Adventure, bravery, and camaraderie unite a group of eight participants. Together, they guide heroes through dangerous quests, battle formidable enemies, rescue endangered dragons—and sometimes even each other.

Mitchell, a 31-year-old participant with autism at Employment, Media, and Community Connections (EMCC) Whittier, has been attending Hope Services since 2017. In 2018, he secured a position at The Home Depot, hired directly by the store. While Mitchell is extremely independent and a dedicated hard worker, he initially struggled to connect socially with others.

Clyde, a Program Coordinator, noticed early on that Mitchell tended to keep to himself and began looking for meaningful ways to better engage with him. Knowing Mitchell’s love for video games and movies, Clyde proposed to play Dungeons & Dragons (D&D)—a tabletop role-playing game that encourages creativity, storytelling, strategy, and collaboration.

Through D&D, Mitchell connected with other participants who shared similar interests. More than just a game, D&D reflects the principles of person-centered thinking and aligns closely with Hope’s mission to enhance the quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities. “He has bloomed and has fun not just working, but doing something he truly enjoys,” Clyde says.

Through facilitated Dungeons & Dragons sessions, Mitchell surprised both himself and others with his imagination and theatrical abilities. The game helped him expand his social circle and build confidence through shared storytelling and teamwork.

Clyde serves as the Dungeon Master—the primary storyteller who guides players through their adventures. Their current campaign began in Greenest, a town attacked by a blue dragon and the Cult of the Dragon. Each participant creates their own character, choosing a species and class while tracking strengths and weaknesses. Mitchell plays Luminous, a tiefling. The rest of the party includes Cristian, a half-elf cleric; Jan, a human barbarian; Victor, the grand Zaran; Bret, a dwarf; Jesse, an Amazonian ranger; Matt, who plays Doctor Strange; Hayley, a pink dragon; Abdiel plays a Harper; and Alex, a fairy who lives in a swamp.

Cristian shares that both his job at The Home Depot and playing Dungeons & Dragons have helped him grow. “I always put in my best effort. I struggle with anxiety, and through these activities, I’ve learned to be more open to talking to people and to be a better communicator,” he says.

Research supports the mental health benefits of D&D. Orla Walsh, PhD researcher at University College Cork’s School of Applied Psychology, explains: “Our research found that players discussed the benefits of escapism that accompanied playing D&D, and the positive impact this had on their mental health. Players reported feeling a strong sense of control in-game during times when they felt they did not have control outside of the game. While many hobbies allow for creative expression, D&D uniquely enables players to collaboratively build and inhabit worlds of their own creation.”

Through Dungeons & Dragons, participants develop social skills, creativity, focus, teamwork, and empathy as their characters support one another through challenges. “Mr. Ham, a Robin Hood–like thief who steals to help his friends, gave some of his own gold to save my character from dying,” Cristian shared.

With every roll of the dice (and yes, they have their own dice collections!) and each shared story, these participants are doing more than playing a game—they’re becoming heroes in their own stories.