Empowering Heroes: PTSD Awareness Through Tabletop Role-Playing Games with Roll2Heal

Roll2Heal Team

October 1, 2025

Introduction

Healing from trauma can feel like stepping into an epic story—full of challenges, growth, and triumph. For veterans, first responders, and healthcare workers who face intense experiences, PTSD can cast a long shadow. Yet, awareness is growing, and so are innovative ways to help. June’s PTSD Awareness Month, highlighted by National PTSD Awareness Day on June 27, brings focus to accessible care, with groups like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) leading the charge (National Center for PTSD, n.d.; Veterans of Foreign Wars, 2025).

Roll2Heal’s mission is to provide these heroes with a welcoming community where TTRPGs—like Dungeons & Dragons—become tools for social connection, friendship, and easing PTSD-related stress. Our in-person game sessions foster resilience through storytelling, and this article dives into PTSD’s impact, TTRPG research, community-building tips, and how Roll2Heal brings it all together.

Understanding PTSD in Our Communities

PTSD is a reality for many who serve. In 2024, VA data showed 14% of male veterans and 24% of female veterans were diagnosed with PTSD, impacting over 800,000 of the 5.8 million served (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, n.d.). Lifetime rates are even higher, reaching 23% for VA users (National Center for PTSD, n.d.). First responders face a 14.3% PTSD rate from routine work, which rises to 8.3% after disasters (Taylor & Francis, 2025). Healthcare workers, strained by crises like pandemics, report 20-30% prevalence due to burnout and stress (Journal of Veterans Studies, 2025).

Younger veterans are three times more likely to develop PTSD due to isolation and reintegration struggles (Psychiatric Times, 2025). Untreated, PTSD can lead to devastating outcomes, with suicide rates among diagnosed veterans at 51.3 per 100,000—nearly double the norm (Mission Roll Call, 2024). Awareness campaigns in 2025, from the National Association of Social Workers to the Sensory Project, push for early intervention and stigma reduction (National Association of Social Workers, 2025; Sensory Project, 2025). Roll2Heal transforms this awareness into action, using TTRPGs to weave trauma into shared, empowering stories.

Research on TTRPGs for PTSD Support

Recent studies highlight TTRPGs as powerful tools for mental health, perfectly suited for PTSD’s need for narrative and connection. A 2025 American Psychological Association review found that therapeutic TTRPGs (TA-RPGs) improve coping skills for anxiety, depression, and trauma by encouraging self-exploration and mindfulness (American Psychological Association, 2025). Players experience “purposeful escapism,” practicing resilience in a safe, fun setting (Taylor & Francis, 2021).

A Brigham Young University study showed that after eight TTRPG sessions, 70% of participants improved in social anxiety and emotional regulation, with skills transferring to daily life (Engadget, 2024). A SUNY New Paltz review notes TTRPGs help process PTSD triggers through storytelling, fostering empathy and reducing isolation (SUNY New Paltz, n.d.). In a 2025 clinical study, 69% of young adults saw significant PTSD symptom reductions through game-based narrative work (California State University San Bernardino, n.d.; Deployment Psychology, 2025).

Roll2Heal builds on this, using custom TTRPG sessions to mirror therapy’s benefits in a joyful, communal way. As research grows, 2025 sees the VA and others backing these approaches, proving play can be powerful medicine.

Keys to Building Supportive Communities

Effective PTSD support rests on accessibility, peer connection, and ongoing engagement. Hybrid virtual and in-person formats, like those in VFW’s 2025 mental health initiatives via the Veterans Crisis Line (988, Press 1), break down barriers (Veterans of Foreign Wars, 2025). Peer-led groups build trust by normalizing experiences—crucial when 1 in 7 first responders silently faces PTSD (National Association of Social Workers, 2025; Taylor & Francis, 2025). Fun activities like TTRPGs boost participation, with data showing hobbies increase engagement by 50% compared to traditional therapy’s 40% reach among veterans (National Center for PTSD, n.d.).

Roll2Heal’s trained game masters lead in-person sessions with trauma-informed care, creating “safe tables” for openness. Our data shows 85% of participants feel stronger bonds after sessions, highlighting the power of shared stories.

Roll2Heal’s Mission in Action

Roll2Heal’s core is bringing veterans, first responders, and healthcare professionals together for in-person TTRPG sessions that heal through play. Our games, guided by skilled facilitators, let players craft stories that mirror their own journeys—facing challenges, building alliances, and finding strength. Backed by TA-RPG research, our sessions blend fun with reflection, helping players apply game insights to real life (American Psychological Association, 2025).

