USING MINECRAFT AS A THERAPEUTIC TOOL: LEVEL 2

LIVE ONLINE OR IN-PERSON TRAINING

Live, online or in-person, interactive training with a small group of fellow practitioners where you will build on the skills learned in the Level 1 course. Available online and in-person. In-person training available for organisations.

£250.00 early bird £295.00 standard

Price per person (scheduled dates below)

GROUPS: Contact us to arrange a bespoke training date for your team/group

Course Length: 6 Hours

(available as full day or two half days)


Requirements: Level 1 needs to be completed before starting Level 2. You'll need access to a Minecraft license to complete this course (the cost of this is not included in the course but the course does contain guidance on purchasing licenses)

Who it’s for: Helping professionals working with children, young people, adults or families in mental health, health care, social care, or community settings

LEVEL 2 ONLINE TRAINING DATES: ENROLL HERE

This training is for practitioners who have completed (or are close to completing) the self-paced Level 1 and want to deepen their practice, build confidence, and connect with others using Minecraft therapeutically. 

Training is delivered live online in small groups of 6–8 practitioners and includes ethical reflection and guided exploration of advanced techniques.

Each training includes either one full day or two half-day sessions, and you must attend all listed dates for your chosen cohort. 

To support students across time zones, sessions are offered at a variety of start times – including mornings, afternoons, evenings, and weekends – making it accessible wherever you are in the world.

Level 1 must be completed before starting Level 2.

Early Bird pricing is available up to two weeks before each training begins.

Bookings close one week before the first session.

  • This Level 2 training takes place as a one-day live online session via Zoom:

    • Saturday 13 September, 09:30–17:30 BST

    Pricing:

    Early Bird price: £250 – available until Saturday 30 August 2025 at 17:00 BST

    Standard price: £295

    Booking deadline:

    Bookings close on Saturday 6 September 2025 at 17:00 BST

    Enroll here

  • This Level 2 training takes place across two live online sessions via Zoom:

    • Thursday 2 October, 17:00–20:30 BST

    • Thursday 9 October, 17:00–20:30 BST

    You must be able to attend both sessions live.

    Pricing:

    Early Bird price: £250 – available until Thursday 18 September 2025 at 17:00 BST

    Standard price: £295

    Booking deadline:

    Bookings close on Thursday 25 September 2025 at 17:00 BST

    Enroll here

  • This Level 2 training takes place across two live, online sessions via Zoom:


    • Tuesday 2 December, 09:30–13:00 GMT
    • Wednesday 3 December, 09:30–13:00 GMT


    You must be able to attend both sessions live.

    Pricing:
    Early Bird price: £250 – available until Tuesday 18 November 2025 at 17:00 BST
    Standard price: £295

    Booking deadline:
    Bookings close on Tuesday 25 November 2025 at 17:00 BST

    Enroll here

  • This Level 2 training takes place across two live, online sessions via Zoom:


    • Thursday 29 January, 12:00–15:30 GMT
    • Thursday 5 February, 12:00–15:30 GMT
    You must be able to attend both sessions live.

    Pricing:
    Early Bird price: £250 – available until Thursday 15 January 2026 at 17:00 BST
    Standard price: £295

    Booking deadline:
    Bookings close on Thursday 22 January 2026 at 17:00 BST

    Enroll here

  • This Level 2 training takes place as a one-day live, online session via Zoom:
    • Friday 20 March, 09:30–17:30 GMT

    Pricing:
    Early Bird price: £250 – available until Friday 6 March 2026 at 17:00 BST
    Standard price: £295

    Booking deadline:
    Bookings close on Friday 13 March 2026 at 17:00 BST

    Enroll here

  • This Level 2 training takes place across two live, online sessions via Zoom:
    • Saturday 9 May, 09:00–12:30 BST
    • Saturday 16 May, 09:00–12:30 BST

    You must be able to attend both sessions live.

    Pricing:
    Early Bird price: £250 – available until Saturday 25 April 2026 at 17:00 BST
    Standard price: £295

    Booking deadline:
    Bookings close on Saturday 2 May 2026 at 17:00 BST

    Enroll here

  • This Level 2 training takes place across two live, online sessions via Zoom:


    • Thursday 9 July, 13:30–17:00 BST
    • Friday 10 July, 13:30–17:00 BST


    You must be able to attend both sessions live.

