Therapy Games Make Sessions More Engaging and Fun (and in Many Cases More Effective)

Try games like Humans Against Stress, the DBT Board Game, and Teen Relationships Quiz Show to make therapy sessions more interactive and fun.

Need an activity now? Skip ahead to therapy games you can use to engage clients, classrooms, and groups.

Blank stares. Confused looks. Heavy eyelids. What do you do when therapy groups go wrong? Let’s talk about some proven ways to engage your groups and clients through simple, fun, and effective therapy games. 

Therapy can feel like an amazing experience or a disaster, and that’s just from the therapist’s perspective. It’s particularly tricky if you’re working with individuals or groups who don’t necessarily want to be there but are fulfilling requirements for others. 

Examples of hesitant clients include teens who come to therapy at the urging of their school or parents or those who are participating in substance abuse treatment because they have little other choice.

While approaching 20 years of experience as a clinical social worker and therapist, I’ve been fortunate to be a part of many meaningful therapy sessions. On the other hand, I’ve also led groups and workshops that seemed like epic fails, especially at the time.

Looking back, I would make some changes from the start when it comes to group engagement, especially for folks not quite ready for change. When individuals just aren’t engaging, you may need a different approach. (And those ready to tackle issues can also benefit from a bit more levity and fun within sessions!)

I would begin by including more interactive elements. The first therapy game I ever observed was a game of beer pong, minus the beer. It wasn’t meant for college students necessarily, but it was a fun activity for teaching cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) concepts. Players were given ping pong balls with thoughts, feelings, or behaviors on them, and asked to bounce them into the corresponding bucket. 

For example, draw a ball that has the word “Disappointed” written on it, and try to bounce it into the feelings bucket. Next, try to bounce “Stomp off” into the behaviors container. At the end of the game, you look through the buckets together and discuss the differences between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. 

Would you personally rather learn CBT through this activity or participate in a more traditional psychoeducation lesson? If you said beer pong, then therapy games are for you! 

Such games are often encouraged as part of trauma-focused CBT, a kid-friendly therapy that integrates fun and encouragement within the (let’s face it) dryer concepts of cognitive therapy. 

With that in mind, the first game I ever created myself was a CBT Bingo game. Have you seen those cute games where you mark off the coping skills spots like “Go for a Walk,” and “Meditate?” While creative, I felt therapy Bingo could go deeper, and also work as an actual game to engage clients. 

So I created my own game called CBT Lingo, where you could use an actual Bingo set and mark off squares while you answer prompts such as, “Name a feeling you’ve had today,” or “How can you reframe a negative thought?” Just play until you (or another player) get five in a row and then start again. (Recently, I’ve created a similar Coping Skills Bingo game that works well with a general audience.)

I had also been creating worksheets at the time that I wanted to be more accessible and client-friendly (with less jargon and professional-y sounding language). To my surprise, the Bingo game was more popular than the worksheets, and I started selling them right away. 

And that’s when The Counseling Palette’s therapy games were born. The next game I created was CBT Island Quest, which I lovingly dreamed up sometime after learning TF-CBT. I wanted a game that followed the phases of the therapy protocol and could help guide kids, teens, and adults. Originally, I called it PTSD Quest, but it went through a few iterations before the final version. It’s another therapy game you can still find online! 

After that came therapy games like FEELOPOLY (and the sequel FEELOPOLY City), the Greatest DBT Board Game on Earth, and the Humans Against Stress card game (perhaps the most popular therapy game available right now for teens). While all of these games are printables, we are working on virtual therapy versions, and I’m thinking about publishing a printed option for the Humans Against Stress card game. (Let me know if you would enjoy that!)

Later, I created my first digital “Jeopardy-style” therapy game show, also about CBT, and it was a hit. The digital versions can be played in PowerPoint and include fun animations, music, and sound effects. (There are also PDF and Google Slides versions.) Because they can be projected, they work for online therapy as well as in classrooms, or even just the desktop in your office. 

I’ve gone on to create similar educational game shows for DBT skills, coping skills for adults, and a recently released one for teen relationships. All of these are modeled around evidence-based therapies and can supplement your already great work with clients while encouraging your more hesitant participants.

What are therapy games? 

Therapy games are designed to feel familiar to players while incorporating discussions and self-reflection about coping skills and other therapy concepts. While this can be done in more traditional formats, therapy games are more naturally engaging and, according to research, simply more fun (Noda et. al, 2019).

More studies on therapy games are needed, but available research shows that they make sessions more objectively fun and, in some cases, show improved learning. As I mentioned, fun and creative activities, including games, are a core part of TF-CBT therapy, which is among the most effective treatments for kids and teens. I think that says a lot in and of itself. 

Therapy games encourage resistant groups like bored teens and hesitant group members to be more involved and open to discussion and psychoeducation. So, how do games work in an actual counseling session? Let’s find out.

How do you use therapy games with clients?

