YES! It's Fun. A Play-Based Way to Practice Self-Awareness and Self-Control

Join the early access list and get $10 off when Trails & Tribulations launches on Kickstarter in Spring 2026.

  • You already have patterns.

  • You already react.

  • What if you could spot it before autopilot takes over?

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  • A smart board game for real humans

  • A playful way to notice your real-life patterns

  • A space to practice awareness and choice

  • Designed for adults who want growth — without awkwardness

WHAT THIS IS:

  • Group therapy

  • A lecture about your feelings

  • A “positive vibes only” workshop

  • A kids’ board game

WHAT THIS ISN'T:

  • "This is so deep, yet so doable!"

    —Therapist

  • "I can see so many ways to use this in a classroom."

    —Teacher

  • This is fabulous. I already told other gamers about it."

    —Gamer (At Protospiel Board Game Testing Convention)

  1. Play reveals patterns.

  2. Practice builds the pause.

  3. In that pause, you gain the power to choose.

HOW IT WORKS

  • No. It’s a social board game. You play, you laugh, and along the way you raise self-awareness and build skills for self-control. When real-life moments arise, those practiced skills are what you rely on.

  • You’ll receive a confirmation for launch day early access, a few updates, and $10 off the retail price of $89.99. If you choose to reserve your copy for $1, you get the earliest access, another $10 off, plus extras (TBD). The reservation is fully refundable and simply holds your place for launch.

  • No. The $1 reservation is refundable. You’ll decide at launch if it’s right for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The design is based on neuroscience, mindfulness and play, focusing on self awareness, self control and choice. The game is built for practicing these skills - not just talking about them.

  • For anyone who wants to see their patterns more clearly — and prefers practicing through play rather than a lecture.

  • You don’t need clarity.

  • You don’t need motivation.

  • You just need a next step.

  • Let’s make it fun.

Founded by Practitioners. Built Through Experience.

Linda & Dorothy

Linda Flanders is co-founder of Taproot Productions and the creative force behind its play-based mental fitness experiences. She transforms psychological frameworks into structured, engaging designs that make self-awareness and self-control practical — and genuinely fun to practice.

Dorothy Halla-Poe, PhD, is co-founder of Taproot Productions and the original developer of the Matrix Model framework. With decades of experience in counseling and behavioral education, she brings academic depth and applied psychology to the foundation of every Taproot experience.

Taproot Productions creates play-based mental fitness experiences that build two essential skills: self-awareness and self-control. Rooted in years of research and real-world practice, our work helps people see their patterns clearly, pause before reacting, and choose what comes next — opening a field of possibilities.