. There’s room to laugh, be creative and enjoy the story. There’s also support to reflect on what happens during the adventure and what it might mean to you.
Talking directly about your feelings or experiences isn’t always easy, especially when you’re meeting new people.
In a D&D group, there’s a shared story to focus on. Instead of starting with a question about your personal life, you might begin by deciding how your character wants to approach a puzzle or whether the group should trust a mysterious traveller.
As the story unfolds, the facilitator might invite you to reflect on questions such as:
You don’t need to have a deep answer for every question. Sometimes the group is simply enjoying the adventure. Other times, something that happens in the story might lead to a meaningful conversation.
Our therapeutic D&D groups draw on the Game to Grow Method and the Heart of the Realm approach to D&D therapy.
The Game to Grow Method uses tabletop role-playing games with therapeutic intention. The shared story and challenges create opportunities for participants to explore their goals, connect with others and try different ways of responding to situations.
Heart of the Realm also offers a shared approach to running D&D therapy groups by bringing storytelling and therapeutic support together. Both approaches recognize that play and imagination can create opportunities for reflection and connection.
At Embodied Resilience Wellness Clinic, we bring these ideas into our groups while centering the needs and experiences of the people at the table. That might mean helping someone find a comfortable way to share an idea, making space for different perspectives or reflecting together after a challenging moment in the story.
Every neurodivergent person is different. What feels engaging for one person might not be the right fit for someone else.
For some people with ADHD, autism, AuDHD or other neurodivergent experiences, though, D&D can offer a few things that make connecting feel more approachable.
When you’re getting to know a new group, it can be difficult to know what to say or when to join a conversation. In D&D, you have a shared adventure to talk about.
You might be discussing how to cross a river, planning a rescue or wondering whether the friendly-looking merchant is hiding something. The story gives everyone a place to begin.
A D&D group benefits from different ways of thinking.
One person might remember a detail everyone else missed. Another might come up with an unexpected solution, notice how a character is feeling or help the group make a plan.
You don’t have to be the loudest person or the quickest to respond to contribute. Listening, asking questions and noticing details are all ways of being part of the adventure.
Sometimes it’s easier to approach a situation through a character.
Perhaps your character wants to ask for help but worries about being a burden. Maybe they disagree with the group and aren’t sure how to say so. Or perhaps they’re learning what it feels like to trust someone.
Exploring those moments in a story can create a little space to notice what comes up for you. Your character doesn’t have to be just like you, and there’s no pressure to connect every part of the game to your own life.
If you’re a parent or caregiver, you might be looking for a way to support your child that feels interesting and meaningful to them.
Maybe they enjoy fantasy, gaming or storytelling. Perhaps they’re looking for people who share their interests, or they’ve found it difficult to feel comfortable in other group settings.
In a therapeutic D&D group, a youth can have opportunities to:
Participation doesn’t have to look one particular way. They might enjoy speaking in character, or they might prefer to describe what their character does. They might engage through listening, planning, drawing or asking questions.
The goal isn’t to teach neurodivergent youth to hide who they are. It’s to offer support as they explore connection and communication in ways that feel meaningful and authentic to them.
Yes. The desire for connection, creativity and a place to be yourself doesn’t end in childhood.
Often, neurodivergent adults have spent years feeling misunderstood or trying to meet expectations that don’t fit their needs. Others are looking for community, exploring a new understanding of themselves or hoping to try a different approach to therapy.
In a D&D group, you might notice familiar experiences in the way your character interacts with others. Perhaps you find it easier to support someone else than to ask for support yourself. Maybe you have an idea but hesitate to share it. Or you might notice how it feels when someone makes room for your perspective.
There’s no expectation that you’ll arrive with a specific goal or share more than you’re comfortable sharing. The group offers opportunities to explore at your own pace.
Each group and adventure is different, but a session generally involves gathering with the other players, continuing the story and deciding what your characters do next.
Imagine your group needs to choose between a risky shortcut and a longer, safer route. Different players might have different ideas. Together, you’ll have the chance to share your thoughts, listen to one another and decide how to move forward.
Afterwards, the facilitator might invite the group to reflect: Did everyone have a chance to speak? How did it feel when people had different preferences? What helped the group make a decision?
These conversations can be part of the experience, but you won’t be expected to turn every moment into a therapy lesson. There’s also time to enjoy the game and see where the adventure takes you.
No experience is needed.
You don’t have to memorize a rulebook, create an elaborate backstory or know what every dice roll means. You can learn as you go and ask questions along the way.
You don’t need to be an actor, either. If speaking in character sounds fun, you can try it. If it doesn’t, you can simply say, “My character asks the shopkeeper for help.”
It’s completely understandable to feel nervous about joining a new group, even when the idea interests you.
You might wonder whether you’ll know what to say, feel comfortable with the other players or understand the game. You may also have questions about sensory needs, accessibility or taking breaks.
You’re welcome to contact us before deciding whether a group feels right for you. We can talk through what to expect and any questions or needs you’d like us to know about.
Research into tabletop role-playing games and neurodivergence is growing. In small studies, some autistic participants have described enjoying the games and experiencing opportunities for connection, self-expression and navigating group situations.
The research is still developing, and more studies are needed to understand who may benefit and how. D&D therapy won’t feel right for everyone, and it doesn’t promise a particular outcome.
Neurodivergence isn't something to be cured. Therapeutic D&D is one possible way to support someone’s goals and well-being while respecting who they are.
We offer two in-person therapeutic D&D groups in London, Ontario:
The Wayfarers is our group for neurodivergent youth. Participants can explore creativity, connection and problem-solving through shared adventures.
The Rhythm Between is our group for adults who identify with or are exploring AuDHD—the experience of being both autistic and ADHD.
A formal diagnosis isn’t required for either group, and beginners are welcome.
If you’re curious about trying something different, visit the group pages or reach out or call 226-785-1556 with your questions. We’d be happy to help you explore whether one of our groups could be a good fit.
