logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
54m 8s

#326 Therapeutic TTRPGs with Daniel Hand

DIRK KNEMEYER & DAVID V. HERON
About this episode

Dirk is joined by Daniel Hand, therapeutic counselor and author of "Role-playing Games in Psychotherapy: A Practitioners Guide". Together, the pair discusses Daniel's journey into TTRPGs and his process of introducing them into his practice, and eventually designing his own game for therapeutic purposes. Topics include adjusting crunch, the benefits and difficulties of using games in therapy, what kinds of issues they can help with, and what the future of this treatment modality might look like.

Up next
Apr 21
Design Talk - Buried Giant with Cole Werhle
Join hosts Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron as they welcome back Cole Werhle, the designer of hits like Root and Oath. In this episode, Cole details his major career move from Leder Games to founding Buried Giant Studios. He explains his unique business philosophy of making "fewer g ... Show More
51m 42s
Apr 7
Design Talk - Exploring Nevaros with Raven Zachary
Hosts Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron are joined by Raven Zachary, a veteran tech executive and product leader known for his work in spatial computing, AI, and the internet industry. This episode explores the intersection of traditional game design and modern technology, focusing o ... Show More
58m 51s
Mar 24
Design Talk - NYT Games with Rohit Crasta
Join hosts Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron as they welcome Rohit Crasta, a longtime game designer and former lead designer of Wordscapes who now serves as a lead designer for the New York Times. This episode dives into the design philosophy behind the New York Times' latest social ... Show More
1h 8m
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
Your Therapist Needs Therapy 65 - Treatment for the Whole Family System with Katie O’Connor
<p>Jeremy is joined this week by fellow Family Therapy Training Institute alum Katie O’Connor. Katie is a Licensed Marriage &amp; Family Therapist. Registered Art Therapist, and Certified Perinatal Mental Health Clinician. We talk about her journey into those specialty areas and ... Show More
46m 46s
Nov 2024
What is ISTDP? The Therapy That Transforms Emotional Healing
Show Notes for The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast Episode 154: What is ISTDP? The Therapy That Transforms Emotional HealingThis episode is a fascinating exploration of how ISTDP offers a pathway to deeply transformative emotional work, encouraging both clients and practitioners to ... Show More
46m 39s
Sep 2024
Paul Wachtel's Approach to Integrative Psychotherapy: Exploring Attachment, Anxiety, and the Disavowed Self
In this episode, we explore the innovative work of Dr. Paul L. Wachtel, a leading psychologist known for his integrative approach to psychotherapy. Dr. Wachtel challenges single-framework therapy models, advocating for a flexible approach that draws from cognitive-behavioral, psy ... Show More
1h 35m
Nov 2025
140. Which therapy works best for psychedelics? with Prof Sara Tai
Join us in this episode as we talk to Prof Sara Tai, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Manchester and an NHS consultant clinical psychologist. Sara’s research is grounded in biopsychosocial frameworks, with a focus on understanding the mechanisms of change t ... Show More
1h 2m
Jan 2025
Your Therapist Needs Therapy 82 - Mario Kart Ethics: Luigi and the CEO
<p>We’re back this week with a doozy of an episode! Jeremy takes aim at some lessons learned from current events regarding class consciousness, violence in oppressive systems, and vigilante justice. We look at the different psychological concepts surrounding Luigi Mangione’s *all ... Show More
33m 2s
Jun 2024
The Therapy Episode
<p>In recent years, as our culture has embraced therapy more widely, depictions of the practice have proliferated on screen. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz trace the archetype from the silent, scribbling analysts of Woody ... Show More
45m 27s
May 2025
Quick Tips for Therapists: What to Do When Couples Therapy Clients Come into the Session Escalated in Their Negative Cycle
Jacqueline Wielick, LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist and owner of her own private practice, Therapy by Jackie. She has a master of science in marriage and family therapy, and degrees in both psychology and sociology. With a focus on couples, relationships, attach ... Show More
4m 9s
Sep 2021
TU156: What Actually Heals in Therapy with Psychoanalyst Nancy McWilliams – Replay
For todays’ replay, we thought it would be a great opportunity to revisit our conversation with renowned psychoanalyst and psychologist, Nancy McWilliams. It can be difficult to verbalize the issues with “evidence-based” models of care, but with McWilliam’s deeper analysis of qua ... Show More
45m 44s
Sep 2022
15 | How To Explain The Child-Centered Play Therapy Process To Parents And Kids
<div data-pm-slice="1 1 []" data-en-clipboard="true">You'll need to be able to explain the play therapy process to both parents and kids in order to thrive in your practice. So in this episode, I help you to set expectations with your parents to prepare for your first child-cente ... Show More
25m 21s
Oct 2022
Free CE Course: A Wounded Healer Heals: Dr. Yalom on Life, Loss, and Therapy, Ep. 163
Dr. Irv Yalom candidly explores the role of a therapist, the intermingling of personal life and career, and his perspectives on existentialism, including the impact of therapist self-disclosure on the therapeutic relationship. Also includes retrospective discussion about his use ... Show More
1h 1m