Group Activities for Children and Teens
Here is a list of ideas that I have employed at various times in a mental health setting for groups of children and teens.
1. Lighthouse
Visualization: You are lost at sea on a stormy night. You see a glimmer of light leading you to land. If you row hard, you can make it. Someone waits for you with a warm meal, dry clothes, and a place to rest.
Draw, color, or paint an image of a lighthouse as a source of guidance in your life. Depict yourself somewhere in the image, either in a boat on the water, in the lighthouse, etc. Add words to represent your sources of guidance in life, i.e. faith, family, hope.
2. Joyful Memory
Everyone shares the most joyful memory that comes to mind. Each person directs the scene, casting group members in the various roles, including him or herself. Participant watches the scene and comments on the feelings and memories that come up.
3. Lovers and Haters (This one seems complex at first but once everyone gets it, it's a very fun and powerful activity.)
Clients take six strips of paper each. Write three Negative Messages or beliefs on three of the paper strips; i.e. You're dumb, you're ugly, etc. Write three Powerful, Positive Responses to the messages on the other three paper strips; i.e. I have confidence in my abilities. I'm proud of the way I look.
Form two rows of three standing opposite each other. Let participants choose if they want to be in the "haters" row or the "lovers" row. A participant gives one of his Negative Messages to each person in the "haters" row. He gives the corresponding Powerful, Positive Response paper to the person in the "lovers" row that is facing the "hater." The participant stands between the first pair as they read the messages on the sheets and try to influence the participant using ad lib sentences. The hater extends her arm out to block the participant from passing.
e.g. Hater: "You're really dumb. You are always so slow. Why don't you ever understand anything?" Lover: "I'm proud of my abilities. I may not be perfect, but I'm exactly who I need to be." Participant listens to the two sides and finally chooses the Lover's side by repeating the Powerful Positive Response and pushing past the Hater's arm block. Participant repeats process with next pair until finished with all three pairs. Repeat for each person.
4. Friendship Mural
Big banner: "A true friend is someone who..."
Clients fill the mural with images and words that complete this sentence.
5. Resilience
Draw, color, or paint an image of a being in nature that survives in a harsh environment: a flower in a sidewalk; a fish at the bottom of the ocean; a creature in the desert.
6. Paraphrased quote from Elie Wiesel: "Violence is a form of communication for a person who fails to find words." Participants complete the following sentences for a journaling activity:
Violence happens because...
Someone who is violent toward others is trying to...
Someone who is violent toward himself is trying to...
Someone I have trouble communicating with is...
What I really need is....
What I wish people would understand about me is...
7. Powerful Ally
Think of a person or character, real or imaginary, who is powerful, strong, or wise. Remember a time you felt alone, scared, out of control, or helpless. Imagine that the Powerful Person is there with you during the experience, either offering help or just being with you. Participants enact the memories with the Powerful Person present in the scene. Each participant casts the needed players in the scene and instruct the players how to enact the various characters' actions. Client plays herself in the scene.
8. Inner Child
Draw yourself as a child on your paper. Add images and words to give this child everything that it needs, including a supportive nurturing parent.
9. Purpose in Life (adapted from an activity used in the Awakening the Dreamer Symposium)
Fold paper into three sections. In the first section, list your gifts, strengths, talents, including abilities and personal qualities. In the third section, list problems in the world that are concerning to you, such as child abuse, animal abuse, unemployment, etc. In the middle section, use creativity to devise at least three ways to use your gifts in the first section to solve problems in the third section. Draw and color an image of one of these ideas as if it has already happened and succeeded in solving the problem.
10. My Relationship with _____
Select a magazine image for yourself and another person with whom you have conflict or difficulty. Glue each image on opposite sides of the paper. Draw arrows from the other person to yourself and write words above each arrow to indicate the disagreeable actions of the other person. Draw a protective wall between you and that person using bricks, laser shields, or any kind of imaginary protective device that believably prevents the disagreeable actions from harming you. Now safe from harm, add images, words, and colors around the picture of the other person to depict your wish for their healing, growth, and peace. Write your prayers or hopes that they will receive what they need to be happy. Add images, words, and colors around the picture of yourself to describe what goals and values you will pursue once you are healed from the negative impacts of this relationship.
11. Lifeline (adapted from a standard Expressive Therapies activity I learned at Lesley University)
On a piece of paper, make two points on the opposite ends of the paper, one labeled "birth" and the other labeled "now." Draw a line between the two points. Identify at least three high points and three low points in your life and graph them according to your age (horizontally) and according to the feelings in the experience (vertically). Low points will be below your lifeline and high points will be above your lifeline. Connect the points with lines making a zig-zag line. Share the events with the group and the group responds with cheers, applause, and praise on the high points and boos and words of encouragement at the low points. If participant doesn't feel comfortable sharing details of their lives, they can simply say, "Age 6, high point."
