A Role to Play: Bringing Therapeutically‑Applied Roleplaying Games to Newcastle Schools

There’s something genuinely exciting happening in our service, and it’s all thanks to the creativity and passion of Educational Psychologist Dr Scott Morley‑Gray. Scott has been pioneering a new approach to supporting children and young people’s mental health in schools, one that’s as engaging as it is innovative: Therapeutically‑Applied Tabletop Roleplaying Games (TATTRPGs).

So, what does that actually mean?

In a nutshell, Scott’s research and work uses games like Dungeons & Dragons as a therapeutic tool. Instead of traditional therapy sessions, children come together in small groups to embark on imaginary adventures, each taking on a character and working as a team to overcome challenges. The magic is in the fact that, while they’re rolling dice and battling dragons, they’re also building social bonds, developing confidence, and practising vital skills like emotional regulation, leadership, and collaboration.

Why this approach?

Scott’s research highlights a few key reasons. First, there’s a growing mental health crisis in schools, and traditional therapies might not appeal to all children for reasons such as taking them away from activities they enjoy, and that they sometimes require talking about feelings in ways that aren’t comfortable for everyone.

TATTRPGs flip the script: they’re fun, they happen in school (where children are already comfortable), and they allow young people to experiment with new ways of thinking and behaving in a safe, imaginary world.

Scott’s groups have run in a range of Newcastle and other Local Authority settings. They have shown that these games help children form meaningful connections, develop resilience, and even reduce anxiety. The sessions are carefully structured around each child’s goals, with opportunities to practise new skills woven into the story. And the feedback from young people is powerful.

One participant shared that playing a character different from herself helped her learn to be brave and stand up for herself.

Another shared that they were proud of how social they had been in the sessions because they are not usually very social and they enjoyed it.

What’s next?

Scott and colleagues have just rolled out their next block of sessions looking at how this approach can be delivered more widely and whether the intervention can positively impact resilience. The children were incredibly enthusiastic and explored areas linking to social skills, stress and keeping calm.

Could this be the start of a new wave of creative, engaging mental health support in our schools? Watch this space!