The six games

Distortion Detective

Spotting thinking traps (cognitive distortions)

• Alex: no reply to a text
• Jordan: a disappointing test grade
• Riley: laughter in the hallway
• Sam: cut from the basketball team
• Taylor: a best friend sitting with new people
• Morgan: a stumble during a presentation
• Nolan: believing the homework will never get done
• Carlos: not wanting to stop a game to do chores
• Jayden: convinced he can skip brushing his teeth
• Kayla: focusing on the mistakes when she scored an A

Thought Forge

Building balanced thoughts (cognitive restructuring)

• Maya: picked last for a group project
• Derek: parents getting a divorce
• Priya: an art project someone called weird
• Leo: a missed shot in the last minute
• Zoe: a C+ on an essay
• Kai: plans cancelled two weekends in a row

Story Splitter

Considering other explanations (cognitive flexibility)

• Nia: not called on in class
• Carlos: friends went to the movies without him
• Amara: benched for the biggest game
• Ethan: mom seems upset on the drive home
• Lily: a weird look at lunch
• Aiden: friends keep picking a game he doesn't like
• Jayden: no reply in the group chat

Emotion Engine

Naming and managing feelings (emotional awareness and regulation)

• River: first day at a new school
• Sage: a sibling's bigger birthday party
• Quinn: an embarrassing photo sent to the wrong chat
• Rowan: yelled at in front of the class
• Avery: left out of a sleepover
• Phoenix: a top score while a best friend failed
• Jasper: big feelings after a father's sudden illness

The Gauntlet

Staying steady when things are hard (frustration tolerance)

• Blake: the essay that didn't save
• Jamie: a sibling barging in on a video call
• Dakota: blamed for something another kid did
• Cameron: lag in the final round
• Morgan: a favorite hoodie returned stained
• Reese: a test that felt unfair

The Tower

Facing fears one step at a time (gradual exposure)

• Mira: social anxiety
• Theo: fear of failure
• Isla: fear of rejection
• Nolan: fear of conflict
• Aria: fear of new things
• Dax: fear of embarrassment
• Priya: fear of failing after trying hard
• Theo: overwhelmed by getting started
• Isla: fear of sleeping alone
• Kai: fear of trying new foods