What does a therapy game actually look like in a session? Like with other popular games like Monopoly or Chess, no two experiences are alike. It depends on the people, the goal, and most importantly, how the therapist facilitates the game. 

If you treat therapy games and discussion prompts in a rigid way, you’re less likely to encourage growth. However, if you model flexibility and reflection, you’ll get much further along. Here’s an example of how a game might go. 

Example turn in Humans Against Stress

It’s Janessa’s turn to be the “Designated Human” in Humans Against Stress. She shows the group a challenge card that describes having an overwhelming day. The other players lay down their recommended skill cards (choosing from what’s in their hand), with ideas like taking a deep breath, playing music, or calling a friend. 

Janessa’s role is to decide which skill she thinks goes best with her challenge. It would be easy for Janessa to just quickly choose the skill and finish her turn, and in some cases, that may be a win for a given group or client. However, you can also use this as an opportunity to encourage Janessa to open up in a less threatening way. 

Here’s how that might go. 

Therapist: Janessa’s challenge card is such a common situation everyone experiences sometimes. Janessa, can you think of a time when you felt this way? 

Janessa: I feel like every day is like this. I just can’t get ahead. 

Therapist: Life can feel impossible sometimes. Would you be okay with telling the group more about how you feel or what you mean? 

Janessa: It just feels like nothing ever goes like it should. I feel backed into a corner, and nothing I do is the right choice.

Therapist: I bet other people here know what you’re talking about. Can anyone relate? 

Group members: I definitely can … Me too … Life sucks. 

Therapist: I figured you weren’t the only one. I know a simple coping skill isn’t going to solve this problem, but maybe one small step can offer relief or a little bit of encouragement. Which skill do you want to choose for this challenge? 

Janessa: Well, I used to listen to music a lot when I felt down, but I kind of forget about it. I even have new headphones, but I never use them. 

Therapist: That’s great to remember then! What kind of music do you like in particular? 

Janessa: I like motivational songs like Roar or Survivor. 

Group members: I love that song … Eye of the Tiger is really good too.

Therapist: Those are pretty powerful songs. What does everyone like about these types of songs? 

Group members: I feel more energized when I listen … They’re about dealing with tough times, but you keep trying … Yeah, music is about the only thing that can help me feel better sometimes. 

Therapist: I totally agree with you all! We should listen to one of these at the end of group today. Help remind me. So Janessa, you’re going to choose the listening to music card? 

Janessa: Yeah, I like that one best. 

Therapist: Great job discussing this! You get your points for the round. Who put down listening to music? 

Maria: That was me!

Therapist: Excellent idea, that was a great choice for both of you! A point for Maria too. And, I think the other suggestions here would all work just as well. It really comes down to each person and what works best for them. 

Get the idea? This is all during just one round of a card game. The game works as a structure and guide, and the competitive element is secondary but keeps things interesting. The whole idea is to build up clients and encourage discussion.

So what if your players aren’t so willing? Here’s a more challenging example, but just as great an opportunity. 

Example turn in FEELOPOLY City 

Let’s say a player rounds the board of a game like FEELOPOLY City and lands on a space prompting a discussion card. The player reads a question about using coping skills for anger. If they say “I don’t know,” or refuse to answer and then forfeit the points for the turn, it won’t go much differently than a challenging session. 

But if your client, let’s say Johnny, draws a card and is declining to respond to a prompt, try this instead. 

Therapist: “Johnny drew a difficult question! It can be hard to think of coping skills when you feel angry. Can anyone else help him out with ideas? Go ahead Roberta!”

Roberta: “I know! I always just walk away so I don’t get in trouble.” 

Therapist: “That’s great that works for you Roberta! So Johnny, can you think of a time you might use Roberta’s idea to go for a walk if you felt really mad?”

Johnny: “I don’t know. Not really.”

Therapist: “You know I kind of put you on the spot there. Walking away might not work for every situation. Let me think of a more specific example ... If you felt like throwing your phone across the room do you think going for a walk would be worth trying so you didn’t damage your phone or get in trouble?”

Johnny: “Yeah, I guess.”

Therapist: “So it sounds like you’re open to it. I appreciate that Johnny! Make sure to claim your coping point for this round. And thanks Roberta for helping us out!”

Even if Johnny is still too shy to talk much, you prompted him to reflect on the question internally. And the rules in FEELOPOLY City say he still gets a point, even if he tried just a little bit. With one roll of the dice, you’ve modeled cooperation, flexibility, and support, while teaching a little bit about coping skills.

And once Johnny learns he’s not going to be embarrassed or belittled, he’ll likely feel more comfortable about opening up.

Meanwhile, players in the game get to listen to the ideas of other clients. All the better if the client gets stuck. It’s the perfect time to fill in the gap with education or coaching on solutions they haven’t tried yet. You really could use any game with rolls or turns to incorporate discussion.

