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.
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.
3-D ideas (attachment and adjustment): Kim Dunn
1. Create a safety net, using construction paper or popsicle sticks. What physical and emotional needs would be required? Make a creature, something to eat, something to keep the creature company, something to keep creature safe out of model magic.
2. Create a 3D Bird's Nest using popsicle sticks and model magic.
3. Make a Found-item sculpture to encourage dialogue about feeling lost and found.
4. Make a place that's special to you out of popsicle sticks, model magic, cardboard, etc.
2. Create a 3D Bird's Nest using popsicle sticks and model magic.
3. Make a Found-item sculpture to encourage dialogue about feeling lost and found.
4. Make a place that's special to you out of popsicle sticks, model magic, cardboard, etc.
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