The Gamer's Journey

For those on the Gamer's Journey, there is a deep connection between our favorite games that transforms the meaning of "fun," starting from our first moments of play in these worlds of challenge, skill, and reward. Video games allow us to mentally consider some of the most complicated situations we could ever imagine in a way that encourages us to tap into our strengths, using our problem-solving abilities to become the fulcrum between success and failure in each epic confrontation. We sit in our gaming spaces with the utmost dedication, waiting for each day to sweep us up and carry us toward some form of earned victory. Just as the mythologies of old have gifted humankind with powerful imagery for centuries, video games have more recently provided a magnificent next step forward in the evolution of understanding our traits as people. Through this, we see new versions of ourselves in the grandest display of visual storytelling, where we interact through skill and choice. We create opportunities to develop insight across our lifespan each time we play a game and take it to heart.   Dr. Daniel Kaufmann is an Associate Professor at Grand Canyon University and has served in multiple roles related to program development for treating gambling and video game issues in clinical settings. He is currently serving as the co-chair of the APA research task force on video game issues and is working on several nationwide training programs to help mental health professionals understand video games in innovative ways. His research on the psychology of player types has been presented internationally and continues to evolve with each new world players can inhabit across PCs and consoles. Dr. Kaufmann's publications cover the areas of video games, personality theory, online education, and counselor development. He offers supervision to an international list of clinicians to help bridge the gap in learning about technological impact on society and specific insights related to effective treatment for clients experiencing games-related issues. To further his mission of educating counseling professionals to better support clients who are interested in games-related issues, Dr. Kaufmann is also the current Board President for the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board, which establishes training and expertise standards for counseling and prevention professionals to assist clients who enjoy or struggle with gambling and video game activities. Despite many professionals having a negative view of video games, Dr. Kaufmann is a fearless advocate for the positive elements of video games, and credits them with many of the thought processes that have proved critical in helping him overcome professional and personal journeys in life. As a result, Dr. Kaufmann became more involved in the Geek Therapeutics community in 2020 as a presenter for trainings, content writer, and author of the upcoming book entitled The Gamer's Journey. Dr. Kaufmann is the host of The Gaming Persona podcast, a show which seeks to share various insights related to psychological connections in the play of video games. He also streams regularly on Twitch as Dr. Gameology® and is on a never-ending quest to discuss mental health and video games to encourage audiences of all types to be their very best as they continue the journey.