Program at Parkside Psychiatric Hospital uses video games to help kids learn emotional control

March 11, 2026 - 23:09

A pioneering program at Parkside Psychiatric Hospital in Tulsa is harnessing the power of video games to help children and adolescents develop crucial emotional regulation skills. Moving beyond traditional therapy models, the initiative integrates popular games into therapeutic sessions to create a comfortable and engaging environment for young patients.

The program focuses on using gameplay as a real-time mirror for emotional responses. Therapists observe how children react to in-game challenges, losses, or competitive moments. These scenarios provide natural opportunities to discuss frustration, anxiety, and excitement as they happen. Guided by a clinician, children learn to identify their feelings, practice calming techniques like deep breathing, and develop strategies to persevere through digital setbacks.

This innovative approach meets children in a familiar digital space, lowering barriers to communication. By framing emotional control within the context of a preferred activity, therapists report greater patient engagement and more effective transfer of skills to real-world situations. The program highlights a growing recognition within mental health care of using technology not as a distraction, but as a dynamic bridge to building healthier, more resilient young minds.