Caregiver Gaming: Finding Joy and Connection Through Play

Caregiving can be one of the most rewarding and one of the most exhausting roles a person can take on. Whether you’re caring for a parent with dementia, a partner with a chronic illness, or a child with disabilities, the responsibilities are often relentless. You give so much of yourself that there’s often nothing left for rest, joy, or connection outside of your role.

That’s where Caregiver Gaming comes in.

At its core, Caregiver Gaming is about bringing caregivers together through games—not just for entertainment, but for therapy, community, and wellness. The idea is simple: we use online games to create a safe, low-pressure space where caregivers can decompress, connect with others who understand their lives, and rediscover a sense of play.

This is not just “playing games to escape.” It’s about reclaiming a part of yourself that might feel lost under the weight of responsibilities. And it’s about using gaming as a tool for mental health, not just as a distraction.

Why Games?

Games offer structure, creativity, and agency—things that caregiving often erodes. When you’re a caregiver, your schedule is built around someone else’s needs. You might feel like your life has been put on hold or that you don’t have time to be social, spontaneous, or silly. Games help shift that.

In a game, you’re allowed to explore, to fail safely, to try again, and to grow. You can solve problems that don’t carry emotional weight. You can build worlds, form alliances, and create routines that are yours. And, if you’re playing cooperatively, you’re not alone.

Video games, especially those that emphasize cooperation or world-building, are uniquely suited for caregivers. Titles like Stardew Valley, Minecraft, Animal Crossing, and Civilization allow players to participate at their own pace. You can log on during a moment of calm, and leave when the next task calls. There’s no pressure, and that flexibility is essential.

We also play games that foster empathy, creativity, and storytelling. Games with branching narratives or relationship-building elements allow us to reflect on our own choices and values. Sometimes, just seeing a different story unfold—one that we can shape with our decisions—can be deeply therapeutic.

What Makes This Therapeutic?

Caregiver Gaming is therapy. The group is facilitated by a licensed professional counselor who specializes in caregiver burnout, grief, and mental health. The gaming itself is interwoven with check-ins, guided conversation, and reflection.

This is not a therapy group that also plays games—it’s a gaming group built as therapy.

Each session includes time for checking in, talking about what’s been hard or what’s been helpful during the week, and then playing a cooperative or creative game together. Sometimes we explore grief and frustration through gameplay—other times, we just play and let that be enough. There’s no requirement to share deeply or perform emotionally. Showing up is enough.

The therapeutic value comes from the relationships we build, the rituals we form, and the chance to step into a different rhythm for a while. Participants regularly say that it’s the first time all week they’ve felt like themselves again.

Who Is It For?

Caregiver Gaming is for anyone in an active caregiving role who needs community, release, and grounding. This includes family caregivers, professional caregivers, home health workers, hospice aides, and others who are regularly supporting someone else’s physical, mental, or emotional needs.

We welcome caregivers from all walks of life. You don’t have to be “a gamer.” You don’t even have to know how to play. We will guide you through everything you need. You don’t need fancy equipment—a basic computer and internet connection is usually enough.

This group is designed to be flexible, inclusive, and safe for people of all genders, backgrounds, and gaming experience levels. If you’re burned out, overwhelmed, lonely, or just looking for something that’s yours—this is for you.

How It Works

Caregiver Gaming sessions are held online in a secure, private setting. We meet weekly or biweekly, depending on the season, and each session lasts about 90 minutes. Some games are drop-in and open to anyone who registers. Others are short campaigns or themed experiences for a smaller, ongoing group.

Participants join through a secure video platform and may also use a shared Discord server or game lobby to connect. All technical needs are addressed up front—if you’re nervous about logging on or don’t know what to do, we’ll walk you through it step by step.

Each session includes a brief grounding exercise, community check-ins, and structured play. No therapy notes, no diagnosis, no pressure—just a group of caregivers who show up to play, laugh, process, and rebuild what caregiving has taken.

Why Caregiver Gaming Matters

Caregivers are at higher risk for isolation, depression, and burnout than almost any other group. Yet the support systems available to them often focus only on logistics or crisis intervention. Caregiver Gaming asks a different question: What if connection, joy, and play were the intervention?

By building a community through gaming, we’re not just playing—we’re healing. We’re making space for new friendships, emotional processing, and shared victories. We’re practicing skills like teamwork, communication, boundary-setting, and self-care in real time. And we’re reminding ourselves that it’s okay to have fun.

If you’re interested in joining the next Caregiver Gaming session, visit contemplativecaregiver.com/caregiver-gaming-group to learn more and sign up. We’d love to have you in the game.