Source: originally taken from "Animal Answers" in the book, Stress Breakers. Based on the presentation of my co-worker, Elaine Robinson, LCSW.
Procedure: 1. Think of a problem that you are having a difficult time solving/working through/accepting. Keep that problem loosely in the back in the back of your mind. 2. Now imagine that you are in a beautiful, peaceful place. As you sit in your beautiful place, you look toward the horizon and notice an animal coming into your vision. 3. Once you notice the animal and it comes closer to you, ask it the question you have been trying to answer. Wait patiently for the animal's response.
Processing questions: What was your animal? Were you surprised that that particular creature emerged? Why do suppose that your creative mind chose that particular animal? It may also be useful to talk about the animal in symbolic or mythological terms, if such a meaning is known. Were you suprised at the animal's response to your question? Was this exercise helpful for you? Was it difficult for you to allow your creative mind to voice its opinion?
Rationale: The imaginary animal helps you to get in touch with your true feelings about an issue. Think of how small of a percentage of our brains we actually utilize in our daily lives. Perhaps there is untapped wisdom in our creative minds... We just need a vehicle to reach that wise and creative place. This intervention is one that can be revisited independently as needed, and may provide the participant with an added coping tool for stress management and independent problem-solving.
Adaptations: This guided imagery does not mention an artistic/visual component, but one could easily be added. For example, depict the animal you saw. Recreate on paper, or with 3D materials, your beautiful, peaceful place. Create a totem pole dedicated to your mentor animal.
Creating Illustrated Storybooks in Family Therapy
Source: Hanney, L. & Kozlowska, K. (2002). Healing traumatized children: Creating illustrated storybooks in family therapy. Family Process, 41 (1).
(This is one of the most helpful art therapy research articles I have found. It has a lot of great intervention strategies, strategic rationale, and a couple of well-thought-out case examples.)
Materials: several sheets of 12x12 paper (to be bound upon completion of book), markers, colored pencils, oil pastels, crayons, and/or paints
Procedure: 1. Explain the rules: All members must participate at least partially, respect for each member's artwork and potential differences in point of view and memories. No member may change another members drawings, although each member may modify his/her own drawings as needed. 2. The storybook begins at non-traumatic period of the family's story (i.e. how the parents met, the birth, etc.). It is important for the story to begin at a place of minimal anxiety so that the participants can enjoy the art making and become more comfortable with the process before more difficult material is explored. 3. The story may contain only images or images and writing. There are no rules about how each page is created or how family members share space and materials. 4. The therapist facilitates family members as they visually address important moments of the family's story. A page may be devoted to each important occurrence, or a page may house several important occurrences- the family decides.
Processing questions: Tell me about this picture. Who is this person here? Why is this person so far away? What's happening in this picture? Does anyone remember this differently? How does this person feel inside? Do you get this feeling as well? Show me where you get this feeling. Can you draw this feeling for me? Who in the family comforts you when you feel this way? I noticed that Johnny kicked Mary's leg and stole her crayon. Does this happen at home? What do you do when this happens at home?
Rationale: Creating illustrated stories over several sessions helps to establish a pattern of predictability to each session and encourages active engagement from multiple members of the family. Family members who are less verbal are still a necessary part of the process. Can help participants to "re-author" their lives. Provides opportunities for modeling and positive reinforcement of interaction among family members. Provides opportunities for discussion of sharing, appropriate expressions of anger, and parental management of interactions.
Adaptations: Illustrated storybooks can also be used as a therapeutic tool for fostered or adopted children to explore their origins.
(This is one of the most helpful art therapy research articles I have found. It has a lot of great intervention strategies, strategic rationale, and a couple of well-thought-out case examples.)
Materials: several sheets of 12x12 paper (to be bound upon completion of book), markers, colored pencils, oil pastels, crayons, and/or paints
Procedure: 1. Explain the rules: All members must participate at least partially, respect for each member's artwork and potential differences in point of view and memories. No member may change another members drawings, although each member may modify his/her own drawings as needed. 2. The storybook begins at non-traumatic period of the family's story (i.e. how the parents met, the birth, etc.). It is important for the story to begin at a place of minimal anxiety so that the participants can enjoy the art making and become more comfortable with the process before more difficult material is explored. 3. The story may contain only images or images and writing. There are no rules about how each page is created or how family members share space and materials. 4. The therapist facilitates family members as they visually address important moments of the family's story. A page may be devoted to each important occurrence, or a page may house several important occurrences- the family decides.
