by Eric B. Vogel, Psy.D. Kids love collecting cards, and they'll love capturing Psymon cards as they learn important cognitive-behavioral skills with this enchanting board game.
Each of the 10 "bad" Psymon ("psychological monsters") represents a negative thinking pattern and common cognitive distortion. Players learn about their modes of attack and strategies for defending against them. The 6 "good" Psymon exhibit the positive cognitive-behavioral skills that defeat negative thinking habits. Players earn points by identifying the good and bad Psymon at work in the situations described on Think cards.
Beautifully illustrated and really fun to play, Psymon is an ideal tool for teaching children cognitive behavioral life skills.
"This game is an outstanding new tool to aid in making Cognitive Therapy understandable and fun for school-age children." Tonia Brockman, Ph.D., Chief Psychologist, Kaiser Permanente, South San Francisco, CA
| Topics: | Coping, Thinking & Cognition, Assessment |
| Recommended ages: | Ages 8 through 14 |
| Grade level: | Grades 3 through 9 |
| Players: | 2 - 12 |
| Printed in: | USA |
Therapists say this CBT board game is engaging and useful for helping kids (and even some adults) identify cognitive distortions and practice challenging negative thoughts, often sparking good discussion. Some note drawbacks: cards can be text-heavy for kids, scenarios feel juvenile (though some find that helpful), and the monster artwork/components could be improved—several wish for better illustrations, figurines, or a take-home Psymon reference.
