About the deck

A deck about what a person does — and what they leave undone — on the way to what matters to them.

The deck holds 128 metaphorical associative cards drawn with a marker. The cards show small figures taking some kind of action or, on the contrary, staying idle.

The plain, almost childlike drawing is deliberate: it imposes no ready-made storyline and does not distract with detail, so the person projects their own situation onto the card and sees their behavior from the outside, without defenses or excuses.

The deck helps you make sense of a situation and understand what needs to be done for the question to be resolved. It works as a diagnostic, predictive, clarifying, deepening, resource and supporting tool in counseling, coaching and psychological transformation games.

Who it is for: psychologists, psychotherapists, art therapists, coaches, trainers, consultants, group and transformation game facilitators, and anyone working on their own personal growth.

What you can do with the “Actions & Inaction” deck

see what a person is actually doing about their issue — and what they are not doing
tell a real action from an imitation of one: preparing, reading, “gathering information”
recognize the shape of avoidance: putting things off, perfectionism, rescuing others, busywork
uncover the hidden payoff of inaction: what the person keeps as long as they do not move
see the cost of inaction — everything being lost by leaving the situation as it is
notice whose actions these really are: their own, or borrowed from a parental script
find the inner conflict where one part moves forward while another puts on the brakes
understand what needs to stop, and where the energy is being spent for nothing
find the smallest workable step, the one that meets no resistance
see where the person takes responsibility and where they hand it to others or to circumstances

Questions to ask the deck

These are the questions the work starts from. Choose one — the one that resonates most strongly — and stay with it, because a single session opens up one question well and no more.

What do I need to do to get what I need?
What are the first three steps I need to take?
What do I look like moving toward my goal?
What does the other person look like in this situation?
What do I need to stop doing for my question to resolve in the best way?
Why am I at a dead end, and what will help me get out?
What am I doing instead of what actually needs to be done?
What am I holding on to as long as I change nothing?
Which action have I been putting off the longest, and why that one?
Which action will give the greatest result for the least effort?
What in me resists moving, and what is it afraid of?
What will I look like once the question is resolved, and what am I doing at that moment?