Catastrophizing Activity: CBT Activity for Anxiety in Counseling
Catastrophizing Activity: This card game is designed to help children manage catastrophic thinking, reduce anxiety, and build healthy coping skills. Whether used in school counseling, therapy sessions, small group counseling, or at home, this social-emotional learning resource empowers kids to recognize unhelpful thoughts, reframe “worst-case” worries, and practice calming strategies in a way that’s fun, relatable, and effective. Over 100 cards are included!
These cards are perfect for use with children ages 8–12, and this engaging CBT-focused resource supports kids who struggle with:
- Anxiety and “what if” thinking
- Perfectionism or fear of failure
- Overreacting to small problems
- Emotional regulation and self-talk
- Social worry and school-related stress
What's Inside - Over 100 cards across multiple categories:
- Rebuild It Scenarios – Real-life situations that invite kids to spot and reframe worst-case thinking
- Calming Strategy Cards – Breathing exercises, grounding techniques, and guided imagery to regulate emotions
- Thought-Checking Tools – Kid-friendly CBT questions to challenge unhelpful beliefs
- Feelings Prompts – Help kids connect their emotions to their thoughts
- Discussion Starters – Great for counseling sessions, small group counseling circles, or family conversations
Why It Works - Grounded in principles from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), this game helps kids:
- Identify catastrophic or unrealistic thoughts
- Explore alternative outcomes and balanced thinking
- Develop emotional awareness and language
- Build confidence in handling mistakes, surprises, or uncertainty
Ideal For:
- School Counselors & Therapists
- Caregivers
- Mental Health Advocates
- Social Skills & Anxiety Groups
Give kids the tools they need to think clearly, stay calm, and face challenges with confidence.
Includes color and black/white printing options.
FAQS:
Q: Do I need extra materials?
A: Nope! Just print, cut, and get the conversation started.
Q: How do you use these in counseling?
A: Use these cards to start conversations in individual counseling or small group counseling!
Q: Can these be used in the classroom?
A: These are probably better suited for the counseling setting where there are agreements about confidentiality.
Q: Can these be used at home?
A: Sure! Use these to help your child build helpful, realistic thoughts. These cards should not be a replacement for professional mental health care.
Find more anxiety counseling activities here!
Please Note: This is a digitally downloadable resource. You will not receive anything in the mail.
Terms of Use
Copyright © Counselor Keri, Keri Powers. All rights reserved by author. This product is to be used by the original downloader only. Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Clipart and elements found in this PDF are copyrighted and cannot be extracted and used outside of this file without permission or license. Intended for classroom and personal use ONLY. See product file for clip-art and font credits.