Processing questions: Tell me about this picture. Who is this person here? Why is this person so far away? What's happening in this picture? Does anyone remember this differently? How does this person feel inside? Do you get this feeling as well? Show me where you get this feeling. Can you draw this feeling for me? Who in the family comforts you when you feel this way? I noticed that Johnny kicked Mary's leg and stole her crayon. Does this happen at home? What do you do when this happens at home?
Rationale: Creating illustrated stories over several sessions helps to establish a pattern of predictability to each session and encourages active engagement from multiple members of the family. Family members who are less verbal are still a necessary part of the process. Can help participants to "re-author" their lives. Provides opportunities for modeling and positive reinforcement of interaction among family members. Provides opportunities for discussion of sharing, appropriate expressions of anger, and parental management of interactions.
Adaptations: Illustrated storybooks can also be used as a therapeutic tool for fostered or adopted children to explore their origins.
Key points of Choices, Cookies, Kids DVD
Source: Dr. Gary Landrath. Choices, Cookies, and Kids (DVD). This DVD is a brief, helpful intervention for parents looking for a creative approach to teaching their kids discipline and self-responsibility. Dr. Gary Landrath is a nerdy, yet likable speaker, and gives great examples of his Oreo cookie theory at work in his own home.
*Children want our attention, and will do whatever they must to get it.
*It's not what you do, but what you do after what you have done. Teaches child that relationships can be mended and that it's okay to admit when you've made a mistake.
Oreo cookie theory: Based on the question, "When will she learn what it feels like to make a choice?" Big choices are given to big kids. Little choices are given to little kids. Key word = "choose" (i.e. You may choose to have one oreo cookie, or you may choose to have no oreo cookies. You may choose to quit fighting or you may choose to lose television priveleges for the rest of the evening.)
*Choice-giving teaches self-control and self-responsibility. At the very moment a person chooses, (s)he commits to the decision (You can't take back a choice.) He gives the example of his two daughters making the choice to fight in the back seat of the car or watching their favorite television show. The choice is made the very moment they begin to fight in the car.
*Walk 5 years down the road and look back at a situation. The solution becomes crystal clear.
*Don't overdose on choices. Work on one or two things at a time.
*Children want our attention, and will do whatever they must to get it.
*It's not what you do, but what you do after what you have done. Teaches child that relationships can be mended and that it's okay to admit when you've made a mistake.
Oreo cookie theory: Based on the question, "When will she learn what it feels like to make a choice?" Big choices are given to big kids. Little choices are given to little kids. Key word = "choose" (i.e. You may choose to have one oreo cookie, or you may choose to have no oreo cookies. You may choose to quit fighting or you may choose to lose television priveleges for the rest of the evening.)
*Choice-giving teaches self-control and self-responsibility. At the very moment a person chooses, (s)he commits to the decision (You can't take back a choice.) He gives the example of his two daughters making the choice to fight in the back seat of the car or watching their favorite television show. The choice is made the very moment they begin to fight in the car.
*Walk 5 years down the road and look back at a situation. The solution becomes crystal clear.
*Don't overdose on choices. Work on one or two things at a time.
Warm Fuzzies
Source: www.emotional-literacy.com/fuzzy.htm (This website has a 2-3 page story called "A Warm Fuzzy Tale," which was originally written by Claude M. Steiner. The Warm Fuzzies intervention is based on this story.
Materials: yarn, scissors (depending on your population, you may want to pre-cut the yarn pieces)
Procedure: 1. Read the story aloud. 2. Cut yarn into 2" strands. Each warm fuzzy will take approximately 10-15 strands, depending on the participant's preference (the more strands, the fuller/fluffier the warm fuzzy will be). 3. Use one strand to tie the rest of the strands together in the center of the bunch. 4. Spread out strands to create desired appearance. 5. (Optional) Trade created warm fuzzies while sharing theoretical warm fuzzies.
