The Adventures of Little Leo and the Magical FOCUSED Dice

Addressing everyday mental health issues in our learners is a sensitive topic for discussion. It is hard enough for experienced and seasoned counselors to help our students out of difficult and challenging times for a better tomorrow. In this symposium session, we provide an innovative approach to help those struggling with the "human condition" to feel less anxious, stressed, worried, sad and confused. Using a fictitious cartoon superhero ("Little Leo") and the seven magical FOCUSED dice set, our approach trained the struggling student to become his/her own expert. Grounded on Personal Construct Psychology, the reader is encouraged to make their own physical dice set and "fill-in" the answers in the comic book as Little Leo travels the world in search of those in need of help. This immersive storytelling experience where the reader (the student suffering mental health issues) engages with each adventure, reflecting on how the magical framework can help open up the alternatives to a range of everyday life challenges (such as loneliness, relationship break-up, not having enough money, feeling bored, feeling lost in life, inter alia...). By the time the reader has engaged with all 18 life challenges, s/he begins to realize there is a way out of their own predicament which has the power to bringing hope, confidence, and control over their own lives for a better tomorrow.