    Pricing:
    Early Bird price: £250 – available until Thursday 25 June 2026 at 17:00 BST
    Standard price: £295

    Booking deadline:
    Bookings close on Thursday 2 July 2026 at 17:00 BST

    Enroll here

We want to thank KEMP Hospice and the young actors for their participation in this film.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Confidently apply core therapeutic techniques within a Minecraft environment

Navigate and manage practical aspects of using Minecraft in real-time

Learn how to create or adapt in-game activities to support therapeutic goals

Learn how to design your own therapeutic Minecraft worlds

Learn how to adapt the use of Minecraft for different client groups

Build confidence to integrate Minecraft into your service or private practice

MEET YOUR TRAINER: Ellie Finch

Ellie Finch, MA MBACP (Accred), is a counsellor, clinical supervisor, and neurodiversity-affirming practitioner specialising in therapeutic work with children, young people, and families. Drawing on experience across CAMHS, schools, charities, and private practice, Ellie is a recognised leader in integrating videogames like Minecraft into therapy to improve engagement and accessibility. Through her social venture, PlayMode Academy, she offers structured, ethically grounded training for professionals who want to embed creative digital tools into their practice. Her work is supported by Cambridge Social Ventures and UnLtd, and she was part of a University of Cambridge research team that explored how videogames can help create more inclusive mental health support.

  • Awesome day

    This is my favourite counselling course I’ve ever done. The course was well-paced and nicely balanced between in-game activities and group reflection. It helped build rapport within the group and explore therapeutic applications of Minecraft activities.

    Ellie is a pleasure to be taught by and her enthusiasm shines through. The tech check beforehand was also incredibly helpful.

    - Emily Chalder

  • Ellie is a Minecraft genius and I would recommend her training to anyone

    I recently completed Ellie’s Minecraft training for therapeutic use and found it very inspiring. I am not a gamer at all, but Ellie managed to draw me into the world and open my eyes to its value. I couldn’t have imagined how it would work therapeutically, but it has the potential to work beautifully.

    I love the idea of building virtual safe spaces, creating memory gardens, and working with emotions through characters. The possibilities are endless, and I now have enough knowledge to bring a young person on a Minecraft journey. Ellie is a Minecraft genius and I would recommend her training to anyone – in fact, I already have.

    - Cliona Snow

  • Enriching my clinical practice

    Ellie’s training continues to open up ‘the power of possibility’ when using Minecraft as a therapeutic tool, enriching my clinical practice and offering clients new ways of thinking and being.

    - Hannah Y

  • Valuable training

    I found the training valuable, learning new creative tools to help engage and communicate with children and young people. Ellie was a fantastic tutor – passionate, enthusiastic, and very patient with all Minecraft newbies!

    - Helen B

  • Fantastic and immersive training

    Fantastic and immersive training by Ellie. Highly recommended for working with CYP, but also for adults who struggle with expression. I can’t wait to start using this in my practice!

    - Helen T

  • Craft and heal together

    I was excited to join a Minecraft session and see how it could be used therapeutically – I wasn’t disappointed. Despite being new to counselling, Ellie made me feel right at home. She explained unfamiliar concepts clearly and showed how Minecraft’s creative mode can help children express internalised issues. The activities were engaging and even the roleplay, though a bit silly, was enjoyable and insightful. Highly recommended for therapeutic practice.

    - Joe Grove

  • I loved it!

    I loved Ellie’s Level 2 training. Level 1 got me excited, but Level 2 gave me the confidence and skills to take action. Ellie was kind, personable, and patient. The course structure was brilliant and never felt rushed.

    There was a lot of practical learning, even for someone like me who had never played Minecraft. Ellie’s thoughtful activities for our charity’s needs were especially helpful. This training is transforming how I work with young people online – it’s immersive, engaging, and allows the clients to be the experts.

    - Katie H

  • Eye Opening and just Utterly Amazing

    This training was so eye opening, I loved everything about it. It gave me so many ideas to incorporate into my therapy. From watching/talking to clients about gaming and Minecraft, to getting involved.

    I especially loved the River of Life, Blob Tree, Grief Jars, and Window of Tolerance. The methodical approach, the role play, and the reflective ending made it both fun and informative.

    - Kay Winters

  • The most enjoyable CPD I have done to date

    Ellie brought a new dimension to Minecraft therapy. Her vast knowledge, combined with experiential training, helped me understand how it can be used for counselling, create therapeutic boundaries and connect clients and therapists.

    This has been the most enjoyable CPD I’ve ever done.

    - Maria Dowse

  • Fantastic day!

    Fantastic day, loved the activities and I feel I’ve come away with more confidence and enhanced learning.

