Who I Am?

I’m Steven Ward, a licensed therapist with over a decade of clinical experience and over thirty years of tabletop roleplaying under my belt. I’ve practiced with CBT, DBT, Reality Therapy, and PE for PTSD. I’m also trained in the full Game to Grow method of using TTRPGs in therapy. And, for what it’s worth, I’ve also been in and out of therapy myself since adolescence.

What is D&Me?

D&Me is a metaphor-based, strengths-oriented therapeutic framework modeled after the logic of a tabletop roleplaying game.

D&Me helps clients:

• Clarify strengths and growth areas

• Understand inner conflict in terms of competing “builds”

• Reframe painful behaviors as "debuffs" or misapplied skill points

• Create identities and goals that feel empowering

It's playful, but it's not silly. It's structured, but it's flexible. And it invites both therapist and client to work as co-creators in the process of healing.

Who D&Me Is For

While I believe this model can work for nearly anyone who appreciates metaphor, story, or the value of imaginative play, it has a few especially fitting audiences:

🧠 Neurodivergent Clients (ADHD, Autism)

🎲 Teens and Young Adults

⚔️ Gifted & Burned Out Adults

💡 Clients Struggling with Self-Concept or Motivation

🤝 Group Settings

The character arc system is for anyone of the proper spirit who is interested in proioritizing their healing without getting bogged down in jargon, technichality, or burried in clinical-speak.