A new initiative from Atrium Clinic using the power of video games to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people.
Coming soon — Video Gaming Therapies Pocket Book: A Guide for Practitioners Working with Young People by Dr Sara Ireland and Monique Beckett, Routledge 2026. In the meantime, download our Protocol in a Nutshell (Free Resources).
Our approach is informed by research and evidence-based practices, refined over decades to ensure effective outcomes in therapy. Each step follows a structured methodology to support engagement, learning, and measurable improvement.
A concise overview of the process, based on established methods in therapy and research.
Atrium Clinic has collaborated with Anglia Ruskin University to review clinical outcomes from gaming-integrated therapies. Research with over 60 young people showed more than 90% improvement on recognised mental health metrics, allowing us to refine our protocols and create a practice guide for professional use.
Get in TouchHere’s a snapshot of key statistics highlighting the impact and outcomes of our gaming and VR therapy training.
Mindstack is a modern take on the classic block-stacking puzzle game, designed to challenge your focus, strategy, and quick thinking. Arrange falling pieces to complete horizontal lines, which then clear from the board. The more lines you clear, the higher your score! This engaging puzzle not only entertains but also helps develop attention, planning, and problem-solving skills in a fun, interactive way.
to move a piece
to rotate a pieceTetris-type games support emotions and relationships by competing with intrusive images of arguments or rejection via the brain’s visuospatial system. Holmes et al. (2009) showed 10–20 min of Tetris post-trauma reduces flashbacks without erasing memories. Use as a timed “pause”: after relational stress, play briefly together or solo to lower arousal, then discuss feelings, needs, and repair steps collaboratively.
Those professionals who support families and parents directly can also access Atrium’s support to guide parents and families in making Gaming work for them and to strengthen bonds. One Cambridge charity described Atrium’s gaming therapeutic module for parent support as ‘The most inspiring training we have done recently. We feel more able to help parents navigate Gaming for family fun and strengthening connection’
Are you a Gaming company? Would you like to get the Atrium Endorsement for your game to show how it can be supportive to young people’s wellbeing? Contact us for more information.
For schools/parents/institutions Do you need advice on what games can be good for your young person’s emotional wellbeing? Contact Atrium for specialist advice and support. Contact form.
Dr Sara Ireland and Monique Beckett lead Atrium’s innovative work in gaming and VR therapies, combining clinical expertise with creative approaches to support mental health and wellbeing.
Dr. Sara Ireland is a chartered psychologist and a psychotherapist, a group facilitator and certificated trainer with additional post graduate clinical mental health training. She has been involved in the Forensic Sector since 1986 through charities and through Atrium Clinic which provides therapeutic services across London prisons.
Atrium is also a subcontractor of therapy services to the NHS and an accredited therapeutic training placement provider, a clinical neurodivergence service provider and Sara and colleagues are trained in family intervention and parenting support.
She has worked as a specialist clinician in social care, with youth offending, disabilities teams, schools and families and led multi- agency community projects and clinical teams; nominated for national awards for her work in diversity and inclusion and more recently for her contribution to our understanding of self-harm in families, and her research work on optimising therapy outcomes for vulnerable groups through new therapies.
She also leads the Atrium Clinic Clinical supervision training programme, contributes to the accredited training programmes and mentors underrepresented groups who want to enter psychological professions. She is co-author of multiple academic journal papers and journals with the most recent being in the field of gaming therapies.
Qualifications:
BA Hons Psychol, Dip level Counselling, MSc Psych, DPsych, Dip CBT, Post Grad Certificate Systemic Practice, EMDR, PG Advanced Dip Mental Health, Registered Clinical Supervisor, ADHD Clinical Assessor and Service Provider. MBACP Accred, BPS, HCPC, Committee Member of EOE Psychological Professions Group.
Additional materials and information for practitioners and school staff.
A clear guide for teachers and school staff on understanding gaming in young people's lives and how it connects to therapeutic work.
DownloadPractical joining instructions for Gaming Therapies training sessions and programmes.