12. Inside - outside bags/ boxes. (standard Expressive Therapies activity used at Lesley University)
Decorate a bag or box with images and words on the outside to represent the qualities you show to the world. Decorate the inside of the bag or box with images and words that represent the inner qualities that are hidden to most people.
13. Feeling Code Collage (learned from my art therapy supervisor, Susan LaMantia)
Take one sheet of paper and draw and color an image to represent various feelings, such as happy, sad, mad, scared, embarrassment, love, peace, crazy, bored, etc. Label each image with the feeling. Participants can also choose feelings to add to the list. Encourage participants to use creativity; i.e. "happy" might first make you think of a smiley face, but it could also be like a purple and green spiral or a puppy. On a second sheet of paper, use the feeling code to make another drawing in which the images can be made bigger, smaller, repeated, overlapped, or arranged in a unique relationship to other images. Title the new drawing and discuss.
14. Cooling My Hot Spots
Using a preprinted picture of a human silhouette, use color and image to represent feelings of anger or emotional pain on the place of the body associated with the feelings, i.e. black pit in the stomach, red squiggles on the fists wanting to punch, etc. Draw a cooling image and phrase beside each of the hot spots, i.e. a waterfall with the words, "Let go," or music notes with the words, "Don't let other people get you down."
15. Three Animals (adapted from a game I used to play with friends - I have no idea where we learned it from.)
On a sheet of paper, write the name of your favorite animal and three qualities you like about that animal; i.e. cheetah: sad, caring, and shy. Next, write the name of your second favorite animals with three qualities, and finally, your third favorite and its three qualities. Consider the possibility that the first animal represents how you want others to see you, the second animal represents how people actually see you, and the third animal represents who you really are. (Reading them aloud with their meanings with the group can be quite humorous.) Next, draw, color, or paint a mixed breed animal with the three animals you chose, such as a creature with a cheetah head, a mouse body, and a fish tail. Add a habitat, food, family and friends for this animal.
16. Relationship Needs
Select a magazine picture to represent you and glue it to the middle of a large piece of paper. Select magazine pictures to represent the six most important people in your life and glue them in a circle around you. Draw a line connecting each of the people to the picture of you. On the top of each line, write a word or phrase about what you need from that person. Under each line, write a word or phrase about what that person needs from you.
17. Wise Puppet
Using craft materials, create a puppet of a real or imagined character that represents wisdom, such as a grandfather or Yoda. Each person enacts a skit with their puppet in which the participant asks the puppet for advice about something in life. Participants should use a special voice for their puppet characters and keep the conversation with their puppet going as long as possible.
18. Good and Bad Mandalas
Discussion: The world has happy and sad aspects, but sometimes negative events can lead to positive events. Consider the possibility that the negative and positive events are in some kind of harmony and that there is a larger order of goodness. Draw, color, or paint a mandala that includes both happy and sad things in life, intertwined with each other, in a balanced and colorful harmony; i.e. gravestones next to blossoming trees, broken hearts next to rainbows, thief next to a policeman, etc.
19. Treasure Map
On a piece of paper, label one corner, "The beginning" and another corner, "Success." Draw a windy path between the two points. Using collage materials, create stations along the path with creative titles, such as "Crossing the desert of loneliness," "Forgiveness and letting go," "Climbing the mountain of determination," "Resting in the shade of a caring friend," etc.
20. Affirmation Poster
Think of a sentence or expression that makes you feel better when you are depressed/ angry/ anxious. Make a large poster of the saying using glitter, favorite colors, and/or images to put on your wall; i.e. "This will pass." or "You're worth whatever it takes."
21. Inspired Poem
Find a quote that is meaningful to you and write at the top of a piece of paper. Add your own lines below it that expand on the quote in the way you understand it - continue for the rest of the page. Find someone in the group to read your poem for you as you use movement or gesture to express the meaning of your poem.
22. Heroes, Allies, and Companions
Divide paper into three parts, titling each section, "Heroes," "Allies," and "Worthy Companions." Identify and draw artistic representations of people for each box. Heroes are people that you look up to and admire for their achievements or way of being. Allies are those who have more power than you that you trust or can enlist to help you move toward your goals. Worthy Companions are peers who are on a similar journey or could be a good support to you in your journey.
