Resource Game for DID SystemWork (ft. Unicorn)

A while ago we created a resource-oriented game to play with our DID system. We were looking for a playful way to get together and do things that create a relational experience as well as lift our mood and support our DID SystemWork. (If you don’t have DID, keep reading to find out how you can use it for yourself and include your friends.)

 

This game will help you to

• recall good memories. It’s not all trauma.
• share good memories with your DID system for a better overview over your life and to fill the gaps
• find out what you really like, so you can have that more
• get to know each other better
• improve the tools and resources you already have
• cheer up, improve your mood and ground you in the moment
• distract yourself from negative thoughts and feelings
• ….

 

How to make your own game:

The foundation of the game are cards with questions from different categories. We use the categories

• Blue: All about me
• Yellow: Life events and stories
• Green: Resources
• Pink: unicorn questions

 

Make your own cards. (Find examples for questions below)

You can add categories if you like and you can also change the colors if you don’t like ours or replace them with symbols. Make sure to add your own questions!

 

Take a piece of cardboard and paint little circles or squares or blobs, that create a path on the board. Use the colors you chose for your categories. Maybe the path is going in a circle or it starts at one end and ends somewhere else. Maybe you add fields to make you jump ahead or fall back a little. When your path is clear you can paint everything else however you want to.

 

 

Pick small items to represent you and your system members.You can look around in your home or take pieces out of Monopoly or another board game. If you are working with a sand tray and personalized items, you might want to use these.

To move forward you can roll dice, use dice that show color instead of numbers or turn a spinner like in Twister.

Make sure that nothing about this game is triggering.

 

Playing with the DID system

Ask inside who wants to join, set your pieces to start, agree to an order in which you will take turns. It might help if you imagine sitting in a circle around the board inside.

There is no need to switch every time it is your turn, that would be very tiring. Whoever is fronting can take a card, read it for the part whose turn it is and then everyone can listen. Don’t judge answers because they are different from what you would say. Be open and curious to learn more about each other. (This is all „you“!) It is a great exercise to improve inner communication. Even those who are usually quiet will get a chance to share.

 

If one part of you doesn’t understand the question or doesn’t know an answer (and especially with life events that is natural and in this case even planned) the others can chime in and help, either by explaining, asking more questions to help them think in the right direction or if everything fails, by giving an example or telling a story. Let everyone help, not just the loud ones.

There is really no competition in this game. It is about connection, communication, resources and being in the moment with each other. You can end it whenever you want to.

 

But I don’t have DID!

You can still play the game. Pick a card whenever you feel like you need a break from your thoughts or feelings. Answer it for yourself.

If you have a support group, bring the cards. It helps to end difficult groups on a positive note. You can pick one card and have everyone answer it, or let everyone pick one for themself. If the answers are shared within the group that can create a relational experience. They could also be a support throughout the week until the next meeting. The cards could become a positive ritual.

You can also play the full game with board and everything with your friends. They don’t even need to have PTSD. You will get to know each other a lot better and learn things you never would have learned any other way. Playing with relationship-oriented people can be a wonderful intimate unicorn experience.

 

Questions for cards and what to keep in mind:

I will share with you the questions we use for our game. You have to adapt them. Especially when it comes to the life events, yours will be completely different.

Questions should be phrased in a way that the first association is a positive one. If we hit an unexpected trigger, don’t use that question. If you think that we phrased something in a stupid way, change it. Make this your own unicorn game and add your very own questions about what is important for you.

If you are really depressed or already triggered your first association might be primed by trauma and it will be negative no matter the questions. Then it is time to make an effort to think something different and focus on a positive answer to the questions.

 

Blue: All about me

1. What is your favorite food?
2. What kind of cake do you like most?
3. What is your favorite color?
4. What is your favorite animal?
5. Where would you like to live?
6. Where would you like to go on vacation?
7. What is your favorite song?
8. What is your favorite thing to drink?
9. What is your favorite game?
10. What is your favorite sport?
11. What are your favorite clothes?
12. What is your greatest talent?
13. What song describes you best?
14. What would be your perfect job?
15. How would you name a pet?
16. What are the 4 best pizza toppings?
17. What is your favorite fruit or veggie?
18. What is your favorite book?
19. What TV show do you like best?
20. What would you like to learn?
21. Share something you are proud of
22. If you had one wish, what would it be?
23. What is your favorite part of the day?
24. What is the bravest thing you have ever done?
25. What was your favorite class in school?
26. What are you looking forward to?
27. What is your favorite quote?
28. What is something you have always wanted to do?
29. Who is your personal hero?
30. What is your favorite season and why?

 

 

Yellow: Life events (You will have to adapt these the most to make them fit your life!!)

