writing, roleplaying, and narrative therapy
And Tomorrow We’ll Remember: A Narrative Journalling Game
What is it?
The Masters of Narrative Therapy and Community Work involved creating a project that used Narrative Therapy in a new way, specific to our context. Drawing on a shared interest in journalling and table-top roleplaying games, I created And Tomorrow We’ll Remember, a one-player journalling game about living in a cosy cottage, meeting new people, and reflecting on your memories.
How does it work?
Journalling games are about using randomly generated prompts to write a story. In ATWR, you roll dice and draw cards to determine how your day will go, and write about it like a journal entry.
The game is entirely pen and paper (or pdf file and notes app), and uses a deck of cards and six-sided die (1D6) to generate your prompts. If you don’t have them on hand, you can use a free app to “roll”.
What does it have to do with therapy?
Roleplaying is very theraputic! But more specifically - In the second section of the game, you answer questions about yourself that are based on some of the types of questions you might hear from a Narrative Practitioner. It can be used to reflect on things, or as a way to help you journal when you want to write, but have no idea where to start. But mostly, it’s about thinking about yourself in a fun way, instead of it feeling like work.
What comes next?
With the first round of beta-testing (and the degree) complete, I’ll be making edits based on the feedback, and hoping to create a more polished and user-friendly version in the future.
If your curiosity is piqued and you’d like to try it out, you can play this first version of the game, and optionally offer some feedback Here.
If you’d like to try some actually finished games
Game Influences
Last Tea Shop
You run a tea shop on the border of the living and the dead. The recently deceased visit for one last hot drink before their long journey into the Great Beyond.
A one-page masterpiece of a game where you have conversations with the customers of your tea shop, and learn about their life, death, and whatever comes to mind.
Lighthouse at the End of the Universe
On the very edge of the universe, a small rock floats on the edge of the void. Upon this rock, a small, ordinary lighthouse sits.
The game that most heavily inspired my own, you write entries as the keeper of the Lighthouse, recording observations, maintenence tasks, and strange happenings out in space.
Alone Among The Stars
You are a solitary adventurer, hopping from planet to planet exploring. Each world has unique features for you to discover and record.
Simple but endlessly inventive and curious, you travel across a planet and record what you find. If you’re not sure where to start, this is a very newbie-friendly game.