While I was looking for fun and exciting games to bring to my group therapy sessions, I kept coming across the Ungame. So, after weeks of hemming and hawing, I decided to give it a chance and bought it through Amazon.  Most of clients are in their 20s/30s so I bought the Ungame for 20 Somethings, hoping it would be less “hokey” and “family fun” and more geared to this age group.

Overall, it was a nice addition to the group because it was a break from our usual conversation based session. Clients were at first excited to play a game, but the problem was that this game doesn’t really feel like a game, rather it feels like you’re just going through a list of questions.

A few suggestions for the game:

• Use deck 1 if you are utilizing the Ungame for a break from “formal” therapy. The questions are lighter and keep the conversation flowing and the clients connecting with one another without feeling like they need to share some deep, dark secrets.
• Go through the cards! Some of the cards will be of no benefit to your particular group of clients so take them out.  Nothing kills the momentum of the game faster than pulling a card that takes everyone out of the moment.
• Great game for clients who do not know each other too well – so try to use it on a newer group, or a group that recently added some new members.  It allows them to open up in an environment without any pressure. It is far easier to share your favorite movie than it is to talk about a relationship you ruined because of your drug use.  However, after connecting with others about something as minor as a favorite movie, the clients are laying the ground work for more deep and serious conversation later on.
• Make it more of a game! Every other turn, I allowed the clients to either answer their question or give the question to someone else – the only rule was once they passed the question to another person, that other person could not be asked another question that round. Clients love this aspect and it brings more of a “game element” to the activity.

So go out and give the Ungame a try! If you have used the Ungame before or have any ideas on how to better incorporate it into therapy, let me know!