I particularly like games that are themed for the particular goals of your group, like the DBT conflict resolution game, or the Coping Shuffle game all about coping skills! They have prompts built right in, and you can always add your own to make sure you’re on track with your particular client(s) goals.

Can therapy games work for virtual sessions? 

Some of my most successful individual virtual sessions have also included therapy games. In fact, if they ever need a way to torture therapists, it would be to make them do virtual therapy all day with resistant teenagers! Therapy games can save the day. 

Challenge your teen to a Jeopardy-style discussion game, and see if it changes the dynamic of your session. If you’re playing one-on-one, you can answer questions too, giving the other player some breathing room. While there’s no wrong answer, your teen can use strategies like choosing questions with higher point values to get ahead. (Adding a little bit of problem-solving practice too!)

Therapy game shows are the perfect activity for virtual sessions, because you can easily project and operate them on screen during a Zoom, Simple Practice, or Doxy session. Most virtual therapy platforms have a way to project your screen, which is all you need to host the game. 

Are therapy games evidence-based? 

There’s not a whole lot of research on therapy games per se. We know that the game format encourages learning and engagement, and educational outcomes are the same or a little better than traditional “lecture-type” methods. And, participants in therapy games say simply that games are more fun.

Specific therapies, such as TF-CBT, allow for a lot of creativity and flexibility in teaching concepts and processing with clients. As long as you have an end goal in mind, you’re being consistent with evidence-based practices. 

That’s how therapy games work too. For example, my CBT games prompt discussions of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. My DBT games use scenarios to discuss skills like Wise Mind or DEAR MAN. And my Couples Pursuit game includes elements of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Gottman principles. 

Therapy games can introduce new therapy concepts, provide psychoeducation, build rapport, and help clients review and practice new skills. They aren’t a replacement for therapy–they’re a tool to help the therapist build rapport and engagement.  

How do you find therapy games? 

I often hear that any game with turns can be used as a therapy game, and it’s true. You can simply add your own prompt to a turn in Checkers or have clients respond to a question while playing Twister. That’s totally valid. 

I like to take things a step further and create games that are goal-driven, such as Jeopardy-style games that are specifically about coping skills, or board games on feelings or DBT skills. To find games like mine and those that are similar, try these platforms. 

1. The Counseling Palette: The Counseling Palette has one of the largest catalogues of therapy games available. Their games are fun, evidence-based, and goal-focused. Download entertaining activities like the Humans Against Stress coping skills card game, the FEELOPOLY board game, or the Teen Relationships Quiz Show. All of The Counseling Palette therapy games can be printed or played online. 

2. Etsy: You can also find fun, printable and virtual therapy games on Etsy that focus on emotions, skills, or specific therapy goals. Just visit Etsy and look for the latest teen therapy activities, card decks, or challenges. There are also discussion prompts you can apply to nearly any party game. 

3. Teachers Pay Teachers: If you’re not a teacher, you might not think to check out this resource. But school counselors and other professionals often use therapy games in groups and sessions, so it can be a great place to research. TPT has many resources, including free options, like Jenga prompts and feelings cards for kids. It tends to be focused on a younger population, but you’ll find games for teens as well and a few created for adults. 

Can games be used in virtual therapy?

One of the best places to use therapy games is in virtual sessions. Games that can be run by a single person, such as Jeopardy-style quiz shows, are a perfect fit. You and your client or group can play as individuals or teams and answer discussion prompts. 

I would recommend avoiding games that have right or wrong answers, and try to find activities that have open-ended prompts. Quiz shows work great for this, because they can encourage discussion while also waking up clients with the competitive element. 

They’re also great for one-on-one sessions because they can help clients build confidence. I’m not saying to let the win, but … 

What are the best games to get started? 

If you or your clients are new to the therapy game world, how do you get started? I would say just about anywhere! For a simple start, you could pick either a card game or quiz show. 

If you’re working with teens, I would suggest Humans Against Stress or a Jeopardy-style game like this Teen Relationships activity. For adults, try more involved coping skills discussion games like this quiz show. If you work with kids in-person, Jenga with prompts or the original FEELOPOLY is a great place to start.

Most importantly, don’t be afraid to give it a try! If you have clients or groups that are less than engaged, there’s not much to lose. They make a great addition to your individual or group sessions, in-person or online. Browse games here or download a whole set and dive in with one of our Giant Therapy Bundles!

Sources

Noda S, Shirotsuki K, Nakao M. The effectiveness of intervention with board games: a systematic review. Biopsychosoc Med. 2019 Oct 21;13:22. doi: 10.1186/s13030-019-0164-1. PMID: 31641371; PMCID: PMC6802304.

About the Author

Jennie Lannette Bedsworth is a licensed therapist and the creator of The Counseling Palette, a trusted source for therapy games, group therapy activities, and printables. With two decades of experience in the mental health field, Jennie designs resources that make therapy engaging, effective, and accessible for all ages. Ready to transform your sessions? Explore our collection of therapy tools at The Counseling Palette.