Counselling using Minecraft

Image source: Minecraft

Minecraft can be a powerful therapeutic tool – especially when traditional talk therapy doesn’t offer a space that feels accessible or engaging for a child or young person.

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Therapeutic Adventures in Minecraft

We want to thank KEMP Hospice and the young actors for their participation in this film. The images above are all stills from the film and are portrayed by the young actors.

About Counselling using Minecraft

What is Minecraft?

Minecraft is one of the world’s most popular video games, first launched in 2009.
It’s a creative sandbox world where players can mine materials, build structures, explore landscapes, and go on adventures.
You can play solo or with others, interacting with animals, villagers, and occasional creatures like zombies and skeletons.
In Survival Mode, players gather resources to stay safe and nourished, while avoiding threats.
In Creative Mode, there are no limits – you can fly, you can’t be hurt, and you have every building block at your fingertips.

Why Use Minecraft in Counselling?

Minecraft can be a powerful therapeutic tool – especially when traditional talk therapy doesn’t offer a space that feels accessible or engaging for a child or young person.
Like LEGO or a sandtray, Minecraft offers a creative environment where children can explore emotions, relationships, and problem-solving.
It supports therapeutic goals while meeting children in a familiar and comfortable online space – their own home.
As we play together, I get to know how your child responds to challenges, collaborates, solves problems, and expresses themselves. We then work together to build on these strengths.
The skills your child practises in Minecraft – like emotional regulation, confidence, or communication – can be explored and developed in ways that transfer to real life.

What Will It Be Like?

Sessions take place over Zoom, so your child and I can talk while we play Minecraft together.
Each child has their own unique Minecraft world, which they can use however they choose during therapy – building, adventuring, farming, exploring, or just being.
We co-create a space that feels safe, playful, and led by their interests – whether that’s finding hidden caves or building a base filled with meaning.

Arrange a free 20-minute call with Ellie

How I use Minecraft in counselling sessions with children

Are you a professional looking to integrate Minecraft in to your own service?

PlayMode Academy is a non-profit social venture I founded to increase access to therapy and support services through the creative use of digital tools. We equip helping professionals with the confidence, understanding, and practical skills to use platforms like Minecraft and digital sandtrays in meaningful, ethical, and engaging ways.

My work is rooted in lived experience, practitioner expertise, and a strong social mission: to make support more accessible for children and young people who are often excluded from traditional services.

For many years, people found out about my trainings in using Minecraft and creative digital tools here at EllieFinch.co.uk. But as this work grew – and its impact widened – it needed a dedicated home. Visit PlayModeAcademy.org to explore resources and trainings.

VISIT PLAYMODEACADEMY.ORG