Podcast 24: Using Video Games for Therapy

Games are good for more than just simple fun. Some psychologists and therapists are using them to help people as tools to introduce or enhance therapy. What they’ve found is that for a lot of people –especially kids and their families– games are not only inherently interesting and useful as an incentive to participate, but they create social situations that enhance the effectiveness of therapy. More so even than other kinds of games or activities.

In this episode I talk to the practitioners at Electronic Gaming Therapy, who are using video games as part of psychotherapy for kids and families. They explain why games are so uniquely useful in their line of work and share some success stories that should make you feel a little better about the world and the role that video games can play in it.

This episode’s guests left to right: Dr. Brian Moyer, Liz Messer, and Dr. Drew Messer

Audio Credits:

  • “Robot Motivation” by The Polish Ambassador, licensed under Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0
  • Chill Wave Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

3 thoughts on “Podcast 24: Using Video Games for Therapy

  1. This made me think of the paradoxical contradictions of the “empathy APPS” and digital psychotherapy that Sherry Turkle discusses.
    She looks at Electronic empathy proxies , as an attempt to engage. ?Hair of the dog?
    This may be useful to engage, and your guests appear to be using it in a broad multiple dimensional approach.
    The capacity to provide metrics for a road range of changes is fascinating.
    Are the video games HIPPA secure?
    Should they be, as marketing is their focus not ethical “ecologically sound (nonmanipulative)” interaction?

    The social aspects of gaming outside of the direct play are challenged by the need for active moderation, highlighted in the groups challenged by the need for help in this domain.
    Something often in short supply.

  2. Hello, wondering if there is any chance of a transcript please? I’m deaf so can’t listen to the podcast and the topic is of huge interest to me. Thanks!

    • Sorry, no transcript available. I’ve looked into cost effective ways to create podcast transcripts but haven’t been able to find anything.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.