Gaming For Growth was created with three purposes in mind: building relationships, levelling up, and having fun.
The Groups
- Each session has a purpose (e.g., gaming and family, healthy gaming, regulating emotions).
- Group therapy and discussion are facilitated by a therapist.
- Relationships are built, ideas expanded, and skills developed.
- Games are either played at the end of our group therapy or integrated, depending on the topic of the day (e.g., cooperation, boundary setting).
At the end of the 8 weeks, participants would have developed connections, improved social skills, felt a sense of belonging and emotional relief, and had fun gaming with each other.
Gaming For Growth offers an opportunity to level up your mental health, make friends, and play games along the way. Join us as we develop skills, build confidence, have fun and much more!
Meet Daniel Harrison, the director of Gaming For Growth and a psychotherapist who facilitates the groups.
Daniel is an experienced psychotherapist with over two decades of experience working in mental health. With a background in both psychotherapy and a lifelong love of video games, Daniel created Gaming For Growth to combine therapeutic insight with the connective power of play. His groups are designed to support young people in building emotional awareness, confidence and community – while having a lot of fun along the way.
Growing up, Daniel developed a passion for all things gaming. For the most part, gaming was a joyful and meaningful escape, offering a sense of adventure and mastery. However, it also became a way to avoid difficult emotions and disconnect from the world around him. As he grew older, and later as a therapist, Daniel came to understand how gaming could be both a refuge and a barrier. That insight helped shape his belief that games, when used with intention, can be powerful tools for emotional connection, personal growth and mental wellbeing.
Daniel loves spending time with his wife and kids and still games with his family (and keeps his competitive streak alive!). He believes in the power of community and making therapy more accessible – especially for young people.
Daniel holds MHSc Psychotherapy, Grad Dip Psychotherapy, and BHsc Applied Mental Health qualifications. He is a registered member of the Psychotherapist Board of Aotearoa NZ (PBANZ) and Aotearoa Psychotherapy Association of NZ (APANZ).
