Just in time for the spooky season, we take a look at the game Vampire Therapist, a visual novel in which you play as cowboy vampire Sam, and help your fellow bloodsuckers navigate their psychological struggles by providing them cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

CBT is a type of therapy that helps people understand and change patterns of thinking and behaviour that may be causing them problems. By working with a therapist, people can learn practical tools to challenge negative thought patterns and gradually build healthier coping strategies.

Vampire Therapist turns CBT concepts into gameplay, such as challenging you to identify your clients’ cognitive distortions (irrational thought patterns that can lead people to see things in a negative or inaccurate way).

In this podcast, Don, Hammy, Kunika and Jason discuss Vampire Therapist and how it captures elements of CBT within its plot and gameplay. Could this game help introduce CBT to players in an entertaining way?

We discuss what parts are accurate to CBT, and what parts take a creative license to ensure a fun experience. Plus: what other CBT elements could be turned into game mechanics?

We received review copies of the game from the publisher.