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Daniel Kaufmann, PhD, LPC, LMHC

Director of Gaming Services & Program Development | Associate Professor
Kindbridge Behavioral Health | Grand Canyon University
Orlando, Florida

Dr. Daniel Kaufmann, Ph.D., LMHC / LPC, ICGC-II, IGDC, BACC
(pronouns are he/him)
Director of Gaming Services & Program Development | Kindbridge Behavioral Health

Dr. Kaufmann is an Associate Professor at Grand Canyon University as well as the Director of Gaming Services at Kindbridge Behavioral Health. He is the author of The Gamer’s Journey (2024), a book focused on explaining the presence of video games in society as a form of mythological storytelling, and how these characters and settings can be used therapeutically for every gamer to complete each phase of the hero’s journey in their own lives.

Dr. Kaufmann is currently serving as the co-chair of the APA research task force on video game issues and is working on several nationwide training programs to help mental health professionals understand video games in innovative ways. His research on the psychology of player types has been presented internationally and continues to evolve with each new world players can inhabit across PCs and consoles. Dr. Kaufmann's publications cover the areas of video games, personality theory, online education, and counselor development. He offers supervision to an international list of clinicians to help bridge the gap in learning about technological impact on society and specific insights related to effective treatment for clients experiencing games-related issues.

To further his mission of educating counseling professionals to better support clients who are interested in games-related issues, Dr. Kaufmann is also a former Board President / current Board Member of the International Problem Gambling & Gaming Certification, which establishes training and expertise standards for counseling and prevention professionals to assist clients who enjoy or struggle with gambling and video game activities.

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