Help Your Teen Build Real Friendships Through Epic Adventure

Does your teen struggle to connect with others? Are they withdrawing, anxious in groups, or spending another weekend alone?

You want to help… but traditional therapy feels like one more thing on their already-full plate.

What if building social skills could feel like Saturday afternoon fun instead of work?

Watching Your Teen Struggle Breaks Your Heart

You see it every day:

  • Another weekend without plans out of the house

  • Another birthday party invitation that doesn't come

  • Another conflict they can't navigate, leading to shutdown or meltdown

  • Another evening watching them retreat to their room, isolated and anxious

What Social Struggles Feel Like

Your teen might be managing:

  • Making and keeping friends

  • Working through disagreements without melting down

  • Expressing themselves in groups

  • Managing big emotions when things don't go their way

  • Thinking flexibly when plans change

Here's what breaks your heart most: You know your teen is amazing. You know they have so much to offer. But somewhere between your home and the world, they're struggling to connect. It's painful to watch.

What's Really at Stake

Without support, these struggles often:

  • Deepen into isolation as teen years progress

  • Create anxiety patterns that follow them into adulthood

  • Rob them of critical developmental years for building friendships

  • Leave them feeling increasingly "different" and alone

  • Impact their confidence in every area of life

Another semester passes. Another year of potential friendship and confidence, gone.

But here's the truth: It doesn't have to be this way.

Every teen deserves a place where they belong, where they can practice being themselves, and where connection comes naturally. Your teen included.

A Simple 3-Step Plan to Help Your Teen Thrive

Step 1: Easy Registration

Call us at 226-400-4330 or click the button below to register. We'll answer your questions, make sure this group is the right fit for your teen, and get them enrolled. No pressure! Just an honest conversation about whether this will help.

Step 2: Show Up Saturdays

Your teen joins us for 9 Saturday sessions (12:00-2:00 PM) starting in January at our welcoming office on Colonel Talbot Road. They'll create a character, embark on quests with peers, and naturally practice communication, teamwork, and emotional regulation, all guided by therapist and our Dungeon Masters.

Step 3: Watch Them Grow

Over 9 weeks, you'll notice changes: More confidence in social situations. Better handling of disappointments. Genuine excitement about connecting with friends. Skills that carry into school, home, and life.

We Know What You're Going Through

For 5 years, we've been the clinic in London, Ontario that families trust when traditional approaches aren't working. We're the ones who actually call you back.

We created this D&D Therapy Group because we kept hearing the same thing from parents like you:

"My teen needs to build social skills, but they shut down in traditional group therapy."
"They're so anxious about 'therapy' that they won't even try."
"I just want them to have friends and feel confident. Why is this so hard?"

We get it. We've been there with countless families.

That helpless feeling when you see your child struggling and you're not sure how to help. That worry that keeps you up at night wondering if they'll be okay. The frustration of trying program after program that just doesn't click.

Here's what we know for certain: Your teen doesn't need another lecture about social skills. They need a place to actually practice them. in a way that feels natural, fun, and safe.

That's exactly why we built this program.

We're not new at this. Over the past 5 years, we've:

✓ Helped 3,000+ families in the London area connect and thrive
✓ Built a reputation as the clinic that actually responds (60% of families who contact us become clients, because we call back and we care)
✓ Created whole-family care with therapists, coaches, and specialized programs
✓ Developed innovative programs like Executive Function Coaching, Therapeutic Coaching, and Autism Services - because we saw gaps and filled them

We don't just offer therapy. We create experiences that work.

Meet the Team Behind This Program

Melissa Scott, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Melissa leads the therapeutic component of this group, ensuring every session targets specific social-emotional skills. She's passionate about helping teens who feel isolated find connection. She knows how to make therapy not feel like therapy.

Scott, Ben, and Tony – Experienced Dungeon Masters
Our DMs create engaging, supportive gaming experiences that naturally bring out the best in every teen. They know when to challenge, when to support, and how to keep the adventure compelling for everyone.

The Full InnerWorks Clinical Team
Behind every program we run is our full team of therapists, coaches, and support staff who are here if your teen needs additional support. You're not just getting a group, you're getting access to an entire practice that cares about your family's success.