1. Sing a song you learned at the youth choir
2. Share a success story from school
3. Tell a story from summer camp
4. Share an experience with the youth group
5. Share a coffee recipes from the coffee shop you worked in
6. Tell a success story from university
7. Share something funny from your job training
8. Describe a funny event on your first job
9. Share a story that is typical for you and a friend
10. Describe a close friend to the others and let them guess who it is
11. Share about a conference/seminar you have been to
12. Tell a meaningful story with a therapist
13. Share a story about bible school
14. Share something that was helpful on social media
15. Remember a success story from your SystemWork
16. Share a story about your pet
17. Recall a success you had in therapy
18. Share about a movie you saw in the cinema
19. Share about a good place where you have lived
20. Summarize the last book you read
21. Share about a miracle you witnessed
22. Tell a story from your favorite vacation
23. Describe some of the art work you have done
24. Share a story about living in another country
25. Where did you experience the most beautiful sunrise/sunset?
26. Share a funny encounter with an animal
27. Share about a moment when you felt really connected to someone
28. Describe a good encounter with a positive person that impressed you
29. Remember a time someone stood up for you/ protected you
30. Think of a hobby you used to do and maybe want to start again

 

 

Green: Resources

1. What helps you to calm down best?
2. What is your favorite smell?
3. What essential oils help you best?
4. Share a core value of your system and explain it
5. What clothes do you feel best in?
6. What would you be for a masquerade?
7. What would your perfect helper look like?
8. What would your perfect helper be like?
9. What DBT skill do you like best?
10. What would be the first thing you do when you feel suicidal?
11. What does a place need to have to feel safe for you?
12. Name one thing to write into your happiness journal today
13. What is your favorite way to move?
14. What is your favorite yoga pose? (Can you show it?)
15. Name one thing that is on your bucket list
16. What is your favorite way to distract yourself?
17. How can you relax the best?
18. What is your favorite item in your Skillkit?
19. What is your favorite guided imagery?
20. What kind of plant should be in your inner garden?
21. What is your favorite containment container?
22. What kind of magic would you like to have?
23. What is your favorite tree?
24. If you could pick a water source (ocean, river, lake, fountain etc) what would it be?
25. What is your favorite item from the magic store?
26. What helps you to sleep best?
27. What is your most important goal?
28. What helps you to feel really connected to your friends?
29. Is there something you really believe in?
30. What is your most precious possession?

 

 

Pink: unicorn questions

1. If you were a dinner, what would you be?
2. If you could be friends with a fictional character, who would it be and what would you do?
3. Share something special you can do that others can’t
4. What would be your action hero name and how would you dress?
5. Describe your perfect blue
6. Create your perfect cupcake in your mind (cake, filling, icing, decorations)
7. Create your perfect cocktail in your mind (don’t forget the decorations)
8. Make up the basic story line for a book you would enjoy writing
9. Create your perfect cold stone ice cream (flavor? mix ins? fruit, sauce, sweets?)
10. If you had a super power, what would it be and what would you do with it?
11. What would your perfect garden look like? Describe.
12. If you were rich, what would you do with the money?
13. If you could paint, what would you like to paint?
14. When you finally meet a unicorn, where do you think it will happen?
15. Make up a short story about a dancing cow
16. If you could pick a star constellation to come live with you, which one would it be?
17. Make up a quote that sounds wise, but doesn’t have to be
18. Tell your favorite joke
19. Imagine the perfect fantasy pet, you can combine different animals if you like
20. If you could ride on the back of a dragon, where would you go, what would you see?
21. If you coud create one day that you could live over and over again, what would it look like?
22. What would you teach your grandchildren when their mom isn’t looking?
23. Imagine having a bath house with pools etc all for yourself, enjoy.
24. If you could build your own house, what would it look like and where would it be?
25. Imagine you can send a loved one a package, what will you put in?
26. If you would win an award, what would it be for?
27. What would your guardian angel look like? What are they called?
28. If you could invent an item, what would it be?
29. If you could be an animal for a day, what would you be?
30. Think of your favorite jewelry, now make up an adventure story where it comes from
31. If you could work in a circus, what would you like to be?
32. If you could open your own store, what would it be?
33. How would you hide a treasure?
34. If you could build a city under water, what would it be called and who would live there?
35. If you were a king or queen, what would your crown look like?
36. If you could choose one instrument in an orchestra, what would you like to be and why?
37. What would your hobbit name be?
38. If you could live inside a book, which one would you choose?
39. If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?
40. A unicorn comes over for breakfast. What will you eat?

 

 

If you add your own questions, feel free to share them in the comments below!

Happy one year blog anniversary!