A Video Game Aids Young People in Processing Grief

The video game “Apart of Me” is assisting thousands of vulnerable young individuals in transforming challenging experiences into opportunities for creativity and hope, which they can then share with others. This platform aims to facilitate children and young adults in discussing their loss and trauma within a secure and encouraging setting. Co-founded by Manchester psychologist Louis Weinstock, the game now operates as a charity, having supported 44,000 people in the UK and 160,000 globally in comprehending and navigating their grief. Mr Weinstock stated its purpose is to guide them “on a better path” to “transform their grief into compassion.” He further elaborated, “It basically means that by the end of their journey with us, we like to see them in a position where they are finding ways to help others who have experienced something like them.” Launched in 2018, the game targets 11-18-year-olds experiencing loss that may be affecting their mental well-being. Players engage with the 3D game anonymously, set on an island, where they encounter characters each grappling with a specific grief-related challenge. Users are tasked with assisting these characters in overcoming their difficulties by collecting objects, each of which educates the player on various facets of grief, as explained by Mr Weinstock. Additionally, the game provides a space for users to pose questions they might be hesitant or uncomfortable to discuss openly. “It gives young people an outlet to have those conversations that otherwise might be difficult to have,” he noted. Mr Weinstock, 45, a former social worker, is dedicated to enhancing the accessibility of therapy and believes the game offers a partial remedy. He stated, “Grief can profoundly affect and sadly damage young people who don’t get the right support at the right time.” He continued, “When a young person experiences a loss or a trauma, they’re at a much increased risk of developing anxiety and depression.” He emphasized the need for earlier intervention: “We should be talking about that more and trying to intervene earlier in these young people’s lives, unfortunately the conversations have kind of got stuck at the point at which young people have already developed the symptoms, and that ends up costing everyone so much more.” He concluded, “So we’re really trying to push and make the case that if you can intervene early, you’ll actually have a significant impact on reducing the likelihood of these young people experiencing these problems.” Residing in Altrincham, Mr Weinstock has dedicated the majority of his adult career to working with children and young people, and he has also personally encountered grief. His grandfather passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack when his father was only 13 years old. At the age of 13, Louis himself reported experiencing significant difficulties, which he attributed partly to his father’s unresolved grief. He mentioned that he did not fully comprehend why he had gone “off the rails” until later in life. He explained, “My dad didn’t actually have a dad and he didn’t have anyone to help him through his grief, and I’m sure that that’s part of the reason why from that age I was going through a challenging time.” He added, “Carrying this grief has been passed down through the family line, carrying down a kind of mission to want to help people who are who are in a similar situation to my dad.” Mr Weinstock indicated that the initial concept for the game originated from young people themselves, as “not all want to sit in a room with a stranger and talk about their feelings.” Prior to establishing Apart of Me, which is now a UK registered charity, he engaged with young individuals at a hospice, all of whom suggested the idea of a game to assist them with their bereavement. He recounted, “I’ve met young people who lost a parent and would get kicked out of school, some of them were taking overdoses, joining gangs or at risk of self-harming.” User feedback, he noted, expressed gratitude. “They were really grateful that they had this tool that they could use when they needed it, rather than having to wait for a 50 minute or a 30 minute slot every week,” he stated. He added that “They were also grateful that it helped them to make sense of their feelings and particularly that it helped them to feel less alone.” “Apart of Me” is currently being introduced in selected schools as part of a three-year initiative supported by funding from the National Lottery. Mr Weinstock also plans to develop an updated version of the game that will incorporate ‘heart notes,’ enabling young people to share compassionate messages with others on the island, for which he is actively seeking funds. The game is available for free use and download, does not require a referral, but does offer guidance to support services during gameplay if necessary.