Gaming the Mind charity is powered by a number of clinical experts who are enthusiastic about the role video games play in mental health. Meet our team!
Trustees
Dr Atheeshaan Arumuham – Treasurer and Esports Mental Health Lead
An NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Psychiatry and PhD researcher at King’s College London.
He drives the charity’s esports initiatives—from contributing to academic research on athlete wellbeing to developing practical wellness guidance for athletes and their families. He is collaborating on research into how TTRPGs affect mental health. Beyond our own charity, he is also an advisory board member for the International Games Summit on Mental Health. He’s also a 2-time Mayamada esports competition winner, competing under the Gaming the Mind banner!
Favourite gaming memory: playing the Song of Time for the first time in Majora’s Mask.
Dr Kunika Kakuta – Operations Project Manager
Leveraging her background in medical education and naval history (yes, really—she has a PhD in War Studies!), she drives the charity’s operations. A former lecturer for military officers and undergrads, she now applies her project management skills to lead the team and develop initiatives like the charity’s Reset Room.
A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, she’s passionate about creating medical training placements within gaming mental health. Off-duty, she’s a competitive dinghy sailor, rhythm-game perfectionist (perfect combos or bust!), and proud cat-parent to Talisker and Lagavulin.
A lesson from gaming: “Determination will let you achieve what you set your goals to be!
Dr Donald Byron Servant – Mental Health Architect
A Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist and founding member of Gaming the Mind, Donald has shaped the charity’s work in education, consultation, and the Reset Room. He’s on a mission to help gaming become as healthy and inclusive as possible.
Favourite gaming moment: “playing Alba… a beautiful and very chill game.”
Dr Hamilton Morrin – Development Consultant
He works as a Psychiatry Trainee at SLaM and was named the RCPsych Core Trainee of the Year in 2023. He bridges mental and physical health through neuropsychiatry research at the IoPPN, and is an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Psychiatry.
He sees games as a transformative medium for mental health storytelling, and he has advised developers on conveying their own mental health experiences within their work. Off-duty, he’s a keen runner and has fundraised for Cancer Research UK. He was also President of King’s College London’s Anime & Manga Society, where he met his amazing wife!
A lesson from gaming: “We all make mistakes, but it’s never too late to make a change.”
Operations Team
Dr An Nakamura – Music & Wellness Coordinator
Named the RCPsych Medical Student of the Year in 2025, she is now a Foundation Doctor and an advocate for mental health.
She uses her passion for classical violin to explore music’s impact on mental wellbeing, which was a focus of her Humanities, Philosophy, and Law degree at Imperial College London. She has fundraised for Tonic (supporting music industry mental health) by running the Portsmouth Great South Run. With 12+ years of orchestral experience, she’s now arranging a therapeutic collection of chillout covers of video game soundtracks.
The power of video games: “Video game music is my comfort. Every track ties to memories that lift me up—I want to share that sense of calm with others.”
Zhin Tan – Integrative Health Lead
A GP Trainee in Cambridge, Zhin bridges primary care and his interest in psychiatry to make mental health advice more accessible. He has a knack for community-building, honed through years of running student societies at Imperial College London. For Gaming the Mind, he’s contributed to initiatives like the Reset Room, and has lent his artistic talent to charity information materials.
When off-duty: he’s busy chasing headshots in shooters (he once hit Global Elite in CS:GO), nurturing his plant collection, or testing his voice-acting chops!
Dr James Anslow – Consoles for Wards Lead
A Psychiatry Trainee at SLaM, he has received an award from Medical Education Kent for bringing attention to trainee doctor welfare. He advocated for his fellow trainees in Kent as a Local Negotiating Committee rep. At Gaming the Mind, he channels his experience and passion into projects like the quiet room, game console donations for mental health wards, and organising the charity’s academic conference.
He is particularly interested in the societal impact of games. Proudly married to Operations Project Manager Kunika (and supported by their feline co-pilots) he’s on a mission to prove gaming and wellness make the perfect pairing.
Gaming comfort: “Civilization V: if I’m anxious, hours pass in minutes as the eras flow by.”
Dr Lakshya Gopal – Content Lead
A Foundation Doctor with a keen interest in psychiatry, psychology, and mental health education. She has presented a project on mental health stigma in gaming at RCPsych. She has also contributed to creative health projects, creating infographics and posters.
As a medical student, she was selected for the RCPsych. She was President of the Medical Humanities Society at Imperial College London, and is involved in peer mentoring for widening participation in medicine. She is working on a project to support families with teaching children emotional resilience skills.
She supports the charity’s social media outreach and is a regular presence running and developing the Reset Room.
Lesson from gaming: “We cannot change the past… We can only change what we do next.” – God of War
Alumni/Founders:
Dr Stephen Kaar
A Consultant in Addiction and Dual Diagnosis Psychiatry in Greater Manchester and an Honorary Senior Lecturer (University of Manchester), Stephen founded Gaming the Mind to champion a healthier mental health culture in gaming. He also works as an Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at the National Centre for Gaming Disorders. He completed a PhD at Kings College London and serves as an Executive Member on the RCPsych Addictions Faculty Executive Committee.
A passionate gamer, he’s completed Disco Elysium five times and still remembers the adrenaline of beating Halo 1 on Legendary while blasting The Doors.
A lesson from gaming: “Perseverance is key.”
Gaming the Mind 