Processing questions: Share a time when someone gave you a warm fuzzy. How did it make you feel? Have you ever shared a warm fuzzy with someone else? What was that person's response? What is something you could do right now to share a warm fuzzy? What are the benefits of sharing warm fuzzies?
Share a time when someone gave you a cold prickly. How did it make you feel? Have you ever shared a cold prickly with someone else? What was that person's response? What are the consequences of sharing cold pricklies?
Optional: Pipe cleaners could be substituted in the place of the yarn to make cold pricklies.
Rationale: This intervention helps to concretize the abstract concept of compassion and stimulate discussion about acts of kindness. Ideal for use with elementary-aged children's group working on social skills.
Materials: yarn, scissors (depending on your population, you may want to pre-cut the yarn pieces)
Procedure: 1. Read the story aloud. 2. Cut yarn into 2" strands. Each warm fuzzy will take approximately 10-15 strands, depending on the participant's preference (the more strands, the fuller/fluffier the warm fuzzy will be). 3. Use one strand to tie the rest of the strands together in the center of the bunch. 4. Spread out strands to create desired appearance. 5. (Optional) Trade created warm fuzzies while sharing theoretical warm fuzzies.
Processing questions: Share a time when someone gave you a warm fuzzy. How did it make you feel? Have you ever shared a warm fuzzy with someone else? What was that person's response? What is something you could do right now to share a warm fuzzy? What are the benefits of sharing warm fuzzies?
Share a time when someone gave you a cold prickly. How did it make you feel? Have you ever shared a cold prickly with someone else? What was that person's response? What are the consequences of sharing cold pricklies?
Optional: Pipe cleaners could be substituted in the place of the yarn to make cold pricklies.
Rationale: This intervention helps to concretize the abstract concept of compassion and stimulate discussion about acts of kindness. Ideal for use with elementary-aged children's group working on social skills.
Beautiful-Ugly-Beautiful
Source: Liebman, M. Art therapy for groups.
Materials: paper, choice of drawing utensils
Procedure: 1. Each person starts with one piece of paper. 2. Ask participants to think of something beautiful and find a way to represent it with the art materials in a short amount of time (2-3 minutes). 3. Ask each person to pass his/her drawing to the right. 4. Ask the new owners of the drawings to notice the beauty of the picture. Then tell them to ask permission from the artist to mess up the picture. 5. The new owner finds a way to make the original picture less beautiful, or ugly. 6. Next the picture is handed back to its original owner. The owner must find a way to make the picture beautiful once again.
Processing questions: Describe the changes that this picture has undergone. How did you make it beautiful again? What emotions did you experience during this intervention? Can you think of an example of a time in your life when someone made a mess of something you had worked hard to "make beautiful"? What did you do to make it beautiful again? Did anything positive come from the mess up?
Rationale: to stimulate a discussion about creative problem solving, to bring light to the positives that a negative situation can bring
Materials: paper, choice of drawing utensils
Procedure: 1. Each person starts with one piece of paper. 2. Ask participants to think of something beautiful and find a way to represent it with the art materials in a short amount of time (2-3 minutes). 3. Ask each person to pass his/her drawing to the right. 4. Ask the new owners of the drawings to notice the beauty of the picture. Then tell them to ask permission from the artist to mess up the picture. 5. The new owner finds a way to make the original picture less beautiful, or ugly. 6. Next the picture is handed back to its original owner. The owner must find a way to make the picture beautiful once again.
Processing questions: Describe the changes that this picture has undergone. How did you make it beautiful again? What emotions did you experience during this intervention? Can you think of an example of a time in your life when someone made a mess of something you had worked hard to "make beautiful"? What did you do to make it beautiful again? Did anything positive come from the mess up?
Rationale: to stimulate a discussion about creative problem solving, to bring light to the positives that a negative situation can bring
Group Mandala
Materials: Large sheet of paper (posterboard or larger), variety of drawing utensils
Procedure: Draw a large circle on the paper. Divide the circle so that each member present has a section. Instruct the group to use their section of the circle to draw anything they want. If you need to cross into another person's circle, make sure to get permission.
