Worries Card Sort®
Worries Card Sort®: An Interactive Game for Clinicians and Caregivers
Welcome to Worries Card Sort® - a fun and engaging game designed to help clinicians and caregivers uncover and understand the lived experiences and mental health concerns of children and youth.
This tool offers a unique and interactive way to explore children's thoughts, feelings, and experiences. By facilitating the sorting of worries, experiences, and challenges, Worries Card Sort® enables children to express their concerns in a safe, supportive, and open environment, making possibly difficult discussions more approachable.
Free Local Pickup Available
Instructions
Worries Card Sort® consists of 85 cards with different worries or experiences on them (for example, bedtime or sleeping alone, when my caregiver gets angry or scares me, unwanted thoughts that pop into my head even when I try not to have them, feeling sad a lot of the time, speaking in front of the class or asking my teacher a question, feeling guilty about something that happened, how my body looks, and so on), and a game board with four categories for sorting (never or not at all, sometimes or a little bit, always or a lot, and unsure or doesn't apply).
No matter what category the child chooses for any given card, it is important to validate their inner world and experience in a way that proves we understand them.
For example, if a child places the card "when my caregiver gets angry or scares me" in the "a lot" category, it is important to validate the child's reality without becoming defensive, explanatory, or self-referential. You may wish to consider utilizing the "3 because" strategy, where we demonstrate our understanding to the child by hypothesizing 3 because statements that convey understanding: "It makes sense that you feel worried when mom gets angry, because it can be loud and because it can be scary and because it probably makes you feel sad." Ensuring our response aligns with a child's inner experience and effectively conveying our understanding can allow the child to feel validated. This approach can contribute to the development and enhancement of a child's emotional regulation skills.
Important to Note
While this game has been developed in accordance with current criteria from the The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), Worries Card Sort® is not a replacement for professional mental health services or diagnostic assessment. In cases of worrisome or persistent mental nealth concerns, please consult a licensed clinician or mental health professional.
If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback, please don't hesitate to contact Nikki Carter: contact@valleycentreforcounselling.com