TF-CBT Triangle of Life

Understanding the connection between thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

Traumatic experiences such as domestic violence, sexual abuse, gun violence, physical abuse, traumatic deaths, wars and accidents often have a very detrimental impact on children. This can cause recurring negative thoughts which can lead to negative feelings, and behaviors

To help children overcome these negative thoughts and feelings, the Allegheny Health Network developed a game that can help teach children to better understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

In this novel game, the player is a lion in a jungle story. The child leads the lion to help other animals understand their daily experiences. Through this game, the child practices generating more positive and helpful thoughts is upsetting virtual circumstances which can lead to more positive feelings and adaptive behaviors in real-life situations. 

This game was

• Designed to assist therapists in treating traumatized children and adolescents
• Demonstrated to be enjoyable, educational and transformational
• Produced and developed with the clinical experts who developed the highly-regarded Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)

The game is accessible on iPad and Android tablets. It can potentially help any player to better understand the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and to develop strategies to implement that connection and improve their lives.

Feedback from users

“The Triangle of Life app has been a valuable tool to teach kids the building blocks of CBT in an engaging, interactive way. My patients enjoy playing this game, and more importantly, are more easily able to understand how to examine and challenge their negative thoughts.”

“The Triangle of Life game is an easily accessible and highly entertaining tool for teaching children about cognitive processing. Children readily identify with the animals in the game and quickly learn that the way they think about their situations makes a difference in how they feel and behave. The game also shows children how negative thoughts can be challenged and replaced with thoughts that are more accurate and helpful. I enthusiastically recommend the game to any therapist who has ever wondered how to make cognitive processing more relevant and fun for their young clients.”

TF-CBT Triangle of Life received an honorable mention in the United Nations PEACE app competition.

For details on how to become certified in TF-CBT, visit the Therapist Certification Program.