Set up
Frame the game as a loop of request, inner check, answer, and receiving. Start low-stakes, and remind people they do not owe speed, justification, or persuasion.
Authentic Relating Games
Yes / No Game
People make a series of requests and practice pausing for a real embodied yes, no, or not-yet before responding. It turns consent into a live relational loop rather than an abstract idea.
Game flow exampleGame flow example
Yes / No Game
A simple sample of what this game can sound like in practice.
Person A
Would you be willing to move your chair a little closer to me?
Person B
Give me a second. I notice part of me wants to, and part of me wants more space.
Person A
Take your time. If a no or a not yet is true, that is okay.
Person B
The clearest answer is not yet. I want a little more distance for now.
Person A
Okay. Hearing your not yet actually helps me trust the contact more.
A simple flow
- Person A makes a clear, doable request.
- Person B pauses, checks their body, and may ask for a moment or for clarifying information before answering.
- Person B answers yes, no, not yet, or a counteroffer, and Person A receives the answer without persuading.
- Repeat with several requests and then switch roles.
Prompts to use
- “Would you be willing to…?”
- “What does your body say to this request?”
- “What information or condition would help this become clearer?”
What to watch for
- Rushing the answer because silence feels awkward.
- Treating no as rejection instead of information.
- Making vague or high-stakes requests, or bargaining after an answer is already clear.
Good variations
- Start with everyday non-touch requests before moving into requests about distance, movement, or touch.
- Allow counteroffers so participants can practice shaping a request into something that becomes a real yes.
Previous game
Inception / What's That Like?
Depth through repetition
Next game
Parts / Voices Game
Inner complexity
Explore more games
Use the directory to compare formats, or jump directly into another Authentic Relating game.
