Life Advice: Game Rules & Directions

Type: Party card game
Players: 4-8
Time: 15-20 minutes per session
Goal: Win rounds by submitting the worst possible advice for real mental health struggles

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Components

• Prompt Cards: Describe real mental health situations (e.x, anxiety, burnout, imposter syndrome, loneliness)
  
• Advice Cards: Wildly unhelpful, tone-deaf, or cliché advice
  
• Reality Check Cards: Highlight what actual helpful support looks like
  

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Setup

1. Shuffle Prompt Cards and place in a face-down pile.
   
2. Shuffle the Advice Cards and deal 3 cards to each player.
3. Shuffle Reality Check Cards and deal 3 cards to each player.
   
4. Decide who will be the first Judge (can be the youngest player, or randomly).
   

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Gameplay

Step 1: Draw a Prompt and Advice

• The Judge draws the top Prompt Card and reads it aloud to all players.
  

Step 2: Play Advice

• Each player (except the Judge) selects one  Advice Card from their hand that they think is the best.
  
• Cards are submitted face down to the Judge.
  

Step 3: Judge Chooses

• The Judge shuffles the submitted Advice Cards and reads them aloud.
  
• The Judge selects the most realistic Advice, awarding the Advice Card to the player who submitted it at the end of the 2nd Judge’s pick. Those will be kept in their own separate “won” pile to be used at the end of the game.

Step 4: Play Reality Check

• Each player (except the Judge) selects one Reality Check Card from their hand that they think is the most helpful within the chosen situation (Prompt Card + Advice Card).

• Cards are submitted face down to the Judge.
  

Step 5: Judge Chooses

• The Judge shuffles the submitted Reality Check Cards and reads them aloud.

• The Judge selects the most useful, awarding the Reality Check Card to the player who submitted it. Those will be kept in their own separate “won” pile to be used at the end of the game.
  

Step 6: Refill Hands

• All players draw back up to 3 Advice Cards.
• All players draw back up to 3 Reality Check Cards.
  

Step 7: Rotate Judge

• The role of Judge passes clockwise for the next round.
  

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Winning

• Play 5–10 rounds (or as long as desired).
• Players add up their points
  • Winning advice cards are worth +3 points each 
  • Winning Reality Check Cards are worth +5 points each
    
• Player with the most points at the end wins.
  
• Optional: Debrief together to discuss insights about listening, empathy, and mental health at the end of each round