
An ACT-based game to help young people face life’s challenges
Giovanni Colella, Derek Paraboschi, Carolina Solina, Grazia Ferramosca

Mind Castle is the first board game inspired by the principles of ACT – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Set within the walls of a medieval castle, players must navigate tricky decisions and challenging situations. The aim is to support young people in confronting difficult thoughts and emotions — not by avoiding them, but by taking meaningful actions aligned with what truly matters to them.
Through gameplay, psychological growth becomes more approachable, impactful, and —importantly — fun.
The box contents
4 game boards
60 action cards
6 character cards
29 event cards + 14 progress cards
24 progress tokens + 4 tensions tokens
8 support cards (Loyalty-Betrayal)
4 turn cards
4 time pawns
1 ten-sided dice
How to play
Each player chooses a character representing a personal value and manages Time and Tension tokens while making decisions. On their turn, players perform two actions:
Cooperation and trust are tested through Loyalty/Betrayal choices when asking for help. The game ends when a player runs out of time; points are scored for value-based actions, exploration, and progress, while barriers and avoidance reduce scores.
The winner is the one who best balances effort, courage, and strategy
Leaf through the instruction booklet translated into English to facilitate your evaluation:
The Authors
Giovanni Colella. Psychologist and psychotherapist, expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Derek Paraboschi. Psychologist and psychotherapist, uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in clinical work with adolescents and adults.
Carolina Solina. Cognitive-behavioural psychologist and psychotherapist.