Allison Battles PhD, PSYPACT

I focus on integrating games, geek culture, and storytelling into therapy for empowered recovery. I offer therapeutically applied role-playing game group therapy which uses Dungeons & Dragons to help those who struggle in relationships with themselves and others. I also offer individual therapy and specialize in assisting those recovering from trauma, including complex PTSD, attachment trauma, and moral injury. All services are tailored to clients’ clinical, cultural, and geek needs. I received my PhD in clinical psychology from the Virginia Consortium in 2020 and completed by predoctoral internship and postdoctoral residency at the Minneapolis VA. I’m certified in Time-Limited Dynamic Psychotherapy, Narrative Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Prolonged Exposure, and Cognitive Processing Therapy. Cultural humility and sensitivity are at the core of my clinical care, and I specialize in working with LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, religiously diverse, and military and Veteran clients.

I believe that people are creative, resourceful, and strive to be their best selves and that stories that that we tell ourselves about who we are and our purpose in this world has a profound impact on how we approach and experience our lives. Games and stories have always captivated me and served as empowering outlets during times of personal struggle. As a Queer, Pagan woman growing up in the South, I often felt misunderstood and unable to be my authentic self. Stories of powerful woman, like Xena: Warrior Princess, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Sailor Moon, helped me to see that my story was in my own hands. The true potential of games came to me later during graduate school and, in many ways, D&D saved me during school. It helped me to explore aspects of myself in new and creative ways and provided a supportive environment to experiment with doing things differently. The story of ourselves is something we get to define and I hope to help you unlock your hero’s journey.