Board game and methods of playing and using same

Abstract

A board game promoting personal growth by asking players to answer personal growth questions includes a game board and at least one game piece. The game board has an array of interconnected pathways connecting a first standpoint and a second standpoint on the game board. The pathways are divided into a number of individual spaces and each space has one of a collection of symbols thereon. A player may move in any direction using any combination of the pathways. The game piece represents a player's movement along the pathways and the player's objective is to move along the pathways via the individual spaces from the first standpoint toward the second standpoint by answering personal growth questions. Methods of playing the game and methods for using the game to promote personal growth and build relationships in professional, personal, and psychological counseling settings are also disclosed herein.

1 . A board game for promoting personal growth by asking players to answer personal growth questions, comprising 
 a game board having 
 an array of interconnected pathways connecting a first standpoint and a second standpoint on the game board,  
 wherein the pathways are divided into a number of individual spaces,  
 wherein each of the individual spaces has one of a collection of symbols thereon, and  
 wherein a player may move in any direction using any combination of the pathways; and  
   at least one game piece representing position and movement of the player along the pathways, wherein an objective of the player is to move the game piece along the pathways via the individual spaces from the first standpoint toward the second standpoint by answering the personal growth questions.    
   
   
       2 . The board game of  claim 1 , further comprising a first die having at least two different states represented on the faces of the first die, wherein 
 a first state allows a player to roll a second die for a chance to advance the game piece a number of individual spaces, and    a second state prevents the player from advancing the game piece.    
   
   
       3 . The board game of  claim 2 , wherein the first state represented on the first die is trust and wherein the second state represented on the first die is doubt.  
   
   
       4 . The board game of  claim 2 , further comprising a second die having a series of respective numbers on the faces thereof, wherein a rolled number on the second die determines the number of the individual spaces the player advances.  
   
   
       5 . The board game of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one ring sized to be placed about the game piece, wherein the rings represent barriers which must be removed as an objective of the board game.  
   
   
       6 . The board game of  claim 5 , wherein one of the collection of symbols indicates an opportunity for the player to remove the ring when the game piece of the player occupies one of the individual spaces corresponding to the one of the collection of symbols.  
   
   
       7 . The board game of  claim 1 , further comprising a number of sets of cards, each card having 
 a respective one of the collection of symbols thereon, and    a personal growth question.    
   
   
       8 . The board game of  claim 1 , wherein the first standpoint is fear and the second standpoint is love.  
   
   
       9 . The board game of  claim 1 , wherein the game board and game piece comprise computer generated graphic images for presentation on a display device.  
   
   
       10 . A method of using a game to promote personal growth, the method comprising 
 providing a game board having an array of interconnected pathways connecting a first standpoint to a second standpoint, wherein the pathways are divided into a number of individual spaces, each of the spaces having one of a collection of symbols thereon;    providing at least one game piece representing position and movement of a player along the pathways, wherein an objective of the player is to move the game piece along the pathways via the individual spaces from the first standpoint to the second standpoint; and    providing a number of sets of questions to promote personal growth, each question associated with one of a collection of symbols corresponding to symbols on respective ones of the individual spaces on the pathways.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising selecting one of the questions from the number of sets of questions provided.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising presenting the selected question to the player.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising receiving an answer to the selected question from the player.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising advancing the player a number of individual spaces on the pathways after receiving the answer to the question.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the selected one of the questions corresponds to one of the individual spaces occupied by a player.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the presenting operation further comprises presenting a question asking the player to provide a view of an issue and determine a perspective from which the issue is viewed.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the presenting operation further comprises presenting a question asking the player to choose one of a list of statements embodying the second standpoint rather than the first standpoint.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the presenting operation further comprises presenting a question asking the player to answer a question about the player.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the presenting operation further comprises presenting a question asking the player to perform a task.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the presenting operation further comprises presenting a question requiring the player to acknowledge when the player has exhibited a particular barrier behavior and when the player has acted without the particular barrier behavior.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the method is used as a psychological counseling technique.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the method is used as a self improvement technique.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the method is used as a relationship building activity.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the method is used as a professional team building activity.  
   
   
       25 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a computer process implementing the method of  claim 10 .  
   
   
       26 . A board game kit, comprising 
 a game board having an array of interconnected pathways, wherein the pathways comprise a number of individual spaces connecting a first standpoint and a second standpoint on the game board;    at least one game piece representing position and movement of a player along the individual spaces of the pathways of the game board;    a number of rings sized to be placed about the game piece and representing a barrier to an interpersonal relationship;    a first die with at least two different states represented on the faces of the first die;    a second die with a series of respective numbers on the faces of the second die;    a first set of playing cards, each having a question asking the player to view an issue and determine a perspective from which the issue is viewed;    a second set of playing cards, each having a list of statements and a question asking the player to choose one of the statements as embodying the second standpoint rather than the first standpoint;    a third set of playing cards, each having a question asking the player to complete a task or answer a question about the player; and    a fourth set of playing cards, each of which requires the player to acknowledge when the player has exhibited a particular barrier behavior and when the player has acted without the particular barrier behavior so that the player can remove one of the number of rings from the game piece.    
   
   
       27 . The board game kit of  claim 25 , further comprising a fifth set of playing cards with questions which require all players to answer a question.  
   
   
       28 . The board game kit of  claim 25 , further comprising a fifth set of playing cards which require the player to remain in an individual space on the path without advancing an individual space.  
   
   
       29 . The board game kit of  claim 25 , further comprising instructions for playing the game.