Therapeutic Gaming
Serving Vermont & Surrounding Areas
Small Group Therapeutic Gaming
Blending Play And Evidence-Based Counseling
Therapeutic Gaming blends structured play with evidence-based counseling to help participants build social, emotional, and problem-solving skills in a supportive group setting. Guided by a trained clinician, people of all ages come together to explore communication, emotional reactions, and interpersonal patterns in real time through fun, cooperative games—not just talk. This makes change feel more natural and memorable, and it can help ease the pressure that traditional talk therapy sometimes brings.
We form groups with care, matching participants by age, developmental needs, and goals so everyone feels safe and challenged in just the right way. Sessions begin with a group check-in, include games selected for skill areas like empathy, teamwork, and frustration tolerance, and end with a gentle debrief connecting in-game experiences to real-world life. Over time, this cycle of play → reflection → support helps solidify new skills and build confidence for everyday situations.
Who Benefits from Therapeutic Gaming
- Adults and young adults who find social situations tough
- Folks with social anxiety or communication challenges
- Neurodivergent participants who thrive with structured, predictable interaction
- Anyone who learns best by doing, not just talking
If you’ve ever wished connection felt easier, or found groups intimidating, therapeutic gaming can offer a bridge to new skills and friendships. As such we are in the works of partnering with Vermont Gaming Academy (Link to Vermont Gaming Academy) in South Burlington, the go-to Vermont hub for board games, trading card games, video games, and in-person events that bring people together around shared play.
Talk with a Professional Who Cares
Start your journey today! Fill out the form below to get started.
Why Choose Other Shore Counseling LLC
Clinical Expertise In A Playful, Group-Based Format
Other Shore Counseling LLC offers small group therapeutic gaming in Vermont with a strong focus on blending clinical knowledge and engaging, age-appropriate activities. Clinicians are trained in group dynamics, game-based interventions, and evidence-based modalities, ensuring that each session is more than casual play. Careful screening and intake processes help match participants to the right group, promoting psychological safety, compatibility, and shared goals within each cohort.
Families and participants in Vermont appreciate that therapeutic gaming provides a space where learning social and emotional skills does not feel like a chore. The groups are designed to be welcoming, inclusive, and affirming of diverse identities and neurotypes, allowing individuals to show up as themselves while they experiment with new ways of relating to others. Regular communication with caregivers, when appropriate, helps bridge the gap between in-session experiences and home or school life, supporting consistent progress over time.
By offering structured small group therapeutic gaming in Vermont, Other Shore Counseling LLC provides an innovative option for those who have not fully connected with traditional therapy or who want to supplement individual counseling. The program emphasizes practical skill development, real-time feedback, and the healing power of shared play. Participants gain tools for managing emotions, building friendships, and navigating complex social environments, all within a supportive and thoughtfully facilitated group setting.
Locally Owned
This is a human-centered, inclusive, solo clinician practice dedicated to fostering personal wellness and community connection. The office is located in Unit 2157 of 145 Pine Haven Shores Road in an ADA and accommodating and well-behaved dog friendly building off of Route 7/Shelburne Road. Ample free parking. Telehealth options available.
Clinical Counselor
Jacob Cribbs (he/him/his) carries a decade of adjacent human services work experience into clinical practice. He holds a love for small businesses and entrepreneurs, world culture, travel, the outdoors, literature, somatics, spirituality and the arts. He specializes in supporting men and men-aligned individuals, blue-collar and service personnel, couples, young adults, persons seeking to heal from spiritual or religious trauma, or those looking to integrate esoteric experiences. He focuses on self-attunement, anxiety relief, depression support, and relational trauma and currently finishing a social-justice focused Master’s Degree from Antioch University of New England and is rostered with Vermont State as a pre-licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor under the guidance and supervision of Open Gate Mental Health Counseling.
Reliable Approaches & Reliable Results
The approach here is direct, compassionate, and effective. No one person is alike so clinical support is tailored caringly and accordingly. Current frameworks include Mindfulness-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Brief Solution-Focused Therapy, and Existential Therapy frameworks. Other current specialties include Gottman Couples Therapy (Certified Level 1), Therapeutic Gaming –including Therapeutic DnD in partnership with Vermont Gaming Academy, and Creative Writing Group Therapy. Future therapeutic frameworks are underway to be added to the list, so check back or reach out. If Other Shore isn’t right for you we can help refer you towards the right fit.
Services @ Other Shore