Processing: How do members approach the task? Do they appear to be comfortable with one another? How do they approach boundary issues? Is the finished product cohesive? If so, in what way? If not, what could make it cohesive?
Rationale: Creates group cohesion, stimulates discussion about similarities and differences, addresses boundary issues
Adaptations: Instead of members drawing anything they want, implement a more specific directive, such as, "Sadness," "Relaxation," "Hope," etc.
Procedure: Draw a large circle on the paper. Divide the circle so that each member present has a section. Instruct the group to use their section of the circle to draw anything they want. If you need to cross into another person's circle, make sure to get permission.
Processing: How do members approach the task? Do they appear to be comfortable with one another? How do they approach boundary issues? Is the finished product cohesive? If so, in what way? If not, what could make it cohesive?
Rationale: Creates group cohesion, stimulates discussion about similarities and differences, addresses boundary issues
Adaptations: Instead of members drawing anything they want, implement a more specific directive, such as, "Sadness," "Relaxation," "Hope," etc.
Family Kingdom Drawing
Materials: large sheet of drawing paper (mural paper or posterboard size), drawing utensils of choice
Procedure: Ask clients to draw a picture of the (Insert family name here) Kingdom. Emphasize the importance of each person's contribution to the kingdom to ensure that it is a special "place" for everyone. Explain that every family is different and will create a unique kingdom through a unique process. (For example, some families may choose to discuss their plan beforehand, whereas other families may just start right away and plan as needed.)
Observations: How does the family work together? How does this family approach boundary issues? How do they approach disagreements? Does each person seem to be respected and appreciated for his/her contributions? Do opportunities for praise and/or intervention arise?
Processing: Is there conflict in the kingdom? How can the family work together to protect the kingdom from destruction? What was it like working together to create the kingdom? What are other things in real life that you approach as a team?
Procedure: Ask clients to draw a picture of the (Insert family name here) Kingdom. Emphasize the importance of each person's contribution to the kingdom to ensure that it is a special "place" for everyone. Explain that every family is different and will create a unique kingdom through a unique process. (For example, some families may choose to discuss their plan beforehand, whereas other families may just start right away and plan as needed.)
Observations: How does the family work together? How does this family approach boundary issues? How do they approach disagreements? Does each person seem to be respected and appreciated for his/her contributions? Do opportunities for praise and/or intervention arise?
Processing: Is there conflict in the kingdom? How can the family work together to protect the kingdom from destruction? What was it like working together to create the kingdom? What are other things in real life that you approach as a team?
Feelings quilt
My classmate, Becky Miller, made up this quick and simple intervention for a presentation on depression.
Materials: index cards, crayons, markers, hole-punch, yarn
Procedure: On one side of the card, using one color only, scribble sadness/depression. On the other side, using one color only, scribble happiness. When everyone is finished, lay cards side by side in a quilt-like pattern. Each persons chooses which side is exposed and where to place his/her piece. Tie together.
Processing questions: Which side did you decide to expose? What made you make that decision? Was there a reason why you chose to place the piece where you did? Describe your sad side. Describe your happy side. How are you feeling today? Notice which side is scribbled with more emotion. What colors were chosen?
Rationale: Everyone experiences depression, just as everyone experiences happiness. Some experiences look similar to others. Some look much different than others. Creates the opportunity to discuss emotion through metaphor.
Materials: index cards, crayons, markers, hole-punch, yarn
Procedure: On one side of the card, using one color only, scribble sadness/depression. On the other side, using one color only, scribble happiness. When everyone is finished, lay cards side by side in a quilt-like pattern. Each persons chooses which side is exposed and where to place his/her piece. Tie together.
Processing questions: Which side did you decide to expose? What made you make that decision? Was there a reason why you chose to place the piece where you did? Describe your sad side. Describe your happy side. How are you feeling today? Notice which side is scribbled with more emotion. What colors were chosen?
Rationale: Everyone experiences depression, just as everyone experiences happiness. Some experiences look similar to others. Some look much different than others. Creates the opportunity to discuss emotion through metaphor.
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