DownloadA curated reference list of key research and literature on gaming mediated therapies for practitioners.
DownloadLooking for our branded free guides? Visit our Free Resources page.
Monique Beckett is a psychotherapist specialising in the innovative use of gaming and virtual reality to enhance mental health and personal development. Below are some of her videos.
In this film we introduce the Bridging the ChASM project and our focus on creating accessible counselling services utilising the popular video game Minecraft.
In this film, as part of the Bridging the ChASM project we highlight how Minecraft can be used as a therapeutic tool.
Game therapy provides an accessible and engaging way to support mental health, particularly for children and young people. From mindfulness and meditation experiences in VR to cognitive training apps, creative sandboxes, and cooperative problem-solving games, each tool offers unique therapeutic benefits. These games can help reduce anxiety, boost focus, improve emotional regulation, and support social connection in a fun and age-appropriate way.
We Encourage the Following Mindful Games:
A new initiative from Atrium Clinic using the power of video games to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people.
Lumosity is a brain-training game designed to improve memory, attention, flexibility, and problem-solving skills through fun, interactive challenges.
Zoombinis is a puzzle-solving adventure game that builds logical thinking, pattern recognition, and problem-solving skills through fun challenges.
Portal 2 is a first-person puzzle-platform game where players solve physics-based challenges using a portal gun to navigate and progress through an engaging story.
Minecraft is a sandbox game where players explore, build, and survive in blocky, procedurally generated worlds, fostering creativity and adventure.
Among Us is a social deduction game where players work together to complete tasks on a spaceship while secretly trying to identify the impostors before they sabotage or eliminate the crew.
Portal 2 co-op is a collaborative puzzle game mode where two players use portal guns to solve complex, physics-based challenges that require teamwork and communication.
Lumi Nova is a therapeutic mobile game that helps children and young people manage anxiety through interactive, adventure-based challenges designed with cognitive behavioural therapy techniques.
Calm Place VR is a virtual reality experience that guides users through relaxing, immersive environments to reduce stress and promote mindfulness.
Tripp and Tripp Junior are immersive VR experiences designed to support mental wellness through guided meditation and calming, interactive visuals tailored for different age groups.
Civilization VI is a turn-based strategy game where players build and expand an empire through diplomacy, technology, culture, and warfare to achieve global dominance.
Sandbox is an open-ended game platform that allows players to create, explore, and customize virtual worlds with endless creative freedom.
Art is a creative game that encourages self-expression through digital painting, drawing, and interactive visual storytelling.
Tilt is a physics-based puzzle game where players manipulate tilting platforms to guide objects to their goals.
Brush VR is a virtual reality painting app that lets users create immersive 3D artwork in a digital space.
Mindlight is a game designed to help children manage anxiety through neurofeedback and engaging gameplay.
SPARX and SPARX Junior are therapeutic games that teach young people cognitive behavioural techniques to manage depression and improve mental wellbeing.
Nature Treks is a calming virtual reality experience that lets users explore beautiful natural environments to reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Tripp is a virtual reality app that uses immersive meditation and mindfulness exercises to improve mental well-being and reduce anxiety.
Oxford VR Social Engagement is a virtual reality program designed to help users build social skills and confidence through guided, interactive simulations.
Limbix is a digital therapeutics platform offering virtual reality experiences to support mental health treatment and emotional wellbeing.
Play Manse is an interactive game designed to promote mindfulness and emotional regulation through engaging, therapeutic activities.
Guided Meditation offers calming, voice-led sessions to help reduce stress and improve mental clarity.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a cooperative bomb-defusal game where players communicate under pressure to solve puzzles and prevent explosions.
Think Ninja is an interactive game designed to teach mental health skills and emotional resilience to young people through engaging storytelling and challenges.
Atrium Clinic and Wellbeing Centre is a nationwide mental health and wellbeing service employing clinical wellbeing specialists for ‘real human connection’ alongside our digital information and product delivery.
