Does your teen often feel misunderstood or isolated due to their social and communication challenges?
Is your neurodiverse adolescent struggling with their confidence & connection with others?
Does your high schooler find it challenging to express their feelings or decipher social cues?
Does your adolescent quickly become angry or irritated during social situations or game play?
Tabletop Gaming Social Skills Group for High School Teens
Discover an engaging, fun, and supportive environment to help your high schooler develop crucial social skills. Our research supported program uses tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons as a tool for growth and learning. Here's what your teen will gain:
Improved confidence and self-esteem
Better interpretation of nonverbal communication
Strategies for managing social anxiety and big emotions
Improved cognitive flexibility
Practice appropriately sharing needs and feelings
Enhanced perspective-taking skills and empathy
Improved attention, planning, and organization
The game serves as a catalyst for building community, connection, self-confidence, problem-solving, self-advocacy, teamwork, conflict resolution, and tolerance.
New to Dungeons and Dragons? No problem! They group is designed to help your teen feel comfortable.
*This Group is not a good fit for individuals who need a lot of 1-on-1 support or frequently struggle in group settings with dysregulated behavior disruptive to others.
When: Saturdays starting Jan 4
Time: 10am-12pm.
*Space is limited and the group will fill several weeks prior to the start date
Cost: $120 per session. Sliding scale slots available upon request. Please aim to attend all sessions. As an out-of-network practice, you will pay the fee at the time of service and can then submit the provided invoice to your insurance company for reimbursement. Group therapy (CPT code: 90853) does qualify for patient reimbursement under many insurance plans. A down payment for the first and last session will be required when registering. Up to one session may be refunded if a child is unable to attend that session.
Teachers:
Travers Gralley, M.S. Travers Gralley, M.S. has worked with neurodivergent individuals for the past 12 years. He has earned master’s degrees in both Clinical Professional Counseling and Clinical Psychology from Loyola University Maryland. where he is currently working towards his doctoral degree. His dissertation is contributing to our understanding of how to utilize games to enhance the social skills of neurodiverse individuals. Travers has served clients in a variety of clinical settings, including Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital, GIFTS Mental Health Clinic, Playful Therapy Connections, and the Loyola Clinical Centers.
Brad Piergrossi, Ph.D. Dr. Piergrossi is a licensed psychologist and owns a private practice in Towson. He regularly consults with educational institutions that cater to neurodivergent students, focusing on comprehensively addressing the unique needs of both the students and their families. He is a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS) with over 25 years of experience.
FAQ's
My child/teen is against the idea of group therapy. What should I do?
The subtle approach of DND therapy often appeals to those hesitant about traditional group therapy. The emphasis on gameplay and organic relationship-building can make the therapeutic aspect less overt and more enjoyable.
How is this therapeutic?
We approach therapy through an unconventional but highly effective method—Dungeons and Dragons (DND). Our DND groups foster community and connection, which in turn bolster self-confidence, problem-solving abilities, self-advocacy, teamwork, conflict resolution, and tolerance among participants.
Travers subtly embeds scenarios into the gameplay that aid each participant in developing skills they've expressed an interest in working on. He pauses game play to practice social skills and takes time at the end to process the social interactions of the group to enhance learning. Through this innovative approach, therapy feels less like a structured session and more like an organic development of skills and relationships.
Join our Dungeons and Dragons Therapy Group and watch your teen evolve in a fun, supportive, and dynamic environment.
