About Me

Greetings! I’m Allison Battles (she/her), licensed clinical psychologist, therapeutic game master, and fellow geek. I am passionate about incorporating elements of games, storytelling, and creative writing in my healing work with adults and adolescents. I believe that people are creative, resourceful, and strive to be their best selves. The narrative that we tell ourselves about who we are and our purpose in this world has a profound impact on how we approach and experience our lives. Our self narrative is something we get to define and I hope to help you unlock your hero’s journey.

I received my PhD in Clinical Psychology from the Virginia Consortium Program in 2020. I completed my predoctoral internship and postdoctoral residency at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, specializing in the assessment and treatment of complex trauma-related conditions and associated comorbidities, including serious mental illness (e.g., Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders, Bipolar Disorders) and substance abuse. I was licensed by the MN board of psychology and can currently provide services to MN residents. Options to practice across state lines are being pursued.

Games and stories have always captivated me and served as empowering outlets during times of personal struggle. As a Queer, Pagan woman growing up in the South, I often felt misunderstood and unable to be my authentic self. Stories of powerful women, like Xena: Warrior Princess, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Sailor Moon, helped me to see that my story was in my own hands. The true potential of games came to me later during graduate school and, in many ways, D&D saved me during school. It helped me to explore aspects of myself in new and creative ways and provided a supportive environment to experiment with doing things differently. These experiences inspired me to explore ways to enhance healing and recovery through the use of games and storytelling in both individual and in group therapy. It also lead me to create my first therapeutically applied role-playing game group therapy during my clinical internship and residency.

Professional Affiliations & Relevant Trainings

• Narrative Therapy Level 1 Certification, April 2023
• American Group Psychotherapy Association, May 2022
• Minnesota Psychological Association, Sept 2021
• Time-Limited Dynamic Psychotherapy Intensive, Aug 2021
• Game to Grow Method – Mental Health Track Levels 1-3, March 2021
• Prolonged Exposure Certification, Aug 2020
• Cognitive Progressing Therapy Certification, Aug 2020
• American Psychological Association, Aug 2014