The first draft of my second telehealth book is submitted, and I am excitedly waiting for my editor’s comments. Of course, days after I submitted the manuscript, I found an online version of yet another game I have used in my in-person office. But that is why I started this blog, right? To offer resources.
Rush Hour is a logic-based game with levels of varying difficulty. Your client must move the cars around to release the red car from the parking lot. The physical game comes with a book of levels, which allows the client to choose a difficulty level but requires you to set up each level before you play. The setup takes time, and it is possible to accidentally put a car in the wrong place, making the level unsolvable.
The online version of this game has the same rules and goal as the physical one. Share your screen, and grant the client remote control. You can take turns on different levels, work together to solve a level, or narrate your client’s emotions and problem solving process as they work through the game. The levels auto-populate, eliminating the need to set them up and ensuring that each level is accurate and solvable. It is also much easier to watch your client’s problem solving approach and process since you are both viewing the game from the same angle with the screen share. Levels are also timed, which is a great way to work through anxiety about timed tasks or help redirect the client to practice their focus skills.
One drawback to the telehealth Rush Hour game is that you cannot choose levels. When the game loads, you start at Level One each time. You also cannot turn off the timer feature, so if a client wants to focus on the task without the pressure of being timed, this is not an option. I have used this game in situations where time anxiety was a factor, and the length of time allowed for each level was sufficient to reduce anxiety while still having the timer there.
Overall, I think this is a great addition to my telehealth arsenal. It works for problem solving, executive functioning, focus, and anxiety related to timed tasks, and if you and the client work together on a level, you can incorporate communication skills and teamwork.
Happy therapy-ing!