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Anxiety is a powerful emotion. It can overwhelm, disrupt, and dysregulate\u2014and can make the tasks of daily living really difficult.\u00a0People with high anxiety often struggle to maintain social connections, navigate high-stress situations, and take risks in life.\u00a0The fear of what\u00a0could\u00a0happen is overpowering, leaving people feeling stuck and afraid.<\/p>\n
But stress isn\u2019t always a negative force in life!\u00a0Stress can motivate us to make important changes, put ourselves out there, or push ourselves to the next level. Most importantly, it can help us learn more about ourselves\u2014what we want, what\u2019s holding us back, and what we\u2019re capable of when we really put our minds to it<\/p>\n
When someone creates a sand tray scene, they are telling a story\u2014 and usually more than one story. The story may be a combination of the past, present and future. For example, it may be exploring a trauma that occurred long ago, while also processing how that story outcome can be changed.<\/p>\n
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When it comes to stress, it\u2019s important to know the difference between healthy and unhealthy stress.\u00a0Unhealthy stress, or\u00a0distress, makes engagement with life difficult\u2014whereas\u00a0healthy stress\u00a0can increase engagement and even lead to feelings of motivation and excitement.\u00a0Healthy stress is enlivening, whereas unhealthy stress leaves us feeling drained and demoralized.<\/p>\n
Working through healthy stress is a powerful way of combating anxiety\u2014and board games can be a fun way to encounter healthy stress in the therapy room.<\/p>\n
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Renowned game designer Jane McGonigal defines a game having four components: a goal, rules, a feedback system, and voluntary participation.\u00a0For participation to be\u00a0voluntary, all players must share an understanding of the other three components, and must willingly agree to play together.<\/p>\n
Our therapists at TheraThrive often use board games to help clients move through anxiety. Negative stress comes when we aren\u2019t invested in what\u2019s happening around us, or didn\u2019t consent to the dynamics we find ourselves in.<\/p>\n
From a physiological standpoint, healthy stress occurs when a person knows: I\u2019m safe, and I\u2019m choosing this.
A major goal in therapy is to help individuals distinguish between healthy and unhealthy stress.\u00a0Board games present players with the opportunity to willingly encounter stress, and choose how they want to engage with it. In the world of the game, failure doesn\u2019t have the same consequences it has in everyday life. Players can push themselves to confront stress head-on\u2014knowing that once the game is over, they can return to the safety of the therapy room.<\/p>\n
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Anxiety is an overwhelming emotion\u2014but we don\u2019t have to face it on our own!<\/p>\n
While some board games are competitive, pitting players against each other, others are collaborative\u2014empowering players to join forces against a common foe.\u00a0In collaborative games, there are no winners or losers.\u00a0Players are\u00a0in it together, and must band together to use their skills to overcome external obstacles.<\/p>\n
The Mind\u00a0is a card game that helps build connection and rapport between players. The deck is made up of 100 cards, numbered 1-100. Each person gets a hand, and players must work together to lay down numbers in the correct sequence. But there\u2019s a twist: players can\u2019t openly communicate about their numbers! They must get through each round without speaking\u2014or if they do speak, they must avoid using certain words or phrases.<\/p>\n
The bond between therapist and client is strengthened when they agree on parameters around how to communicate.\u00a0By identifying words that can and can\u2019t be used, therapist and client develop their own secret language.\u00a0They transform a simple numbers game into an elaborate communication game\u2014and as both players learn to connect despite the obstacles, they are able to work as a team to win together.<\/p>\n
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The feeling of being under pressure is a huge trigger for many people living with anxiety\u2014but games can teach us to be motivated by pressure, rather than overwhelmed by it.<\/p>\n
In\u00a0Forbidden Island, for example, players are faced with the task of finding treasure hidden below a sinking island. Each player takes on the role of a specific character on the island, and each has their own unique set of skills.\u00a0Players must work together in a desperate race against time\u2014and if any one player gets stranded, it\u2019s game over.<\/p>\n
As the island sinks faster and faster, players are challenged to face their anxiety. Yet\u00a0Forbidden Island\u00a0is a game that can\u2019t be won alone. Players must rely on one another in order to beat the clock, developing a shared strategy to make it out alive.\u00a0Because players work as a team rather than against one another, they experience healthy stress in a contained environment\u2014where stakes are high but everyone is still having fun!<\/p>\n
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