Using Therapeutic Role-Playing Gaming to Help in the Treatment of Sexual Abuse Victims

[rpgresearch]

A Christian gamers podcast group calling themselves "Save the Game"
recently interviewed a representative of The Bodhana Group regarding
using role-playing games for therapeutic treatment of sexually abused
children and adolescents, as well as the abusers...

http://rpgresearch.com/blog/using-rpg-treat-sexual-abuse-victims

This group of self-proclaimed Christian role-playing gamers have an ongoing podcast called "Save the Game". In the latest release, they recently interviewed a representative of The Bodhana Group regarding using role-playing games for therapeutic treatment of sexually abused children and adolescents, as well as the abusers.

The Bodhana Group: http://www.thebodhanagroup.org

And their annual event "Save Against Fear":
https://sites.google.com/site/thebodhanagroup/events/save-against-fear

Here is the podcast interviewing Jack Berkenstock of the Bodhana group:
http://savingthegame.podbean.com/20...herapeutic-roleplaying-with-jack-berkenstock/

RPG Research is mentioned in passing at the 59:30 mark. Sarah Lynn Bowman's book is mentioned around the 1:00:00 mark as well.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

This sounds interesting. I'm curious if any of these gamers are trained therapists. Unfortunately I can't listen to the pod cast. Do you have a transcript of the podcast?

 

[rpgresearch]

Do you have a transcript of the podcast?

I've sent a message asking. Its generally a LOT of work to make a transcript (I've done so a few times for my own podcasts/vidcasts). However, letting them know that there are people needing it, should help encourage them to consider it. I will post an update if it becomes available.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

Cool.

 

[rpgresearch]

As per Bodhana_Jack's additional comments on this topic (on rpg.net):

"Just to clarify for the discussion, this is an approach that we are advocating and developing. It is not a full fledged method at this point, and our goal is to seek groups to help run trials and gain more research to help develop it into a treatment adjunct and a therapeutic approach. I wanted to clarify so that people were not under a misunderstanding. I do not want to misrepresent even by accident where we are in our process. The experience i referred to were groups we ran in a youth facility that yielded positive benefit in the form of social skills, some emotional management, problem solving skills, and esteem.

And we are not just limiting the use of role playing games to persons who have been abused or even just people who have abused others. This focal group is where the approach started initially due to that being our focus group. The applications of therapeutic role playing are very far reaching and we want to help take the research and the therapy and try to make it functional and operational. A tool that people can use for lay and professional, gamer and noobs. "

To add, we are not stating that this would be a therapeutic approach to act as a stand alone modality given the individual and their circumstance. We see it as an engaging activity that is above all fun to do and will yield additional benefits to the participant. Part of our view is to impart therapeutic merit while not removing fun or having the therapy be intrusive or overwhelming. And I agree inexperienced persons should not tamper with trauma. I have worked over eleven years with both victims of abuse and abusers as well. "