As a therapist working with young people and children, games form a part of my resource tool box. They are great in so many ways from breaking the ice to helping build the relationship. When a young person enters my therapy room, it's often the first time they have had counselling and I would always like them to have a positive experience, as I don't want to put them off seeking counselling in the future.
Over my time working in a school I learnt that many young people have a preconception that counselling is just awkward and people just sit in silence. Whilst I do acknowledge that silence is a vital part of the therapeutic process and therapy isn't always comfortable, it can quickly become unbearable and for some that's enough to stop them returning.
If I am sensing that a client is uneasy, or is feeling pressure around filling the space, I give my noticing and if appropriate I might offer we work a little differently. Often, shoulders drop and faces soften as they say 'yes, can we do something different?', and then they get to lead the way on what it is we do.
Emotion Quest is a game which is a firm favourite amongst my teen clients, and despite Uno sitting proudly beside it on the shelf, my clients gravitate towards it - I'm still amazed each and every time that happens!
Just to add, I don't ever disclose to clients that I create some of the products in my toolbox, as I feel that isn't appropriate. Should they know, they may feel obligated to choose mine, or in the event that they may hate it, they don't voice it to avoid potentially hurting my feelings. For me, this keeps the ethical boundary and allows clients to interact with resources authentically.
I created Emotion Quest as I wanted to have a tool that was engaging and fun whilst also offering heaps of therapeutic value. The game offers strategic play, as well as question cards that prompt conversations. 
The aim of the game is to collect all four of the Emotion Cards and you do that by primarily answering questions. Each question card has two questions on offer, worth either one or two points depending which question is answered and that's the players choice. They also have the choice to not answer the questions at all, but then they are relying solely on luck to stand any chance of winning the game. I was very intentional about having some questions feel very light and surface level and others that go a little deeper. Once you have collected 5 tokens, you can then trade them for an Emotion Card.
Each Emotion card depicts one of four emotions Joy, Anger, Sadness and Fear and comes accompanied by an affirmation related to the emotion. These in themselves can act as a conversation starter - do they agree with the statement etc?
I didn't want the game to feel too heavy so it felt important to include lighter elements to the game play such as fun Roll the Dice, Trade, Pair me up and Power cards.
Key Benefits of Emotion Quest
Helps clients to explore and express their emotions in a structured, supportive environment, whilst empowering them to choose how they engage with the game. This fosters a sense of control which is so vital for young people who often feel that they have little agency or control in so many situations.
I will add that I don't object if a client wants to change the rules, trade in three token instead of five etc. It's all part of the process and I encourage that.
The question cards allow clients to gain deeper insights into their thoughts, feelings and experiences. The dual question card format allow clients to engage at a level that feels comfortable for them and they also get to decide which question cards they wish to play. The questions help to provide a safe space for clients to practice articulating their thoughts and emotions.
The play is interactive and engaging, combining strategy, luck, and emotional exploration, making the therapeutic process fun and interactive which in turn strengthens the therapeutic relationship and builds trust.
I really hope that you found this useful and you can check out the listing for Emotion Quest by clicking here.
Thanks for reading
Michelle