Therapy Activities

Playing games in sessions

Playing games in sessions can offer many benefits and opportunities to engage with clients in a fun and interactive way.

Games in therapy sessions can help to:

• Build the rapport between clients and therapists in a less intimidating way
• Encourage conversation among the game players
• Remove some of the inhibition clients may feel about therapy
• Foster a connection between the game players
• Give the space for the therapeutic relationship to develop and grow
• Teach skills relevant to the treatment plan (ex: coping skills, CBT skills, social skills, communication skills).

There are different options for selecting games to use in a session. Mental health private practice therapists may choose to use games specifically designed for therapy, create a unique game, or use store-bought games.

An existing game can be modified to fit a therapeutic purpose. Modifications can be made to many aspects of a game such as rules, game-playing pieces, game cards, or the game board.

If a mental health private practice therapist chooses to modify an existing game or create a unique game, several important factors should be considered:

• The therapeutic purpose of the game (ex: teach a skill, identify triggers, identify feelings, build rapport)
• Incorporating this treatment purpose into the game
• Is it developmentally appropriate for the target clients who will play the game?

Using guided meditations during the session

Using guided meditations during the therapy session helps the client feel more connected to the therapist. It creates an opportunity for a mindful interaction between the therapist and the client. They can discuss how the client feels before and after the mediation. The mental health private practice therapist can answer any questions the client may have regarding the mediation experience or process.

If a client feels intimidated about meditation, incorporating meditation into the session may make it a more comfortable experience for the client. With the support and guidance of the therapist in session, the client may feel more confident and comfortable with meditation. They may be more likely to follow through with meditation outside of the therapy session.

To guide the meditation, the mental health private practice therapist can use a recording of a meditation. Or, if the therapist has the appropriate training, the therapist can guide the meditation.

Mindfulness exercises in session

There are many mindfulness-based exercises that mental health private practice therapists can use to mindfully interact with clients during a therapy session. Clinicians can use the time in a session to teach, guide, and model mindfulness as part of their mental health private practice. The mental health private practice therapist can observe the client’s response to the exercises, provide feedback, and assign relevant homework based on the direct experience in the session. It also allows the opportunity for questions and discussion on the client’s emotional response to the exercises.

Some mindfulness exercises to include in a session are:

• Mindful eating such as the Raisin Exercise
• Mindful breathing exercises
• Mindful seeing
• Mindful walking
• 5 Senses

Music therapy

Playing music during a therapy session can create opportunities to develop a more cohesive relationship and connection between the therapist and client as well as stimulate progress on treatment goals. Music helps to create the space for thoughts and feelings to flow more freely.

Therapists may use music in session to:

• Teach therapeutic skills relevant to the treatment plan
• Encourage clients to slow down and just listen
• Generate conversations about the meanings of lyrics and how the client relates to the lyrics
• Create conversations about thoughts and feelings evoked from the music
• Relaxation
• Casual conversations about the music to build rapport
• Therapeutic discussions about memories the music may trigger

Using art in session

Art in therapy is a creative outlet that can help clients to access and process their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Through art, people can learn more about their inner selves and improve their well-being using creative expressions. Art can help people to find relief from emotions, pain?, and crises and can be conducted as part of an in-office session or in teletherapy.

Therapists can use the art that clients create to improve their therapeutic connections and stimulate relevant conversations surrounding the artwork. When therapists introduce art into a therapy session, clients can experience a greater sense of self-awareness and self-esteem. It can help clients to process strong emotions, decrease anxiety, and lower stress levels with the support of the therapist in the session.