CHANGE
CONCEPT AND APPLICATION SHEET
Board game "My Inner Team"
A visual board game for resource activation, conflict resolution and promotion of emotional self-regulation
1. Educational Concept
Making inner processes visible – Playfully understanding aspects of personality. "My Inner Team" is a deeply effective reflection game that helps educational professionals to discuss internal conflicts, strengths and blockades with children, adolescents and adults. Players choose traits as team members, set up opponents, and reflect on their inner dynamics in a systemic, solution-oriented manner.
The football field aesthetic of the game board offers an intuitive metaphor: life as a game – with formation, strategy, captain, opposing team, and training plan. The game approach creates emotional distance while maintaining high self-engagement – ideal for people with low frustration tolerance, communication inhibitions, or complex internal conflicts.
The game is not rigid – it can be changed over time, just as (self-)perception changes and development happens.
2. Why the game works in an educational context
🧠 promotes reflection – structures inner parts and facilitates self-understanding🎯 solution-oriented – promotes resource activation instead of problem focusing🧩 systemically adaptable – supports counseling, promotion & goal setting🎲 playful and low-threshold – particularly helpful in residential, school, and counseling contexts
The difference to classic tools like cards or scales: While reflection cards often provide visual impulses, a board game creates a haptic, interactive, and dynamic process. It's not just about selection, but about positioning, role distribution, and strategies – using terms from team sports: captain, bench, lineup, training.
3. Game content at a glance
1 high-quality wooden playing field with a football field look- 52 coins with terms:
Strengths & Competencies: Courage, Creativity, Humor, Self-confidence, Discipline, Patience, Athleticism, Independence, Self-efficacy, Tolerance, Empathy, Clarity, Intuition, Determination, Team spirit, Willpower, Perseverance, Responsibility, Empathy, Charisma, Intelligence, Trust, Structure, Agency, Balance, Explosive power- Blockades & Challenges: Perfectionism, Defiance/Stubbornness, Fear, Sadness, Anger, Fear of Failure, Pessimism, Shame, Dependence, Selfishness, Mistrust
- 6 game cards with targeted reflection questions:
- Who is the strongest player from the opposing team? Which of your players could weaken them?
- Which of your competencies/strengths form your strongest team?
- Who is your team captain and thus the most important key player?
- What dream team would I create in the future to tackle my future?
- Who is in your opposing team? Who do you have to compete against?
- Which team/players would I need to overcome a current problem?
Areas of application
- Youth welfare & residential groups
- School social work
- Coaching & career orientation
- Psychotherapy & trauma pedagogy
- Family & Couples Counseling
- Disability Support, Elderly Care, Biographical Work
4. Application Recommendation (Short Version)
Quick start for professionals – like in a real game:
- Warm-up: Prepare board and coins – introduction to the setting
- Line-up: Participant chooses 6–8 coins for their own team (strengths)
- Opponent analysis: Then 3–6 coins for the opposing team (blockages)
- Name the captain: Who is currently calling the shots? Who should lead?
- Game analysis: Use reflection cards – connect players, find counter-strategies
- Create a training plan: What should be strengthened, what should be substituted?
- Evaluation: Visualize insights – e.g., draw, write, speak
Further application ideas (bullet points):
- 1. Strengthening and visualizing one's own abilities & resources
- 2. Reflection on weaknesses, hurdles, worries & fears
- 3. Problem analysis: Who or what is disturbing, hindering, blocking?
- 4. Pro & Con setup: Good vs. burdensome aspects
- 5. Goal setting & dream team: Which players do I need to achieve my goal?
- 6. Team analysis & group dynamics: How do I see myself – how do others see me?
6. Case Studies from Practice
Case Study 1: Youth Welfare – Working with a 12-year-old boyA boy from a residential facility often seems tense, withdraws, and shows resistance to group activities. In a guided setting with "My Inner Team," he assembles his team from the coins Courage, Perseverance, Creativity, Self-confidence, Humor, Agency, Team Spirit, and Intuition. He chooses Courage as his captain. His opposing team consists of Fear of Failure, Anxiety, Dependence, Shame, Distrust. The choice of captain helps him to talk about his fears. He realizes: "My Courage player sometimes helps me to participate anyway, even if I'm scared." The professional uses the image for goal setting: When does Team Courage need support? Who on the bench could be substituted?
