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Invite them to do the Barometer
The Barometer is an interactive tool for check-in (or for monitoring and managing a mood). Use the Barometer as a departure point for discussions. Complete together and print out 2 copies. One goes home with the client and one is kept in the files as a baseline record of mood and mood management skills. You can also use The Barometer as a between-session homework assignment where the client uses it daily to track and manage their mood. By printing out the daily activity and bringing them to the following session, the counselor can work with the youth to track their process and fine tune the development of a robust skill.

Still in Do Stuff, let them choose to use the Graffiti activity or Make a Wish if they still seem tense. If you wish to get a sense of the client’s functioning and future orientation, complete the Tree of Life - a creative assessment tool.

Invite them to play the Squish’Em game with you
Go to Play Stuff and let them use the Squish’Em game. You can play too. See who can keep the trog from meltdown. You will both relax.

Invite them to play the Reach Out mental health game against you
If you believe that they would benefit from more information on mental health issues, you could stay with Play Stuff and play the Reach Out game together. You take all the non mental health categories, while they play all the mental health categories.

Invite them to play one of the special issues games.
For example, it there is a danger of them leaving home and living on the streets, go to Mind Tools Streetlife game or Sex for Stuff. If gambling is a problem, check out our Gambling game. These games are a fun way to introduce a subject, generate discussion and provide information.

Use links, or handouts in the Pro Portal Features section, as departure points for discussions. Provide handouts like “Crisis Information” or “What to Expect at the Emergency Room of a Hospital” also found in Features.

Invite them to complete a Life Journal or Safety Plan
2Either tool can be completed in session when there are safety concerns, go to Do Stuff. Upon completion, print out 2 copies, one for the client and one for the files. Be sure to go to the Help pages local Crisis Services, and include the contact address or phone number for the Crisis Service nearest them.

Invite the client to send themselves an ecard with their homework or the date and time of the next session
This is best accomplished at the end of the session. In addition, if there is a story or feature they want to go back to on their own, they can note it on the card.

Assign articles from Lip Service on special topics like Young Parenting, Life on the Street, Anti-Stigma or Dangerous Relationships for groups between meetings. Use the articles as a springboard for in group discussions. Or, if you are working with a client who is struggling with any of the issues, invite them to read the relevant issue.