Therapeutic Role-playing Game 'Critical Core' Empowers Youth
Therapeutic Role-playing Game 'Critical Core' Empowers Youth
Therapeutic Role-playing Game 'Critical Core' Empowers Youth
October 5, 2022
Summary
Game to Grow, a non-profit organization dedicated to the use of games for therapeutic, educational, and community growth, released Critical Core this Fall, a first-of-its-kind, tabletop RPG designed specifically for children and young adults on the autism spectrum, as well as those with ADHD and other learning and processing differences.
Critical Core by Game to Grow Critical Core by Game to Grow Game to Grow Co-Founders Adam Davis and Adam Johns, known endearingly in the mental health space as 'The Adams,' have spent over a decade exploring and developing modalities around game-based therapy, facilitating group gaming sessions designed to combat isolation and build confidence in kids.
After officially launching their non-profit via crowdfunding in 2017, Game to Grow partnered with Hong Kong-based DentsuMB - a creative agency with an emphasis on social good - to ideate and develop Critical Core.
"Our approach has never been about addressing any kind of 'deficit,' but rather creating a space where kids can flourish socially on their own terms." To better prepare facilitators of therapeutic gaming sessions, Game to Grow offers comprehensive training on their specific methodologies and best practices, including on-demand workshops and webinars tailored for mental health professionals and educators who utilize gaming in their practice.
A knowledgeable team of therapists, psychologists, and autistics advised the Game to Grow team throughout the development stages to ensure that Critical Core met its primary therapeutic goals in building social confidence, frustration tolerance, emotional resilience, and caring for others, all while rolling dice and having fun.
The tabletop game will include physical components like cards, dice, tokens, and maps.
As the majority of group sessions have been held virtually in recent years, the organization looks forward to sharing tactile components that will elevate the gaming experience, especially as in-person group sessions begin to return.
Reference
Game to Grow. (2022, October 5). Therapeutic role-playing game 'critical core' empowers youth. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://www.yahoo.com/now/therapeutic-role-playing-game-critical-151400675.html