Communities

The primary discussion group for transformative larp on Facebook is Larping for Transformation, moderated by Kjell Hedgard Hugaas and Sarah Lynne Bowman. They are also among the main researchers for the Transformative Play Initiative at Uppsala University.

Jane McGonigal’s Games for Change may also be of interest, but is not about larp in particular.

Other Organizations We Admire

The Bodhana Group advocates the use of tabletop games as a form of adjunct therapy, specifically in the area of play therapy. Board, card, dice, and role playing games all inherently provide the opportunity to build skills such as reading, writing, arithmetic, socialization, manual dexterity, deductive reasoning, etc. The list goes on. Role playing and storytelling games provide a nurturing and safe environment where people can work through trauma, anxiety, and other emotional issues.

Game to Grow was founded in 2017 on the belief that games of all kinds have the power to improve people’s lives. Game to Grow’s weekly therapeutic social skills groups help young people become more confident, creative, and socially capable using tabletop games, most notably Dungeons and Dragons. Game to Grow also works to spread the intentional application of games by traveling to speak at public conventions and academic conferences. The founders provide training and consultation services so that other therapists, educators, and community organizers can use the beneficial power of intentional gaming in their own communities, around the country and around the world.