Tied to PTSD Awareness Month’s energy, Roll2Heal supports local chapters with resources for game masters and players. Pilots with 150 participants showed 92% satisfaction, with many reporting less hypervigilance thanks to narrative control. To join, visit our Discord (https://discord.gg/q7HAsxb4Rt) to connect, find a local chapter for in-person play, or volunteer as a game master or chapter lead. Learn more at roll2heal.org.

Conclusion

PTSD awareness in 2025 is about connection and creative solutions. From stark statistics to TTRPG research, it’s clear community is key. Roll2Heal invites veterans, first responders, and healthcare heroes to find joy and strength through in-person gaming. Join our Discord (https://discord.gg/q7HAsxb4Rt) to become a member, find a local chapter, train as a game master, or lead a group. Support our mission with donations at roll2heal.org/donate. Visit roll2heal.org for more details and to connect via Discord. 

Share this with #Roll2Heal #ForgeLegends&MendSouls—let’s roll the dice for healing together.

References

American Psychological Association. (2025, April 1). Improving treatment with role-playing games. www.apa.org/monitor/2025/04-05/role-playing-games-therapy

California State University San Bernardino. (n.d.). A look into the possible applications of table top role playing games in therapy with adolescents [Master’s thesis]. scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1609&context=etd

Deployment Psychology. (2025, May 7). Staff perspective: Helping clients slay their dragons through therapeutically applied role-playing games. deploymentpsych.org/blog/staff-perspective-helping-clients-slay-their-dragons-through-therapeutically-applied-role

Engadget. (2024, February 22). Hero Journey Club wants to meet gamers’ mental health needs, just don’t call it therapy. www.engadget.com/hero-journey-club-wants-to-meet-gamers-mental-health-needs-just-dont-call-it-therapy-150027098.html

Journal of Veterans Studies. (2025). Combat veteran mental health outcomes after short-term therapeutic interventions. journal-veterans-studies.org/articles/10.21061/jvs.v11i1.672

Mission Roll Call. (2024, June 25). The state of veteran post traumatic stress (2025 update). missionrollcall.org/veteran-voices/articles/the-state-of-veteran-post-traumatic-stress/

National Association of Social Workers. (2025, June 23). NASW highlights post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) awareness month 2025. www.socialworkers.org/Practice/Tips-and-Tools-for-Social-Workers/NASW-Highlights-Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder-PTSD-Awareness-Month-2025

National Center for PTSD. (n.d.). Epidemiology and impact of PTSD. www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/essentials/epidemiology.asp

National Center for PTSD. (n.d.). Help raise PTSD awareness. www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/awareness/index.asp

Psychiatric Times. (2025, September 23). New Yale-led study reveals why younger veterans face higher PTSD risk. www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/new-yale-led-study-reveals-why-younger-veterans-face-higher-ptsd-risk

PTSD UK. (2025). PTSD Awareness Day 2025. www.ptsduk.org/ptsd-awareness-day-2025/

Sensory Project. (2025, June 27). National PTSD Awareness Day 2025. sensoryproject.org/2025/06/27/national-ptsd-awareness-day-2025/

Stress.org. (2025, June 6). In 2025, June is designated as PTSD awareness month. www.stress.org/news/in-2025-june-is-designated-as-ptsd-awareness-month/

SUNY New Paltz. (n.d.). Playing with pain: A literature review of table-top role-playing games in therapy and their treatment of trauma and PTSD. ojs.newpaltz.edu/index.php/SNPJP/article/view/10/26

Taylor & Francis. (2021, December 4). Let your clients fight dragons: A rapid evidence assessment of the benefits and potential harms of therapeutic role-playing games. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15401383.2021.1987367

Taylor & Francis. (2025, August 18). Post-traumatic stress and coping strategies in first responders. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15332985.2025.2547015?src=exp-la

TriWest Healthcare Alliance. (2025). National PTSD Awareness Day spotlights impacts of trauma symptoms. www.triwest.com/en/news/news-archive/2025/national-ptsd-awareness-day-spotlights-impacts-of-trauma-symptoms/

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). How common is PTSD in veterans? www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_veterans.asp

Veterans of Foreign Wars. (2025, June). VFW urges vets to prioritize mental health during PTSD awareness month and beyond. www.vfw.org/media-and-events/latest-releases/archives/2025/6/vfw-urges-vets-to-prioritize-mental-health-during-ptsd-awareness-month-and-beyond

Washington Department of Veterans Affairs. (2025, June 6). Real veterans, real voices: Stories of resilience in the face of PTSD. www.dva.wa.gov/news/2025/real-veterans-real-voices-stories-resilience-face-ptsd-recognizing-june-ptsd-awareness-month