WordTrails® For Prisons
I work at a prison that houses men who’ve committed sex offenses. I recently played this game with three of them. These particular guys were in the middle of a pretty intense disagreement; there was a lot of fear, a lack of empathy, and no real connection between them. But after playing, when we processed, something shifted. They realized they were all actually working toward the same thing: growth.
They told me they’d never been so present with their feelings before. The game gave them a way to connect with themselves emotionally, and it also helped resolve the perspectives that had kept them apart. Instead of seeing each other as enemies or ‘the other,’ they were able to see each other as human beings.
March 25, 2026
Scout!
So first off, I want to say, thank you. Thank you for coming out to the jail and making time for us. I feel truly blessed to have been able to be a part of that experience.
To be honest, I did not know what I was getting myself into when Liz asked me to come down and play WordTrails. I kept asking, “What is this game?” “What’s going on?” “How does it work?” and was getting frustrated when nobody would tell me. Then I realized that one of the rules was “No explanations.”
Even though at first it was hard for me I soon came to realize how important that rule was for me. It helped my mind let go of the sense of control it was trying to have over the experience. That’s what I’d call it rather than a game. An experience. I was not expecting to go down there and feel that raw emotion but I did.
This is one of the coolest concepts I’ve seen in a therapeutic setting and trust me when I say I’ve seen a lot of different therapeutic settings/concepts. It is something that will stick with me. I still have been thinking about the experience and getting more out of it and it’s been a whole week since I played the game. Thank you so much!
March 25, 2026
Scout,
First I want to express my gratitude to you for the experience we had last Friday.
I’ve never had an experience like that before. It actually took me a few days to unpack the whole adventure and my feelings surrounding it. I knew I liked it, but couldn’t quite describe why. After reviewing it, I realized something, there was not one ounce of shame in that room.
Through the last ten years of incarceration I’ve developed greater shame resilience, and I’ve even lived in some places, like my current section, with extremely low levels of shame. However, until last Friday I had never experienced an environment with absolutely no shame. It was transformative.
I realized that I’ve been in situations in the past where that could have happened, but I brought shame with me. I didn’t do that on Friday. I don’t yet understand fully how or why but I’m excited to keep learning why.
Another neat experience came from it as well. In the program here we give weekly positive recognitions each Friday to guys who did something above and beyond that week. I’ve gotten them in the past and it always makes me uncomfortable. I don’t like standing there while the whole group gives me accolades. I got a positive recognition on Friday’s meeting after we had played WordTrails and I didn’t have the normal anxiety and discomfort. I didn’t even realize it until about halfway through, but I was able to internalize the positive things others were saying about me. Another first.
I know I still have things to work and improve on, but last Friday was a surprising step forward for me.
I thank you for the part you played in that step.
Dec. 9, 2025
WordTrails
I have been in prison for nearly 4 years. I think one of the most important tools I have lacked iun my life is good communication and being able to express my emotions.
I have found that sometimes it’s difficult and can be scary to tell others how you are feeling. So often people have an expectation of what you “should” be feeling and want to know why you are feeling that way.
I think this game tackles that head on especially in our society today we may not always be able to find the words to say what we are feeling or may have fear to say it. Based on fear of being judged. With WordTrails it’s more than a game, it’s a communication tool. If your goal is to build connection in a community, workplace, treatment center or with family, without judgment or expectation and build your and others emotional intelligence this is the tool to use.
Letters from inmates published with permission and gratitude
