Choose Your Adventure Worksheet
List of Materials:
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Choose Your Adventure Worksheet
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Pen/Pencil
Instructions:
For the first page, ask the client to think of and write down a situation in which they need to make a decision. This decision can be a difficult decision that they have had trouble making on their own, a situation where they feel pressured to act quickly, or a situation where they have acted before thinking of the consequences. Ask the client to then write down three (or more) different actions they could take in the situation. Then ask the client to write down a likely result of each of these three actions. The order of the results should correspond to the order of the previous actions listed. Ask the client to consider how they would feel at the conclusion of each of these action and consequences, and write those feelings down. Again, the feelings should correspond to the order of the two previous sections. After carefully considering each of the three actions, conclusions, and resulting feelings, ask the client to write down which option they would prefer.
The second page should be filled out in a similar fashion; however, the situation should be one which has already taken place. Ask the client to think of a situation where they were not happy with the results of an action they took and write it down in the first section. Next, ask the client to write down three ways they could have behaved that are different than the action they took. Similar to the first page, ask the client to write down likely the results of these different actions. Then ask the client to consider how they would have felt at the conclusion of each f these actions. Finally ask the client to write down which action they would have preferred to take.
This worksheet can continue to be used with each final decision as many times as the client finds helpful using as many possible outcomes as they prefer.
Target Client Population:
This activity would be most appropriate for people ages 10 and older. Although its application can be extended beyond this target population, this exercise would be most ideal for two populations:
- For those struggling with making decisions. The first page of the worksheet can help this population learn how to think through their choices and weigh possible outcomes.
- hose struggling with impulse control issues (especially those who often regret impulsive actions). This first portion of this exercise can teach this population to think of possible consequences of their actions and then decide upon an action only after this consideration. The second portion can help them learn from past experiences and identify other possible actions to take in future situations.
Expected Results:
Regarding the population who has trouble making decisions: This exercise would help make an abstract idea more concrete. By considering each possible action individually, the client may feel less overwhelmed and be able to focus more effectively.
In regards to clients with impulse control issues: This exercise may teach the client to delay their reaction time. With the repetition of this exercise, these clients may learn to pause and consider their behavior options before they react. If similar situations occur repeatedly, these past situations can be investigated to devise a future plan of action with a more positive outcome.
Troubleshooting:
It is possible that youth may not want to re-live past experiences that were troubling for them. If this is the case, it is important to be as diplomatic as possible when explaining that with their imagination they can think about alternative choices if a similar event were to happen again.
References:
Riordan, R. J. (1996). Scriptotherapy: Therapeutic Writing as a Counseling Adjunct. Journal Of Counseling & Development , 74 (3), 263.
Originally posted on the Geek Therapy Wiki, hosted on the now-defunct Wikispaces platform, as part of Dr. Patrick O’Connor’s course Geek Culture in Therapy.