Case Study 2: Mother-Child Work – Burdened mother reflects on family dynamicsA single mother feels overwhelmed with her 10-year-old son, who has many conflicts at school and at home. In coaching, she sets up an inner team of Patience, Clarity, Self-efficacy, Charisma, Intuition, Discipline, Empathy, and Responsibility. She chooses Responsibility as her captain. Her opposing team consists of Overwhelm, Self-doubt, Anger, Distrust, Perfectionism. In the conversation, she realizes: "I try to do everything perfectly – that overwhelms me." Through visualization, she can let go, allow for a change in perspective, and create a training plan for self-efficacy and patience to act with more confidence in everyday life.
5. Application Recommendation (Long Version)
Overview of application variants – process-oriented & creatively deployable:
- 1. Strengthening & Visualizing Own Abilities & ResourcesPlayers set up their inner team, choosing 6–8 strengths and competencies. Goal: Promote self-perception, recognize strengths, strengthen sense of self.
- 2. Elaboration & Reflection of Weaknesses, Hurdles & WorriesDefine opponents: Which inner parts are blocking? What causes fear? Who is in the way? Goal: Confront burdensome aspects.
- 3. Problem Analysis with Current or Past ConflictThe players describe a concrete problem. Then it is made visible: Which coins are hindering? Who in the team can support? Which players are missing?
- 4. Pro and Con SetupDivision into strengthening and inhibiting aspects – strengths vs. blockades. An internal dialogue between both sides is visualized.
- 5. Goal and Wish SetupParticipants consider: Which dream team do I need to achieve my goal? Which players are still missing? Which ones should go to training?
- 6. Group & Team AnalysisMutual setup: How do others see me? Which players do they assign to me? What makes our team strong? What is missing in our group?
Note: Experienced professionals can freely introduce the game and allow space for the process. If handled confidently, the game can also start without instructions – what develops from it arises in the moment.
When?
- In individual counseling, group sessions, support settings
- In social skills training, conflict resolution, coaching
- During transitions, decision-making processes, goal definitions
How?
- Introduction: Invitation to "team lineup" - Which players belong to your inner team?
- Choose players: Define your own team members + opponents (strengths vs. blockades)
- Name the captain: Who is currently leading? Who should lead?
- Use reflection cards: Develop solution ideas, target images, counter-strategies
- Training plan: Which players need more playing time? Who goes to the bench? Which strengths need training?
- Ask transfer questions: What will you take away? What can you use concretely tomorrow?
- Create visibility: Draw players, document them in the portfolio, reflect
In-depth game application – attitude, conversation skills & transfer work
The game fully unfolds its effect when it is understood not as a "tool" but as an invitation to self-discovery. An accompanying attitude of genuine curiosity, openness and trust in the child's or adolescent's ability to process is important.
Deliberately using player roles – pedagogical meanings:
- Striker: The striker stands for active solution strategies, courage and goal orientation. He symbolizes parts that push forward, want to achieve goals and bring energy into implementation. Question: "Which of your players goes on the offensive?"
- Goalkeeper: The goalkeeper protects one's inner self. He stands for emotional stability, boundaries and protection. Often he is a symbol for self-care, demarcation or resilience. Question: "What helps you to protect yourself or fend off things?"
- Defender: These roles keep opponents at bay. They stand for inner protection mechanisms, structure, vigilance or strategies for problem-solving. Question: "Who defends your team against blockades?"
- Team captain: A mirror of current life reality – who (consciously or unconsciously) is currently leading internally?
- Substitute bench: Stands for uncertainties, ambivalences and development potential – what might soon come into play?
- Training plan: Symbolizes growth areas – what needs strengthening? Which competencies need to work better together?
- Professionals should not interpret too quickly, but first ask questions: "What does this characteristic do to you?", "Why is this player important?"
Especially with adolescents facing multiple burdens, working with the game over several sessions can build trust and ultimately lead to change.
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