Years ago, I was finishing a session with a boy who wanted to choose a candy. At that time, we had some suckers available for kids to take. Every time, he and I went through a routine that was the same. He would say “today I want to choose 2” and I would say “I can tell you wish you could choose more but here you can choose your best one (and then I switched to the whisper technique)* or you can choose none.”

On this day, he said “I’m taking them all!” And he did. He ran out the door and into their SUV and locked the door with a fistful of suckers! Now what?!? Is today the day that play therapy will fail?

In this video, I’d like to introduce you to the ACT model. It is, by far, the best way I’ve found for helping kids make choices that reinforce limits and boundaries without needing to use intensity to get there.

I never recommend something I haven’t used myself with success. This is a model I’ve seen work over and over again, helping to produce good character and impulse control in kids and helping to de-escalate conflicts overall. I’ve seen it work in therapy sessions, in families, in schools and even in Target!

Here are some additional resources you can take a look at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX1kGm2ousc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfAGZkrmHw8

https://www.equineconnectioncounseling.com/blog/for-parents-caregivers-a-c-t-limit-setting

https://creatingbranches.com/2016/09/30/act-limit-setting-for-children/

You are free to share any of this with anyone you think it may help.

Take good care of each other and yourselves out there!