Tasha Milligan
- Dec 22, 2020
- 2 min read

Soothe Your Soul Coping Skill Game

Updated: Jun 23

Soothe Your Soul is a CBT game for teaching coping skills.

Coping skills are such a vital part of effective therapy. It seems like I'm always drilling the skills, trying to help children implement them when they need them. It seems like each kid learns differently and identifies with a different set of skills.

How to stop the fight or flight response

This counseling game is very heavy on CBT. It focuses on visualization, thought-stopping and replacement, and rescripting. All coping skills are important, but I find CBT skills to be the most effective. When children learn how to control their thoughts and self-talk, they can be in control of their emotions. Once they feel calm and in control of their emotional state, behaviors should improve as well.

There are four categories of cards, each highlighting a different skill for calming the body:

Coping Strategies - When kids discover certain things they can do to feel calm, they are better able to manage their body's response to stress and feel in control over their bodies. There are many different skills to use. Check out this blog post for more information on types of skills and how to make flashcards to help kids remember how and when to use them.
Talk it Out - It is important to process emotions. Once you put words to how you feel, your brain is able to help make sense of the situation. These cards focus on ways to process emotions whether it is finding a confidant to talk to or journaling.
Relax Your Body - Anger and anxiety can result in pent-up energy in the body. It can also result in somatic symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches, or chronic illness. There are many ways to calm the body such as exercise, progressive relaxation, and breathing exercises.
Mental Escape - Cognitive behavioral therapy skills are highly effective in treating many conditions, especially anxiety. Skills such as thought-stopping and replacement, rescripting, challenging thoughts, and visualization help bring relief to ruminating thoughts and worries.

This game has a peaceful, calming vibe to bring relaxation and peace.

This game is best for teens and tweens but can be used with kids as young as 2nd grade. It is a little too advanced for younger children. It can be used in individual, group, and family sessions. It is available as a hard copy, PDF download, and for telehealth.