Inside the Brain: Exploring The Brain

The poster introduces players to the three main areas of the brain: the thinking brain (in blue), the emotional brain (in red) and the survival brain (in green). All parts are controlled by the amygdala (in orange), which activates survival responses in stressful situations: fight, flight, freeze or faint.

• The thinking brain helps us think, learn, use words, worry about friends ... It is good at staying calm in difficult situations by reminding us to think about the consequences of our actions. The thinking brain is responsible for complex thoughts, planning, decision-making, impulse control and self-awareness. The poster shows the following parts of the thinking brain: planning, math, reading, estimating time, ideas, strategic thinking, research, self-knowledge.
• The emotional brain controls our emotions. The poster depicts the following emotions: joy, sadness, disgust, anger, fear, envy, shame, anxiety, ennui.
• The survival brain is the part of the brain that wants to keep us safe. This part of the brain tells us when we are hungry or thirsty, when a situation is dangerous or scary ... The poster shows the following elements of the survival brain: hunger and thirst, heart rate, breathing, body temperature, blood flow, energy level, sleep.

Once the amygdala is activated, the survival brain takes over and the thinking brain goes offline. Ezra (one of the main characters in the toolkit) is pictured twice, once with her brain in a neutral state (left on the poster) and once with her brain in a stress state (right on the poster).

At the top of the poster, a ‘storage area’ shows different memories/situations, where players can think of how their brain or that of one of the other characters from the toolkit reacted or would react in that situation. Memories displayed on the posters (from left to right, starting at the top): Explosion, beach/sea, traffic, a bike/cycling, shopping/cute clothes, night/dark, public speaking, plane/travel, animals, knitting, earthquake, smartphone/messaging/social media, bullying/gossiping, school building, question mark, mountain/nature/high cliff, birthday party/clown/cake, fighting, board games, family/the army, gardening/vegetables, reading a book, listening to music, skateboarding, arguing with a parent, loss of a loved one, being alone at school. Some situations are linked to the storylines of the other main characters in the toolkit. For more information, see the explanation of the comic poster.

When children understand that they have three brain systems that work at different times, they are better able to cope with difficult situations by working on putting their thinking brain back in charge. All three brain parts are equally good and important. We are happiest and most productive in life when our brain parts work together.

This game is part of the Trauma-Informed Youth Work toolkit, which is designed to create a safe, supportive environment for all participants by acknowledging the impact of trauma on young people and fostering trust and empowerment. By incorporating activities that use indirect methods to explore emotions and behaviours, the toolkit makes sensitive topics more accessible and less intimidating, especially for younger audiences. The teamwork aspects of these activities foster collaboration and support, aligning with trauma-informed principles. This approach promotes healing, resilience, and positive development in every youth engaged, while emphasizing emotional awareness and understanding.

• At the bottom of the poster are the other characters from the toolkit. Have players think about neutral and stressful situations for the characters, so as not to immediately apply the game methodology to themselves.

• Combine this poster with other posters from the toolkit to go deeper into the different triggers that lead to a stressful state of the brain and how to respond to them:

o Comic Poster: after reflecting on the memories/situations and their impact on the character’s brain, revisit the stories to find more examples of coping mechanisms.

o Self-Care City: use the self-care city to explore ways to relax yourself and calm down when you feel stressed.

o Animals Poster: when the survival brain takes over, you may show different stress reactions. Look at the Animals poster to explore some of these possible reactions (fight, flight, freeze, fawn).

o Support Network: use the support network poster to reflect on who the players can turn to when they are feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

Learn about the basic functions of your brain and how they influence your memories.