Cognitive Distortions is a cognitive-behavioral therapy game created to be used in counseling for elementary through middle school-age children who battle with irrational thoughts or behavior patterns. 
 
This game can be played in individual counseling with the counselor and client, in a family session, or in a small group format.  This game focuses on educating clients on identifying these cognitive distortions, problems that may arise from using these thought patterns, and processing how these cognitive distortions have impacted them personally.  This game will serve as a diagnostic tool for clinicians to identify problematic thinking and will allow the counselor, through play, to help clients learn how to control their self-talk and implement coping skills.
 
Card Topics Include:
Blaming - This refers to not taking responsibility for behavior or mistakes, casting the blame on others.
Magnifying - This one refers to exaggerating negative qualities and minimizing positive qualities.
Filtering - Filtering occurs when someone focuses only on the negative aspects of an event and ignores the positive aspects.
Controlling - This group feels that they must be in control to be happy.
Global Labels - This one is about lumping everyone with certain qualities in a group and believing they all behave a certain way, have certain characteristics, or an expectation on behavior.
Mind Reading - This occurs when someone assumes they know what others are thinking.
Catastrophizing - This is the classic "Chicken Little" response. It is expecting a catastrophe or near-death experience in normal situations.
 
You will receive a zip file that includes a PowerPoint version of this game as well as a Google Slides link.  You can share it on your telehealth platform to interact with the game with your client. Here is a link to a tutorial for how to play games via Google Slides: https://www.pathwaystopeacecounseling.com/post/how-to-use-google-slides-to-play-games.
 
This game is also available as a hard copy and PDF download.