Tend the Garden of Your Heart: A CBT Counseling Game

Our hearts are a beautiful garden full of our most precious characteristics, our talents, dreams, and ambitions. It is in our hearts that we experience love, compassion, and greatness.  However, weeds can take root when we allow things like bitterness, hate, self-deceit, and insecurities take root.  Once we start to believe negative self-talk statements or unkind thoughts about others, the roots of the weeds entangle our hearts and can squeeze out the goodness that was once there.  

This game is designed to bring awareness to the heart condition, to uproot negative thoughts, and to plant new seeds of goodness to take over the garden.  This game provides an overview of CBT skills for kids to learn to recognize self-talk, challenge irrational or unhelpful talk, and to rescript statements.  It also helps bring awareness to the choice of what to allow in your heart and mind.  There are four categories of cards: “Plant Seeds of Goodness,” “Weed Out False Beliefs,” “Embrace Your Beauty,” and “Nurture Your Garden.”  The metaphoric language lends itself to addressing issues of diversity, building a positive self-esteem, and embracing characteristics that are different from other people.

Contents include: 1 game board,1 cover sheet with instructions, 4 front and back pages of game cards, 12 cards per sheet, 6 pawns, and 1 die