Teen therapy role-play scenarios let young people rehearse a specific conversation, hear a realistic reply and revise one response. Success means practising an effective action—not ensuring the other person says yes.
This guide is for therapists and counsellors working with adolescents. The scenarios and activities are original educational examples, not a validated treatment programme. Adapt them to the young person’s goals, communication preferences and clinical context.
How to run a useful role-play
Use paper, a fictional scenario and a partner or facilitator. Ask: “What would your character like to ask for, explain or change?” Agree on a manageable reply before starting. Practise for about 30–60 seconds, pause for specific feedback, then replay the same exchange with one adjustment. Timing is flexible.
Offer speaking, writing, coaching the therapist or observing. Do not surprise participants with aggressive replies or use a scene to expose personal experiences. In groups, explain privacy limits and let members pass. Avoid rehearsing direct confrontation where coercion or credible danger requires a different plan.
Get our ready to use DBT DEARMAN role play game
15 conversations with replies and replay tasks
1. Clarify an instruction
Situation: A task says “compare” without explaining the expected format. Opening to rehearse: “Could you show me what one comparison should include?” Partner reply: “It is in the instructions.”
Replay task: Ask which part to use or when clarification is available; do not argue that the teacher is unhelpful. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
2. Request a quieter space
Situation: A shared study area is too noisy to work in. Opening to rehearse: “I need somewhere quieter for this part. Is there another space I can use?” Partner reply: “Everyone else is managing.”
Replay task: Name the specific support needed and identify the next approved person or process. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
3. Decline an extra commitment
Situation: A club organiser asks for another shift during an already full week. Opening to rehearse: “I cannot take that shift. I can help with the earlier setup.” Partner reply: “We really need someone.”
Replay task: Repeat the limit without inventing an offer the teen cannot keep. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
4. Change a group-work plan
Situation: The current plan leaves one person doing all the writing. Opening to rehearse: “Can we divide the writing into sections and agree who does each?” Partner reply: “You are faster at it.”
Replay task: Keep the request specific and rehearse asking for a shared written plan. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
5. Ask for feedback
Situation: A draft is returned with a broad comment. Opening to rehearse: “Which change should I work on first?” Partner reply: “All of it needs work.”
Replay task: Request one example or a priority rather than promising to fix everything immediately. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
6. Request time to answer
Situation: A family discussion moves faster than the teen can respond. Opening to rehearse: “I want to answer, but I need a minute to think.” Partner reply: “Just say what you mean.”
Replay task: Try writing a first sentence or agree a time to return; a pause should not mean abandoning the topic. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
7. Correct a misunderstanding
Situation: Someone believes the teen agreed to a plan they did not accept. Opening to rehearse: “I said I would check, not that I could definitely come.” Partner reply: “That is not how I heard it.”
Replay task: Acknowledge the mismatch and state the current answer without debating memory indefinitely. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
8. Return to a conversation
Situation: A teen left an ordinary discussion when frustrated. Opening to rehearse: “I needed a break. I am ready to talk about the plan now.” Partner reply: “You always walk away.”
Replay task: Acknowledge the impact and bring the discussion back to one practical issue. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
9. Offer a different preference
Situation: Friends choose an activity the teen does not enjoy. Opening to rehearse: “I am not up for that today. Could we choose between these two options?” Partner reply: “Why do you have to be difficult?”
Replay task: Keep the preference clear and consider an alternative plan without seeking unanimous approval. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
10. Negotiate a deadline
Situation: A teen needs to discuss a realistic schoolwork extension. Opening to rehearse: “I have completed the outline. Could we agree a new date for the full draft?” Partner reply: “Why did you leave it?”
Replay task: Briefly acknowledge responsibility where relevant and state the proposed plan. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
11. Ask for a conversation repair
Situation: A joke interrupted a serious point. Opening to rehearse: “I wanted to finish what I was saying. Can we come back to it?” Partner reply: “I was only joking.”
Replay task: State the impact and desired action without having to prove the other person intended harm. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
12. Check a social plan
Situation: An invitation has unclear timing and transport details. Opening to rehearse: “Before I say yes, what time does it finish and how are we getting home?” Partner reply: “We will work it out.”
Replay task: Practise waiting for essential information before committing. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
13. Request an agreed reminder
Situation: Repeated reminders are creating arguments. Opening to rehearse: “Could we agree on one reminder at six, then I will check the task list?” Partner reply: “You will forget.”
Replay task: Choose a visible support and review time; do not promise perfect remembering. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
14. Acknowledge a mistake
Situation: A teen misplaced borrowed equipment. Opening to rehearse: “I cannot find it. I am checking these places and want to discuss replacing it if needed.” Partner reply: “You should have been more careful.”
Replay task: Accept the specific mistake without turning it into a global statement about character. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
15. End an unproductive exchange
Situation: A low-risk conversation is becoming repetitive. Opening to rehearse: “We are repeating ourselves. I would like to pause and return tomorrow.” Partner reply: “You are avoiding it.”
Replay task: Agree a realistic return point; use support rather than confrontation in unsafe situations. Debrief: Which words served the goal, and what remained outside the speaker’s control?
A worked session sequence
A teen chooses the deadline scenario. First they say, “I cannot do it.” The therapist asks what precise change they want. They revise to a specific extension request and rehearse a reply that asks about progress. The teen identifies the completed outline, requests a realistic date and considers what to do if the answer is no. Feedback names the clearer request; it does not grade confidence or eye contact.
Finish by asking whether there is one appropriate real conversation to try. Record the cue, the request and the support needed. At follow-up, review the response and the teen’s experience without equating refusal with failure.
Adaptations and frequently asked questions
Does every role-play need DEAR MAN? No. Use a framework when it fits and teach it explicitly; these scenarios are a broader practice bank. For the formal structure, see DEAR MAN examples and role-plays.
What if a teen freezes? Model the first sentence, reduce the reply’s complexity or switch to written dialogue. Do not push through escalating distress. Can a group observe? Yes; give observers a concrete task such as noticing the request, not judging the speaker.
For prepared scenario, partner-reply and replay cards, DEAR MAN in Action is an optional facilitated practice resource. It is DBT-informed skills practice, not a full DBT programme. These original scenes can be used without purchasing it.
For a broader session menu, see adolescent group therapy activities.