KEMP Hospice: Impact Case Study
In mid-2023, KEMP Hospice completed both Level 1 and Level 2 of the Using Minecraft as a Therapeutic Tool training programme. The team were seeking creative, child-centred approaches to help children process grief—and found Minecraft to be a powerful, adaptable resource.
Integrating Minecraft into Bereavement Support
Following their training, KEMP Hospice began using Minecraft in one-to-one counselling sessions with children who had been bereaved or were facing the loss of a loved one.
KEMP Counsellor Cliona shared her reflections in an article published on the KEMP Hospice website: https://www.kemphospice.org.uk/news/minecraft-in-counselling/
“As a KEMP counsellor working with children and young people (CYP), I’m always seeking that crucial in; a way to truly connect, understand, and step into their world. In today’s digital age, it makes sense to explore therapeutic tools that speak the language of the young people we support. One such tool which has opened a new opportunity to connect with younger clients is Minecraft. Whatever our own personal opinions on screen time or gaming culture might be, we cannot ignore the power of these digital spaces to offer comfort, connection, and creativity.”
She continued by sharing the impact of her very first Minecraft session:
“Interestingly, in my first session using Minecraft, neither of us had used the platform before, so we went on a shared journey of learning. The joy on their face when they realized they knew more than I did was priceless! That sense of understanding gave them a huge boost of confidence and helped to reinforce our therapeutic alliance.”
“Together, we built, explored, teleported, and even created a memory garden for a loved one they had lost.”
Since then, Minecraft has become a core part of KEMP’s therapeutic toolkit:
“From building personal safe spaces to designing memorials or exploring emotional regulation through metaphors like the anger iceberg or virtual rollercoaster rides. Minecraft offers a depth of therapeutic potential that continues to amaze me.”
A Creative and Symbolic Space
Cliona highlighted Minecraft’s ability to support symbolic expression, particularly for emotions that are difficult to put into words:
“Minecraft also removes the pressure of direct eye contact, which can be overwhelming for children. It allows for symbolic and creative expression of feelings like grief or anger – emotions that may be too difficult to verbalise. One client, for instance, used TNT and fire to ‘blow things up’ in their Minecraft world. Afterwards, we talked about how that made them feel. They said it gave them a sense of power – something they rarely felt in real life. That moment was profound.”
“Minecraft has become a significant tool for us at KEMP Hospice. For some, putting strong emotions of grief into words can be challenging. Using Minecraft enables us to understand and explore these emotions with the child or young person and gives them another avenue to express how they are feeling.”
“The game also helps us to build trust, working in collaboration with them. Free play in Minecraft means you can get to know them in their world, building that therapeutic alliance that is so important.”
“Finally, Minecraft helps us to explore the adaptive process of grief, to help the child or young person understand that life has changed but can still be full of hopes and dreams. Finding a balance between the grief they are experiencing, with optimism for the future.”
“Minecraft became a safe, creative outlet for their grief, and by the end of our work, we had taken a gallery of screenshots of their favourite in-game places, a visual representation of their therapeutic journey. It was incredibly moving.”
Watch an interview with Cliona in the film ‘Therapeutic Adventues in Minecraft’:
Impact and Recognition
KEMP Hospice’s use of Minecraft in therapy has received significant recognition:
· Featured on the official Minecraft Education blog: https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/blog/kemp-hospice
· Winner of Best Research Poster at the 2024 Hospice UK Conference: https://www.kemphospice.org.uk/news/win-for-kemp-at-hospice-uk-conference-2024/
· Published in the British Medical Journal: Supportive & Palliative Care: https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/blog/kemp-hospice
Praise for the Training in Using Minecraft as a Therapeutic Tool
Lisa Anthony, Former Family Support and Bereavement Services Manager at KEMP Hospice, shared her reflections on the training:
"Ellie has been a joy to work with. Her friendly, warm and professional approach to training and supporting the team in learning to use Minecraft has been brilliant. Ellie is knowledgeable and thorough and her skill and enthusiasm for working in new ways with children and young people has been inspiring for the team. The quality of her online and face to face training is excellent and the team have gained new skills, increased confidence and are using their learning to work in new and innovative ways with children and young people who have been bereaved or who are facing the death of a significant person in their lives."
"Wide ranging, Ellie covered everything from the technical skills, equipment and software, through to the therapeutic work and the ethical considerations and boundaries of online work. I wholeheartedly recommend Ellie as a trainer and would not hesitate to work with her again."
Spreading the Word
Inspired by their experience, KEMP recommended the training to Primrose Hospice, who also completed both Level 1 and Level 2 of Using Minecraft as a Therapeutic Tool and have since gone on to successfully integrate Minecraft into their own children and young people’s services.
