Enhancing Emotional Awareness of At-Risk Youth Through Game Play

Adolescents often struggle with emotional turmoil. For at-risk youth in a residential treatment center, the ability to identify, process, and respond to complex feelings effectively is often impaired. We modified the commercial game Jenga (Scott, 1983) for use with at-risk youth to facilitate the identification, personalization, and awareness of emotions. Specific instructions for the adaption of this game are provided, as are examples for practical use. This modification of the game is designed to meet diverse client needs inclusive of multicultural considerations. The game is easily incorporated into a variety of theoretical counseling orientations.