Dale Critchley speaks with Alyssia Merrick, a PhD candidate researching the powerful effects of Dungeons & Dragons on mental health. Discover the surprising benefits that TTRPGs offer to players of all experience levels, from reduced anxiety to enhanced self-esteem and community building. Alyssia shares insights into her research, exploring how D&D can serve as a tool for self-discovery and resilience—without requiring a therapist’s couch. Whether you’re a skeptical newcomer or a seasoned veteran, this episode uncovers new ways to engage with D&D for personal growth.

Alyssia Merrick (BPsych Hons) is a PhD candidate located at James Cook University, Townsville. Their research primarily focuses on the impacts of play on adults, with a particular focus on the employment of tabletop gaming as an intervention for wellbeing.

00:00 – Fantasy Characters as Therapy?
00:11 – Tabletop Games with Purpose: Introducing Andovir’s Gods
01:14 – Why We Created a New Class: Meet the Ardent
03:10 – Interview Introduction: Alyssia Merrick
05:00 – Beyond Entertainment: How TTRPGs Support Mental Health
08:13 – Research Findings: Mental Health Improvement After 8 Weeks
10:57 – Character Creation as Self-Exploration
11:29 – Surprising Results: New vs Veteran Player.
13:46 – TTRPGs in the Bigger Picture of Wellness
17:08 – Psychological Theories at Play: Flow and Self-Determination
19:26 – Could D&D Improve Your Next Office Meeting?
21:05 – Trauma, Personified: Combatting Personal Demons Through Play
21:58 – Alyssia’s Three Wishes for TTRPGs
25:48 – For New Players: Drop the Guard, Dive In
28:24 – For Veterans: Foster Mental Health through Play
30:17 – Ongoing Projects: Bringing Game Therapy to a Global Scale
33:40 – Where to Connect with Alyssia
35:06 – Thanks and Farewell

Links

• Investigating Tabletop Gaming for Wellness Promotion: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082697954259 
• Alyssia’s Published Research: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alyssia-Merrick-2 
• Free: Gods of Andovir: https://wyrmworkspublishing.com/lair/andovir/the-gods-of-andovir/ 
• Ardent Character Class: https://wyrmworkspublishing.com/lair/andovir/ardent/ 
• Wyrmworks Publishing Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wyrmworkspublishing 

Manually captioned. Transcript available at our website.

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In this episode, Dale speaks with Steph from TTRPGKids.com about using tabletop RPGs to nurture creativity and connection with kids.

Before we get to the interview, here are a few updates:

• We’ll be at Gamehole Con on Friday – come say hi if you’re there!
• We’re releasing free weekly encounters for our upcoming Limitless Champions Adventures Kickstarter. Get them by joining our email list.
• Check out our new disabled_dungeons community on Lemmy after the Reddit shutdown.
• Due to GameHole Con, there won’t be a weekly adventure next week.

Do you want to ignite your child’s imagination? Our guest Steph from TTRPGKids shares how tabletop RPGs can transform family dynamics and nurture creativity in kids.

Steph discusses:

• The benefits of playing TTRPGs with kids
• Choosing age-appropriate games and mechanics
• RPGs as bonding and teaching tools
• Encouraging creativity and problem-solving
• Resources for families, teachers, and creators

0:00 Introduction
3:37 Interview: Steph from TTRPGKids
52:33 Patreon Showcase & closing

Manually captioned. Transcript available at our website.

TTRPGKids Links

• TTRPGKids
• Tattered Bear
• Ludology Podcast

Wyrmworks Publishing

• The Lair: https://cutt.ly/LairYT 
• Get weekly updates: http://wyrmworkspublishing.com/hoard 
• Disabled_Dungeons Reddit Alternative: http://wyrmworkspublishing.com/reddit-alternative-a-response-to-reddits-accessibility-hostility/ 
• Wyrmworks Publishing: http://wyrmworkspublishing.com