Ocotober 2026 Newsletter

News
Written By Ellie Finch

My October newsletter is out.
If you’ve been thinking about training in Using Minecraft as a Therapeutic Tool, there’s still time to save £80 when you enrol on Level 1 and Level 2 together. The bundle offer ends on 31 October 2026. Both courses are certified by the CPD Certification Service and offer play therapy non-contact CE hours. APT Approved Provider 26-839.
I also highlight three new blog posts: I’ve been awarded a Hatch Fund grant by Hatch Enterprise UK, which will help build capacity so this work can reach more practitioners, children and families. On Monday 2 November I’ll be at the Gaming the Mind conference at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, presenting a poster about my systemic therapy work with families in Minecraft. If you’re going, do come and say hello. And the Sandtray Therapy Minecraft World, which Dan Noble and I created, has been shown at the Meaningful Play Conference Play 2026 games exhibition at Carnegie Mellon University.
You’ll also find dates for our next community meet-ups, our impact report and lots of free resources.

Read the newsletter here.

You can subscribe to the PlayMode Academy Newsletter here. Subscribers receive 20% off our self-paced trainings and two free digital resources.

Ellie Finch

Ellie Finch, MA MBACP (Accred), is a clinical supervisor, counsellor, and social worker specialising in support for neurodivergent clients and families of children with additional needs or complex conditions.

Ellie is known for her innovative use of creative digital tools and videogames like Minecraft in therapy to create accessible, engaging support. She is founder of PlayMode Academy, a non-profit social venture that trains professionals in the therapeutic use of creative digital tools.

PlayMode® Academy is part of Ellie Finch Counselling, Consultancy and Training Ltd, a non-profit company limited by guarantee.

Ellie is also part of the University of Cambridge research team behind Bridging the ChASM: Creating Accessible Services using Minecraft - a project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) that explores the therapeutic potential of videogames and how they can be used to create more inclusive mental health support.

NOT AN OFFICIAL MINECRAFT SERVICE. NOT APPROVED BY OR ASSOCIATED WITH MOJANG OR MICROSOFT

https://www.playmodeacademy.org
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Building Together: Bringing My Work with Families in Minecraft to Gaming the Mind 2026