Horrible Therapist

Horrible Therapist is an adult party card game in which players assemble three-panel comics about fictional therapy sessions. Each comic combines a Question, an Answer, and a proposed Treatment. There is no ongoing story, campaign, or fixed group of characters. Instead, every round produces an independent situation based on randomly selected cards. The game supports three to eight participants, is intended for ages seventeen and older, and generally takes about fifteen minutes.

Three Decks, One Comic

The set contains 70 Question Cards, 125 Answer Cards, and 175 Treatment Cards. These decks are shuffled separately and placed in the center of the table. Every player draws five Treatment Cards and keeps them hidden. One participant becomes the first Therapist, while everyone else competes to submit the final panel. The role rotates after each round, giving each person control over both the setup and the winning decision.

How the Therapist Starts a Round

The Therapist reveals the top Question Card to form the first comic panel. They then draw three Answer Cards, examine them privately, and select one as the second panel. The other two Answer Cards are removed from the current match. After seeing the completed question-and-answer combination, the remaining players choose one Treatment Card from their hands and pass it face down to the Therapist.

The rest of the round follows this sequence:

• The Therapist shuffles all submitted cards to hide their owners.
• Each Treatment Card is revealed and read aloud.
• The three panels are considered as a complete comic.
• The Therapist chooses the Treatment that best finishes the situation.
• The owner of the selected card receives one point.
• Players refill their hands until everyone has five Treatment Cards.
• The Therapist role passes to the next person.

Choosing for the Current Judge

Horrible Therapist has no levels, maps, unlockable content, or increasing difficulty. Progress is measured only through points earned across repeated rounds. Since the Therapist decides which Treatment wins, players should consider that person’s preferences before submitting a card. A response may be selected because it creates a logical conclusion, an unexpected contrast, or a connection between the illustrations and dialogue. Some cards also include blank spaces that players can complete with their own words.