Center for Family Services of Palm Beach County: Impact Case Study
Integrating Minecraft into Therapeutic Practice
In late 2024, several team members from the Center for Family Services of Palm Beach County (CFSPBC), based in the United States, completed Level 1 and Level 2 of the Using Minecraft as a Therapeutic Tool training programme online.
CFSPBC is a non-profit social service organisation whose mission is to strengthen individuals and families through mental health services and education. Since 1961, they have expanded their reach to meet the evolving needs of their community, operating eight programmes across Palm Beach County and serving over one million clients.
The team independently sourced funding to support their participation in the training. With this funding, they also created an impressive video game therapy room, designed to engage clients in a playful, therapeutic environment. The room includes gaming computers, an Xbox, a Nintendo Switch, and a range of traditional games. The team also aims to expand their game-based toolkit with additional video games like It Takes Two.
The video game therapy room. Image source: Center for Family Services of Palm Beach County
Therapist Juliette Molina shares her experience of using Minecraft in her therapeutic work:
“As a therapist working with children and adolescents, I've found Minecraft to be an incredibly powerful tool in therapy. It's more than just a game - it’s a creative, open-ended environment that allows clients to express themselves in ways traditional talk therapy sometimes can’t reach.
Minecraft has offered my clients an opportunity to explore emotional identification and expression in a low-pressure setting. One client, who struggled to articulate feelings verbally, was able to build a ‘safe world’ in Minecraft where they expressed their fears and hopes through the game’s landscapes and characters. I've used it with my clients to build rapport, confidence, practice problem-solving, and even address emotional regulation.
Overall, Minecraft has become an essential part of my toolkit. The Minecraft training has allowed me to see how video games can bridge the gap between digital play and meaningful therapeutic work, empowering clients to heal, grow, and connect in their own unique way.”
This case study highlights how digital tools like Minecraft can be integrated thoughtfully into services, expanding therapeutic access and supporting emotional expression in new, inclusive ways.