Here's What We Promise:

✓ Small groups (max 6 teens) for quality support and attention
✓ Therapeutic structure led by a therapist, but it won't feel clinical
✓ Regular communication with parents about progress
✓ A safe, welcoming space at our Colonel Talbot Road office where teens can be themselves
✓ The InnerWorks difference - responsive, caring, and proven to work

Imagine Three Months From Now...

It's a Saturday morning. Your teen bounds down the stairs. They are actually excited about something social.

At dinner, they're telling you about their character's latest quest. About the friend they made. About how they handled a challenge in the game (and at school).

When conflict comes up, and it will, you notice them handling it differently. More calmly. More confidently. With actual skills instead of shutdown.

They're not just playing a game. They're becoming the person they're meant to be: connected, confident, and capable.

That's what happens when you trust InnerWorks with your teen's growth.

Why D&D Works Where Talk Therapy Sometimes Doesn't

D&D removes the pressure of "being in therapy."

Instead of sitting across from someone talking about their problems, your teen is:

✓ Solving problems as they happen in gameplay
✓ Practicing social skills in real-time with peers
✓ Building confidence through achievement in the story
✓ Making friends naturally through collaboration

It's evidence-based therapy that feels like Saturday afternoon fun.

The Therapeutic Power of D&D

Cognitive Benefits:

  • Enhances problem-solving and critical thinking through strategic gameplay

  • Fosters creativity and imagination

  • Improves memory and executive functioning

Emotional & Mental Health:

  • Builds emotional regulation through role-playing diverse scenarios

  • Provides stress relief and safe outlet for self-expression

  • Boosts self-esteem with each achievement

Social Skills:

  • Strengthens communication through collaborative storytelling

  • Encourages teamwork and healthy conflict resolution

  • Creates opportunities for genuine friendships

Here's What Your Teen Will Gain

Real Friendships

Built through shared adventures and genuine connection with peers who understand them.

Practical Skills They'll Actually Use

  • Communication through collaborative decision-making

  • Teamwork on quests and challenges

  • Conflict resolution when characters (and players) disagree

  • Emotional regulation when the story takes unexpected turns

  • Flexibility and problem-solving in real-time

Not just talked about in therapy. Practiced in action.

Growing Confidence

Every challenge overcome and quest completed builds self-esteem that carries into school, home, and life.

Mental Agility

Strategic thinking, problem-solving, and planning skills sharpen with every game session.

A Safe Space

To explore emotions, try new things, make mistakes, and be themselves without judgment. Check out our comfortable, welcoming office designed for families.

Group Details

Who: Youth aged 12–18
When: Saturdays, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Series: 9 sessions start January, April, Septmeber
Where: InnerWorks Counselling, 4562 Colonel Talbot Road (Upper Level), London, ON
Investment: $810 for the complete 9-session series

This group is especially supportive for teens navigating:

  • Anxiety or social anxiety

  • Depression

  • ASD (Autism Spectrum)

  • General social confidence challenges

  • Difficulty making or keeping friends

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • Absolutely not! Our experienced Dungeon Masters guide everyone through the game. We focus on the therapeutic journey, not gaming expertise. All skill levels welcome.

  • We hear you. This group is specifically designed with anxious teens in mind. The game provides natural structure and conversation starters, so your teen doesn't have to figure out "what to say." Plus, having a registered psychotherapist leading means we know how to help teens ease into participation at their own pace.

  • Great question! While we use D&D gameplay, this is intentionally therapeutic. Melissa - Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) guides sessions to target specific social-emotional skills.

    We include reflection and debriefing to help skills transfer to real life, not just the game table.

  • Life happens, we get it. While consistent attendance helps with both the story continuity and therapeutic progress, we'll work with you if occasional absences are necessary. We can brief your teen on what they missed.

  • This is a therapeutic group program. Many insurance plans cover group therapy sessions, and we can often direct bill. This program is covered by OAP.

Ready to Help Your Teen Level Up?

Space is limited to ensure each participant gets the support they need.

Register Now or call 226-400-4330 to learn more.