Following the loss of her mother, licensed social worker and veteran, Shirley Sykes, faced the difficult challenge of explaining complicated emotions to her young son. How does she communicate to him complicated emotions and the influx of feelings that ebb and flow as someone goes through the grief process? 

As she grappled with this personal challenge, she realized that many people experience difficulty in expressing emotions, and she wanted to develop a tool that would normalize mental health conversations in a non-intimidating way.

This passion for helping others transformed into a unique and innovative tool: a board game called MindScape. Designed to promote awareness and understanding of mental health diagnoses, symptoms, and coping skills, MindScape serves as both an educational resource and a fun, interactive experience for players of all ages.

What is MindScape?

At its core, MindScape is a board game that educates players about various mental health conditions while engaging them in a fun and supportive setting. Imagine a cross between Chutes and Ladders and Life, but with a deeper focus on mental health. Players navigate through life scenarios, represented on the board by different colored spaces that correspond to challenges, resources, and coping mechanisms.

Each player can encounter triggers, representing real-life mental health challenges, which may cause them to move back on the board. At the same time, they can also collect coping skills, which could either be helpful or maladaptive. The game emphasizes the importance of working together: a player can use their coping cards to help others, promoting interpersonal support and empathy.

A Game for All Ages

Though the game is primarily designed for players 10 and older, Shirley has found that even children as young as seven can grasp its concepts. The game’s goal is to educate and make mental health an approachable topic for all players, regardless of age.

In MindScape, mental health diagnoses are not abstract or made-up concepts—they are real and grounded in actual psychological understanding. By introducing coping skills and diagnoses in a more accessible, kid-friendly format, Shirley hopes to remove the stigma surrounding mental health, encouraging open dialogue and fostering empathy.

One of the best ways she’s seen it open a dialogue is in her own family.  Having played MindScape multiple times with her son, he was able to recognize seasonal affective disorder (SAD) just by observing the weather. “We were outside and it was cloudy, and he told me, ‘This reminds me of that SAD thing,’” she recalled, “And I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ and he said, ‘You know, when people start to get their mood changes because of the weather and stuff.’” For Shirley, it was a rewarding experience to see how the game really is working and how powerful the game can be in teaching children to recognize emotions and mental health challenges. 

How It Works

Up to four players can participate, and the gameplay is designed to highlight the balance between individual challenges and team-based support. Trigger cards can force a player to step back, but resource and coping cards help them manage their challenges, encouraging open discussion around mental health. The game includes various mental health diagnoses, like PTSD, depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, making the language and concepts familiar and normalized for players.

On top of being entertaining, one of the most meaningful aspects of the game is its ability to spark conversations. When tested, Shirley has seen it resonate with veterans, children, and counseling groups. For veterans, in particular, it has been an effective tool in starting discussions around PTSD and other diagnoses, helping them relate personal experiences to the concepts presented in the game.

A Tool for Healing and Understanding

MindScape is more than just a board game—it’s a way to open the door to conversations about mental health, reduce stigma, and create a safe space for learning. Whether used in counseling settings or played among friends and family, Mindscape offers a thoughtful, interactive way to explore the complexities of mental health and build support systems within the community.

For Shirley, MindScape represents not just a personal healing journey but a contribution to the larger mission of normalizing mental health discussions. As she continues to see the impact of the game, her hope is that MindScape will make a meaningful difference in how we talk about, understand, and cope with mental health challenges. 

To purchase your copy, head to the MindScape Kickstarter page! After, continue your mental wellness journey by following Shirley’s company, Mental Engineers, at @mentalengineers on Instagram. 

This blog post is about Shirley Sykes, a Counselor at Nivati. You can see more of their content on the Nivati platform and on the Nivati blog. If you want to learn more about Nivati, click here.