OFM S1 E10: (Dungeon) Mastering the Mind w/ Hawke Robinson, Recreational Therapist

Hawke is the founder and president of RPG Therapeutics LLC, and is registered with the Washington State Department of Health as a Recreational Therapist. He’s currently working toward being a nationally certified therapeutic recreation specialist. RPG Therapeutics LLC provides research, education, and therapeutic services, utilizing music and role-playing games in all formats including tabletop, live-action, solo, and computer-based. Involved with RPGs since 1979, the founder of RPG Therapeutics LLC first began developing and using role-playing games (RPGs) in educational settings in 1985, and has been developing programs using RPGs to achieve therapeutic goals for clients since 2004. During our conversation, Hawke and I spoke about how RPGs can be used for therapy, and who, based on his research, is most likely to find growth through gaming. We also spoke about suicide, depression, bi-polar disorder, and how stigma isn't just exclusive to mental illness. Instead, stigma exists around anything that people don't understand or are afraid of... like Dungeons and Dragons.