Research Interests

• Applications of archetypal/symbolic storytelling with embodied play
• Therapeutically Applied Role-Play Games and Live Action Role-Play
• Accessibility in Drama Therapy
• Integrating Drama Therapy with biofeedback and aesthetic technologies, including binaural beats, augmented reality, and virtual reality
• Varieties of exceptional/anomalous phenomenon
• Supporting integration of exceptional/anomalous experiences
• The intersection between monster movies, high strangeness, and the cultural and personal shadow

Biography

Doug Ronning is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Drama Therapist-Board Certified Trainer (RDT-BCT) in the San Francisco Bay Area.

In clinical practice, Doug specializes in supporting neurodivergent (2e, gifted, autistic, VAST/ADHD) adolescents and adults toward personal, communal, and numinous growth. He utilizes a multi-modal creative embodied approach that integrates drama therapy, expressive arts, HRV biofeedback, and several psychotherapeutic frameworks.

He is the Creator and Lead Facilitator of Gamescape Center for Creativity and Growth, which produces and hosts Role-Play Game and Live Action Role Play events that focus on pro-social interaction, values clarification, identity expansion, and social justice concerns. Additionally, Doug is the creator of the event series Monster Movie Salon which integrates drama therapy and expressive arts with film appreciation toward exploring the intersection between pop culture, high strangeness, and the cultural and personal shadow.

He has written articles and co-authored chapters on drama therapy.

Prior to becoming a therapist and educator, Doug worked in event management and the entertainment industry, including as a screenwriter on the classic HBO series Tales from the Crypt.

Education

MA, California Institute of Integral Studies

BFA, University of Wisconsin

Courses

Integrative Seminar

Drama Therapy Theory

Therapeutic Communication,

Intro to Therapeutic Tabletop Roleplay Games