Dan Kelley, LCSW
If you could play video games for a living and help people, would you do it?
In this episode of the inSocialWork Podcast, host Peter Sobota interviews Dan Kelley, LCSW, who has integrated video games and virtual reality into therapy. Kelley, a social worker and founder of GameWave Mental Health, shares his journey into this innovative therapeutic approach, explaining how gamification and virtual reality (VR) can help clients build skills, address trauma and foster emotional resilience.
Highlighting real-world cases, Kelley illustrates how gaming can enhance rapport and therapeutic outcomes in some cases, particularly with young clients. The episode provides valuable insights into harnessing technology to improve mental health treatment.
Dan Kelley, LCSW, began integrating video games into therapy in 2011 during his undergraduate studies at the University at Buffalo. After earning his MSW from the UB School of Social Work in 2017, he worked in residential treatment facilities, helping teens and families by incorporating video games and VR into trauma-informed care. Now as the founder of GameWave Mental Health in Utah, Dan uses games and VR in outpatient therapy, focusing on strengths-based approaches like CBT and EMDR. He also educates clinicians on the benefits of these tools in therapy, aiming to increase access to engaging therapeutic interventions.
Show Notes
Cite this podcast – Sobota, P. (Host). (2024, October 22). Therapy – Actually, it Might be Fun and Games (No. 330)[Audio podcast episode]. In inSocialWork. University at Buffalo School of Social Work.
