How I see myself/ How others see me

How I see myself/ How others see me: Applied Methods
ETC Level: Cognitive - Symbolic - Affective
MDV Level:Unstructured - Resistive - Simple
Materials
1 larger piece of paper (18 x 24) or 2 smaller pieces of paper (8 1/2 x 11)old magazines, paper scraps, and other collage materialsglue stick scissors
Procedures
1. Using collage materials, depict how you see yourself.2. Using collage materials, depict your perception of how others see you. 3. Processing questions: Was one perception easier to depict than another? What is your favorite image? On a scale of 1 to 10, how positively do you perceive yourself? Do you find your finished collage is a good representation of how you see yourself and how others see you?
Rationale
This exercise is great for groups, especially several sessions in to therapy because at this point, the group members are feeling more comfortable disclosing personal information with the art therapist and the other members. This intervention functions in a cognitive-behavioral context, which means that certain personal attributes or characteristics are recognized, and with this recognition, the individual can modify his or her behavior to increase functionality and effectiveness in life situations. How I See Myself/ How Others See Me encourages the belief that change in thinking is possible and that things don't always have to stay the way they presently are.This intervention also increases the therapist's understanding of how perceptive the individual is. Does the client realize the effect she has on others in her life? It is also helpful to incorporate the other group members in providing reinforcement to client.
Adaptations
1. If negative self-concept is displayed, ask client to artistically demonstrate a way to change the negative perception into a positive perception. Client may cut paper up, glue images on top of other images, etc. 2. Keep the artwork, if the client doesn't mind, and bring it out the next session. Ask the individual if she would depict the same topic the same way. If not, what would she change? If yes, is she happy with that self-concept?3. Somehow connect the two perceptions if they are distinctly separate. Ask the person to think of a real life example of a way to bridge the 2 perceptions.