Building rapport is the cornerstone of effective therapy. A strong therapeutic relationship lays the groundwork for everything that follows - it creates a safe, supportive space where clients feel understood, respected, and willing to engage. Without this foundation of trust, it’s difficult for clients to open up, explore challenges, or take risks in the work of therapy. In early sessions especially, developing rapport helps reduce anxiety, ease self-consciousness, and set the tone for a collaborative partnership.
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Early sessions can feel intimidating, but integrating multiplayer games can break the ice and build connection within the therapeutic relationship. Games create shared experiences where you and your clients try new things together, make choices, and support one another, all of which help build trust and rapport.

Here are some creative ways to use PlaySpace multiplayer games to build rapport in early sessions:

1. Give Clients Choice

Rapport starts with respect, and one of the simplest ways to show this is by offering choice. PlaySpace has a wide library of familiar and fun games, like Battleship, Connect 4, or Chess, that can let clients decide what feels comfortable. Offering choice communicates that their preferences matter, and it sets a collaborative tone from the very beginning.

1. Learn About Your Client Through Play

Games are a natural way to discover your client’s strengths, interests, and personality. Whether they enjoy strategy, quick-paced challenges, or creative problem-solving, noticing how they engage in play gives you insights into what energizes them. This isn’t about clinical assessment, but about learning who they are in a way that feels natural and enjoyable.

1. Share a Sense of Fun

Play helps level the power dynamic of therapy and reminds clients that you’re a person too. Laughing over a surprising move in Chess or celebrating a clever play in Connect 4 creates moments of connection that are about being human together, not just client and therapist. These shared experiences lay the groundwork for trust.

1. Ease Anxiety Through Familiarity

Many clients feel anxious in early sessions. Introducing a light, recognizable game, like tic tac toe or 8 ball pool, can reduce that tension and provide a structure to focus on while conversation flows more naturally. The act of playing something simple and familiar can make the therapy space feel less intimidating.

5. Create Rituals That Build Stability

Returning to the same game or activity at the start of each session can provide a grounding sense of structure. For clients, this consistency builds predictability, which helps them feel safe and secure in the therapy space. Over time, these small rituals become part of your shared rhythm, signaling reliability and care. That reliability fosters trust, a core ingredient of rapport, and reinforces the therapeutic connection.

Ready to transform your early sessions into opportunities for genuine connection?

PlaySpace’s library of multiplayer games and interactive tools makes it easy to create shared experiences, spark conversation, and foster trust. By weaving multiplayer games into your practice, you can build rapport naturally, laying the foundation for a strong therapeutic relationship and meaningful outcomes.

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