{"id":7668,"date":"2026-02-02T15:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T15:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7668"},"modified":"2026-02-02T15:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T15:30:00","slug":"rolling-for-recovery-dungeons-dragons-to-support-veteran-wellness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7668","title":{"rendered":"Rolling for recovery: Dungeons &#038; Dragons to support Veteran wellness"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"tni-source-date\"><strong>Originally published:<\/strong> 2026-02-02T15:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Orlando VA program uses tabletop gaming to build connection<\/h2>\n<p>Veterans across the VA Healthcare System are finding connection, creativity and emotional wellness through the role-playing game Dungeons &amp; Dragons, an unexpected but powerful tool being used in a growing mental health initiative known as the Reimagining Veterans\u2019 Emotions, Actions, and Life Skills (REVEAL) Program.<\/p>\n<p>On the surface, dice, character sheets and fantasy maps may seem like unlikely tools for mental health support. However, through the REVEAL program, Veterans are building trust, practicing communication and reconnecting with others in a welcoming, peer-driven environment.<\/p>\n<p>Launched in 2023 as part of VA\u2019s ongoing Innovation Project, the program was developed and is led by Navy Veteran Victor Mitchell, who serves as the access program support assistant for mental health leadership at the Lake Nona campus of the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/?s=Orlando+VA+Healthcare+System\">Orlando VA Healthcare System<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been a gamer for more than 40 years, and gaming helped pull me out of a very dark place after my own traumatic experiences,\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cI realized it wasn\u2019t just about playing a game, it was about reconnecting, using creativity and breaking out of isolation. I wanted to bring that same opportunity to other Veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The REVEAL Program meets on the second and fourth Friday of each month at 1 p.m., excluding holidays, in the Mental Health Conference Room. During each session, Veterans participate in an ongoing Dungeons &amp; Dragons campaign designed to promote teamwork, communication and problem-solving without the pressures of a traditional therapy setting.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTabletop role-playing allows Veterans to practice skills like anger management, empathy and decision-making in a natural way,\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cIt\u2019s authentic, it\u2019s engaging and it meets Veterans where they are.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building connection through creativity<\/h2>\n<p>For Army Veteran Jennifer Chester, who served during the Cold War era from 1985 to 1987, the program offers camaraderie and creative freedom.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of laughter and teamwork,\u201d Chester said. \u201cYou get to be creative, try new things and just enjoy being around other Veterans. It\u2019s fun, and there\u2019s really no downside. You don\u2019t have to spend money and you\u2019ve got nothing to lose.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Air Force Veteran Brandon Sittler, who served from 2002 to 2008, discovered the program after seeing a flyer at VA and says it delivered exactly what he was looking for.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was looking for a group of like-minded people, especially fellow Veterans,\u201d Sittler said. \u201cIt\u2019s creative, it\u2019s social and it\u2019s good for mental health. I\u2019d tell other Veterans to come give it a try.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A model for Veteran-centered engagement<\/h2>\n<p>Mitchell hopes the REVEAL Program can inspire similar initiatives across VA.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGaming breaks down barriers,\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cIt creates community without forcing Veterans to relive painful experiences. When facilities listen to their Veterans and build programs around what engages them, they\u2019ll see the impact.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p class=\"tni-attribution\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/144794\/recovery-dungeons-dragons-support-wellness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Veterans at Orlando VA use Dungeons &amp; Dragons through the REVEAL Program to support mental wellness, build community and reduce isolation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Rolling for recovery: Dungeons &amp; Dragons to support Veteran wellness - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Veterans at Orlando VA use Dungeons &amp; Dragons through the REVEAL Program to support mental wellness, build community and reduce isolation.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7668\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Rolling for recovery: Dungeons &amp; 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