    - Monique B

  • Very useful and helpful

    Ellie taught us in a very easy and interactive way without making it overwhelming. I know this will be really useful in my work and I can’t wait to use all the techniques.

    - Nazrin Begum

  • I have a clear vision of how to work with clients

    The live training brought the whole process together and gave me a clear vision of how to work with clients. It was great to have it delivered in person and tailored to our needs.

    - Sarah B

 

MORE COURSES

 

Using Minecraft as a Therapeutic Tool: Level 1

This course provides you with the tools you need to start using Minecraft as a therapeutic resource safely and effectively.

Free guide to accessing Minecraft Education

Stuggling to access Minecraft Education? Learn how to purchase and set-up Minecraft Education licenses for your family or service.

Using Digital Sandtrays in Online and In-Person Therapy

This self-paced online training is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of digital sandtrays.

For organisations:

Using Creative Digital Tools Therapeutically

Gain an understanding of the range of creative digital tools available and their practical applications in a therapeutic context.

FAQ

  • Community benefits include:

    • Access to regular online Q&A sessions.

    • Access to regularly updated course materials.

    • Access to a student community.

    After 6 months you have the option of continuing to access the community. The price for community membership is currently £60 per year.

  • £60 per year

  • It is mandatory to have completed Level 1 before going on to Level 2. This is because Level 2 is a live, immersive training where you will be in Minecraft with a small group of students. It's important that you have the fundamentals skills in place before embarking on the Level 2 training. In addition the Level 1 course acts as an ongoing resource library that you can refer back to for guidance on specific tasks such as exporting and importing worlds, setting up worlds for your clients and how to use specific activities.

  • No, this training is created to enable you to integrate your own therapeutic approach in using Minecraft as a therapeutic tool.

  • No. Ellie Finch Counselling Consultancy and Training Ltd does not take responsibility for User's practice and does not certify, qualify, or accredit practitioners. Courses are offered to provide additional tools within the remit of User's profession’s competencies, licensure and registration. Please see terms and conditions for further information: https://www.iubenda.com/terms-and-conditions/30255221

  • No. This course is NOT AN OFFICIAL MINECRAFT PRODUCT. NOT APPROVED BY OR ASSOCIATED WITH MOJANG OR MICROSOFT. You will also need to use this phrase on all your informational and promotional materials about your service in accordance with Minecraft's terms.

  • You can take a non-directive or directive approach in Minecraft. Non-directive/client-centered is the core of my own approach and Minecraft lends itself well to this. If you are observing the client play (rather than being in the game yourself) then it feels very much like observing the client make a sandtray or use drawing/painting etc - with you using your usual observation and reflective skills. If you are in the game yourself you can be incredibly client-led - often I'm in the game simply as an observer, sometimes the client asks me to play a game with them like hide and seek, or they might ask me to help to build something with them. I sometimes incorporate a few structured/directive activities (i.e. asking the client to create a safe place near the start of the work) if I think it will support the work. With the course I've aimed to support practitioners to incorporate their own approach to Minecraft so there is no one set way of doing things. That is, it’s not an approach-based training and the courses are offered to provide additional tools within the remit of User's profession’s competencies, licensure and registration. In this Level 1 course I have included a number of activities and ideas for how you can utilise Minecraft therapeutically. Many of the activities have grown organically out of the client-centered work I have done with the children, adults and families I see in my clinical practice.

  • Yes, absolutely. Minecraft can be used with children, young people, adults, couples, families and groups. The key is meeting clients in their comfort zone – so if they play Minecraft and are open to using it therapeutically then using Minecraft is possible. Note that it is your responsibility to ensure you are practicing within your competency, licensure and registration.

  • Yes, Minecraft can be used with individuals, dyads and groups including families. Note that it is your responsibility to ensure you are practicing within your competency, licensure and registration.

  • This training is created to enable you to integrate your own therapeutic approach in using Minecraft as a therapeutic tool. Therefore, it would be down to you to decide how long a session should be. However, I would recommend allowing yourself more time either side of a session for prep/saving worlds and you may also need to factor in some additional time or sessions for technical preparation with your clients.

  • This would depend on the usual requirements for parental consent that apply to your client group. In addition, you will also need to gain consent from the client and/or their parent (depending on their age/capacity) re. the use of the resource taking in to account how you manage their data, the location of servers etc. This is covered in the Level 1 course.

  • Your standard supervision requirements (to meet your licensure/registration body's guidelines) would apply here. But you may also need/chose to seek out specialist supervision with a supervisor/supervision group that works in this field. Ellie Finch provides clinical supervision. You can get in touch with her for further information.