by Dave Kot, MS Introduction I’ve spent much of my professional life thinking about grief. Like a parasite, it drains strength from people who still need to function and make life decisions. Over the last several years, I’ve become increasingly convinced that tabletop roleplaying games offer a uniquely accessible way to explore grief without forcing …
Category: Autism Spectrum Disorders
Structured Mythic Play as Community Practice
A Practice-Based Framework for Therapeutically Applied Roleplaying Games Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing (TARP) games function as structured social environments, where participants engage through known rules, a shared narrative, and collective problem-solving. My work does not claim to replace psychotherapy or clinical mental health care. Instead, TARP exists as a community-based practice that supports social participation with …
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Session Zero: Building Safety, Skill, and Connection Through Therapeutic Roleplaying
by Dave Kot, MS Role-playing games have long supported imagination, cooperation, and problem-solving in group settings. When designed with intention, these games can also support social-emotional learning, communication, and community connection for autistic and neurodivergent players. Emerging research suggests that structured roleplaying games can enhance social functioning and communication in neurodiverse individuals, though the field …
Veiling Details: Surprising Players and Nurturing Imagination at the Table
Something magical unfolds in tabletop roleplaying games when shared imagination takes flight. We witness it in an eager posture of players who lean forward, anticipating what lies around the next dungeon corner. You sense it in the hush that descends when a silhouetted figure drifts across a torchlit hallway, or when an oaken door groans …
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Dear Santa,
by Dave Kot, MS I hope the North Pole still hums with that steady mix of joy and hard work. How have you and Mrs. Claus been doing since her hip surgery? Have the reindeer nudged you toward stronger coffee on these long nights? This year, I would like to ask for something that does …
Equipping the Emergent Game Master: A Year of Storytelling Made Simple
by Dave Kot, MS After forty years of tabletop roleplaying, I’ve owned more rulebooks than I could ever count, and I’ve misplaced about half of them. I’ve played in worlds long out of print, built systems that barely made sense outside my own table, and reused more binders and notebooks than I care to admit. …
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Enjoy this post from AFV’s past.
How do you think it has aged? I bet even Wil Wheaton would be surprised... https://autismatfacevalue.org/2016/12/05/solo-game-play-skills/?page_id=1069
How Therapeutically-Applied Role-Playing Led to a Recurring One-Shot Adventure
by founder Dave Kot, MS Facilitating tabletop role-playing games with a therapeutic focus creates consistent opportunities to build social connections and develop emotional resilience. Years of professional experience supporting neurodiverse groups demonstrate how guided storytelling actively develops expressive empathy and self-advocacy. This realization leads to a new, replicable model: recurring brief educational adventures that transfer …
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Monday Motivation!
Please enjoy this post from AFV's past with a relevant message. To be better #autism advocates, let’s 1st remember to be our best selves. This is good to remember as we veer into the holidays. https://autismatfacevalue.org/2017/01/24/autism-self-advocacy-best-advocacy/?page_id=1160
Building Fellowship Through Fantasy: Tabletop Role-Playing Supports Mental Health
By Dave Kot, MS When people gather to share stories, something powerful happens. Psychologist Irvin Yalom, a leader in group therapy, believed that human connection grows strongest in groups that share experiences, challenges, and hope. Members learn new social skills not by lecture, but by living them in a shared space. That same principle works …
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Autism at Face Value 