Goal-setting is an important part of the therapy process, and this can be especially challenging with kids and teens who probably weren’t the ones to decide that they “needed” mental health services. When I did in-person sessions, one activity that a lot of teenagers enjoyed was making vision boards. We would take paper and magazinesContinue reading “Vision Boards”
Tag Archives: teletherapy
Online Dollhouse
I’ve been trying to create a virtual dollhouse for months and could not figure out the best way to make it intuitive, simple, and aesthetically pleasing. Fortunately, I’m one of thousands in my field, and someone else had a strength I was lacking. Dr. Karen Fried did an amazing job creating an interactive virtual dollhouse,Continue reading “Online Dollhouse”
Crazy Eights
Crazy Eights is similar to Uno in that you are trying to get rid of all the cards in your hand and have to play something that matches either the color (suit) or number of the card before. Since it uses a standard deck of cards, there are no skips, reverses, or draw twos, andContinue reading “Crazy Eights”
White Boards
Therapists who use Zoom might be familiar with the white board feature: when you select “share screen,” one of the options is to share a white board. If you’re using a Chrome book, you can also use Whiteboard Fox to create a private whiteboard to use with your client. In my office, I used whiteboardContinue reading “White Boards”
Charades
Who didn’t love charades as a kid? Well, I didn’t because of my social anxiety, but most people really enjoyed it! Therapeutically, charades can help shy or anxious kids come out of their shell and can normalize being “silly” when the therapist takes their turn. It can also be a way to model different emotionsContinue reading “Charades”
Chats
I am sure that anyone using Zoom is aware of the Chat feature. It’s how I share custom links with clients to join me in online games, but it has another use that has come in handy in my sessions. Talking and therapy seem to go hand-in-hand, but for a number of reasons, a clientContinue reading “Chats”
Dominoes
Before I started working from home, I had a huge box of dominoes in my office. I rarely used it for its original intent, as kids much prefer to build with the tiles or make a path that they can then knock over. But when I was looking for games that could be played overContinue reading “Dominoes”
Pictionary
Although I am not certified as an Art Therapist, I have done continuing education in art therapy and lead a group for teenagers who want to explore how their creative side can help them cope with mental illness. There are a lot of great ways to use art in a session, and even over telehealth,Continue reading “Pictionary”
Uno
Are you even a child therapist if you don’t play Uno at least once a day at your practice? It’s an excellent way to build relationship, it’s fun, there’s a combination of strategy and luck involved, and kids of all ages already know how to play. A couple of my clients have struggled to getContinue reading “Uno”
Connect Four
I. LOVE. Connect Four. It’s similar to chess in that you have to plan ahead and focus on two things at once (where I’m moving and where you’re moving), but it’s much less complicated and so can be used with younger clients. If you want to play Connect Four with your clients, this website willContinue reading “Connect Four”
