"Open Cards" Kit

“Open Cards” is a unique kit developed at the “Shiluv” Institute for therapeutic work with individuals, couples, families and groups dealing with sexual assault. The need for an “open card” kit arose during the complex therapy that has been ongoing at the Institute for many years, with families that are dealing with sexual abuse and having difficulty “opening the cards”. The kit has also been applied to other types of therapies and has been found to contribute and be effective. The use of the kit encourages openness and sharing between spouses, between parents and children, and also between the patient and the therapist. The information that arises when the cards are being used can be helpful and applicable when constructing the treatment plan, as well as during the follow-up.

The set is composed of three types of cards and a timeline board. They can be used in a variety of combinations and at different stages of therapy – in accordance with the creativity and discretion of the therapist.

Composition of the evaluation:

1. Three types of cards:
2. 40 life event cards
3. 20 emotion cards
4. 70 cards of thoughts and feelings

The use of cards allows the family to speak about what they are undergoing after the sexual assault; it allows for psycho-educational messages to be conveyed regarding sexual assault within the family; it helps the family get closer to understanding the experience of the victim.

The playful element of the cards allows for the expression of emotions, especially amongst children.

1. Timeline board

Life Events Cards: Cards that graphically and verbally represent personal and family life events. Among them are cards of severe and even traumatic events such as death and illness, alongside more positive events such as celebration and success.

Using the cards makes it possible to promote an honest and open dialogue, to encourage talking out loud, in a personal voice, about the significance of the experiences, allowing awareness of the differences between the family members, providing space and appreciation of the differences and the dissimilarity, and developing empathy.

Emotion Cards: Cards that represent emotions and relationships by means of colorful illustrations of a family of animals.

Thoughts and feelings cards: Cards on which are printed sentences about thoughts, feelings and symptoms which are common in cases of sexual abuse inside and outside the family.

The timeline board is composed of two axes. The horizontal axis represents the time sequence and the vertical axis represents emotions – from positive to negative.

It is possible to organize significant events in the life of the patient across the two axes of time and emotion, allowing painful parts to be touched in a less threatening way by introducing a playful element, parallel to indicating normative life events.

With the help of the playful element, it will be easier for children, and also for adults, to talk about the painful things.