The ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) Toolbox for Kids: 170+ Activities and Games to Address Anxiety, Stress, Trauma, Motivation, Attachment, . Depression, Behavioral Challenges, and More

Turn tricky sessions into playful opportunities!

When kids come to therapy with big emotions, freeze up, or hit a wall in session, even the most seasoned clinician or caregiver can feel stuck.

The ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) Toolbox for Kids offers a fresh (and fun!) way forward. Inside, you’ll find over 170 kid-friendly worksheets, activities, and games designed to bring ACT to life. From pirate-themed values maps to thought defusion “pop-up blockers,” the interventions in this ready-to-use resource can be used for treating:

• Anxiety and stress
• Trauma
• Motivation challenges
• Attachment and relationship issues
• Self-esteem
• Distractibility and focus
• Depression and mood
• Behavioral challenges
• And more!

Whether you’re new to ACT or an experienced ACT clinician struggling with those “stuck” moments in session, this book has the tools you need to help kids when it matters most.

Matt Ercolani, MS, LPC, NCC, is a licensed professional counselor based in Pennsylvania, where he has worked in a variety of settings, including partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and substance abuse. He currently works in a private practice, where he primarily uses ACT and attachment theory in his counseling work with queer and trans youth and their families. He is currently working toward his PhD in Counseling and Supervision at James Madison University.

Dr. Emily Heydt, PsyD, is a certified school psychologist, a postdoctoral fellow, and an adjunct professor who has extensive experience providing school-based and outpatient mental health services to children, adolescents, young adults, and their families. Dr. Heydt currently specializes in neuro-affirming therapy and evaluations and also provides nationwide presentations focused on supporting children and teens through a neuro-affirming and ACT-based lens.