James Higgins

After completing my thesis and internship I hope to work in group and individual settings while working on my PhD, but in particular my interests are in the use of Therapeutically Applied Table Top Role Playing Games (TARPG/TATTRPG) in the therapeutic setting to help clients that are resistant to treatment, suffer from anxiety and depression, communication disorders, or are just lonely! The joy of working together to solve problems big and small, real or imagined, can bring people together and give something that many of us are lacking in this disconnected world: Community.

My particular research interest is investigating the efficacy and effectiveness of TARPG/TATTRPG approaches to different presenting concerns in the population. There has been a growing body of research in this field, and as an experienced Game Master/ Dungeon Master in both Pathfinder and Dungeons & Dragons, I am extremely excited to contribute to the growing body of knowledge. As a teacher I find myself quite comfortable in group settings and in managing group dynamics and so I am eagerly anticipating the day when I graduate from my masters, get into a PhD program and start some serious research into this new and exciting area of counseling.

One of my top hobbies is definitely TTRPG (Table Top Role Playing Games). I have been playing for over 15 years and DMing/GMing for more than 10 now. In fact, I love TTRPG so much that it's going to be an ongoing focus of my work and research as there is a growing body of knowledge relating to TARPG (Therapeutically Applied Role Playing Games) It's like a perfect combination of my favorite hobby and my professional passion, helping people through the use of Table Top Role Playing Games. I can' wait to get started on my own research!