Traps & Hacks

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Welcome to Traps & Hacks, an interactive activity designed to help older kids and teens explore common thinking traps, also known as cognitive distortions.  When left unchecked, these thinking patterns can lead to anxiety, frustration, and negative self-talk.

On the home screen of Traps & Hacks, you’ll see 10 common thinking traps. Tap on any card to explore it.Each trap includes four slides that break it down in a simple and engaging way.

The first slide introduces the trap with an easy-to-understand definition and explains how it can affect thoughts and feelings.

Next, clients explore “The Trap” through relatable examples. This is a great moment to pause and ask if they’ve ever had similar thoughts.

The third slide introduces “The Hack,” where clients learn practical strategies to challenge and cope with the distortion.Finally, they’ll see a full example of how to take a trapped thought and reframe it into something more balanced and helpful.

At any point, they can click “Done” or use the back button to move between slides.When they return to the home screen, they’ll notice that the card they completed is now fully highlighted, making it easy to track progress.

Ready to take it a step further? Tap the “Hack a Thought” button at the bottom of the screen.Here, clients can practice applying what they’ve learned.Start by having them type out a negative or stressful thought. If they’re not sure what to write, click “Practice with Random Thought” to generate examples. You can cycle through until you find one that fits.

Next, they’ll choose which thinking trap the thought falls into.

Then, work together to reframe it by typing a healthier, more balanced way to look at the situation.

And just like that, they’ve successfully hacked a thought. Traps & Hacks helps build awareness, encourages reflection, and gives older kids and teens the tools to challenge unhelpful thinking patterns in real time.

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