What does a therapeutic social skills D&D group look like?

Up to six clients (“players”) sit around a table or video conference call, roleplaying a fantasy hero of their own design. A facilitator, called a Game Master, crafts a story where the players are the protagonists, responding to the events and people of the world around them. Through their decisions, players shape the story. But, as in real life, not all situations are in their control. In order to succeed, players must collaborate with each other and navigate the environments and antagonists presented by the Game Master. And outcomes are often determined by the randomness of dice rolls—which calls on players to adapt to situations that don’t always go as planned.

With Dragon Haven, a therapeutic game master works with clients to identify personal social skills goals that they want to develop, and then uses the storytelling component of the game to practice those skills with other characters and apply them during interactions with other players.