23. Predator vs. Hero
Divide paper in half. On one side, draw an artistic representation of the part of you that sabatoges your success in life. On the other side, draw an artistic representation of the part of you that is working hard to be successful. On the back of your paper, draw an image representing your Hero gaining control of your Predator, either by putting the predator on an island, in jail, or by negotiating some kind of agreement.
24. Law Books
Discuss Kohlberg's six stages of morality. Do you do the right thing to 1) avoid punishment, 2) gain reward, 3) be regarded as a good boy or girl, 4) because you believe in the law, 5) because you believe in a social contract, or 6) because you feel what is right and wrong in your own heart? Make a book of laws as you would like them to be, including one page each for the following topics: World Laws, Society Laws, School Laws, Friendship Laws, Romantic Relationship Laws, Family Laws, and Self Laws.
25. Butterfly Initiation
Discuss initiation rites of indigenous cultures that enacted a death/ rebirth cycle for youth. Compare that process to the death and rebirth of a butterfly larvae entering a cocoon phase in which its body disintegrates before forming the adult butterfly. Divide paper into four segments and label each one, Child, Preparation, Death, and Rebirth. Draw, color, or paint an artistic representation in each box, such as caterpillar, cocoon weaving, disintegration in the cocoon, and the butterfly.
26. How to Treat an Illness
Discussion: What are some treatments for physical illnesses, such as a wound, a cold, or a disease? (i.e. rest, bandages, surgery, etc.) How are these symbolic of the same treatments we use for emotional or mental problems? (i.e. talking to friends and family, talking to a therapist, hiding or protecting our hurt places, changing destructive patterns, etc.) Design your perfect healing hospital that would help you to heal your heart and mind whenever you are having problems. Include animals, food, recreation, support, mediation, and anything you think would be helpful.
27. Advantages and Disadvantages
On one side of your paper, list the following: age, race, body type, speech/ language, fashion/ style, mental ability, physical ability, sexual orientation, social style, income/ financial. Make two columns entitled, Advantage and Disadvantage. Place a check in one or both of the columns for each word depending on whether that characteristic has been an advantage or disadvantage in your life. For example, a teen might say his age is both a disadvantage and an advantage because people treat him like a child and he's not allowed to drive, but he also isn't responsible for bills or working and can still have fun. Share with the group, and then draw, paint, or color a "pride" collage of various images and words that represetn qualities about yourself, including any aspects that have been a disadvantage in your life.
28. My Perfect Life
Draw an image of your perfect life, including your home, relationships, clothing, job, and achievements. Turn your paper over and write three steps that will help you make your dream come true.
29. Good and Bad
Discussion: If someone makes mistakes in life, does that make them a bad person? Can someone admit to being imperfect and still be proud of himself or herself?
Either sitting in a circle or in partners, take turns saying a statement while looking into a peer's eyes. After saying the statement, keep looking in their eyes for a count of ten seconds without laughing.
"I make mistakes but I'm still ok." "I'm not perfect but I'm trying my best." "I'm proud of who I am, even if I have problems sometimes," etc. If the speaker laughs, then he has to start the count over. Variation: allow the partner to make silly faces to try to make the speaker laugh.
30. Layers of Feelings (adapted from a lecture by WIlbert Alix, Trancedance Trainer)
Discuss layers of feelings: Our first response to difficulty is often anger, to protect ourselves. Under anger is fear of being hurt. Under the fear is sadness or pain about the situation that we don't want to feel. Under the sadness is our deep need for love or respect.
Draw four circles inside each other, like a bullseye. Label the circles, starting from the outer circle, anger, fear, sadness, and love. Fill in each circle with the different layers of feelings for the same situation. For example, I was mad when my teacher yelled at me in class. (Anger) I was afraid of being sent to the office and getting in trouble. (Fear) I'm sad that things don't always go the way I want them to in my life, and that my teacher seems to hate me. (Sadness) I wish I was more appreciated and valued by people in my life. (Love) Add colors and images to express your associations with the feelings in each layer.
31. Fill in the Story
Find and print pictures of scenes from plays, movies or tv shows in which there are several characters pictured together in the middle of the story (not posing for the camera and smiling). Each participant choses a picture and writes the following:
Names and ages for everyone in the picture.
Name of the main character
Main character' greatest wish, greatest fear, best quality and worst quality
Setting of the scene
Background to the scene: what has happened before the moment pictured?
Write the conclusion of the story and draw, color, or paint the final scene of the story.
32. Ants and Tigers
Discussion: What are the qualities of ants? (i.e. small, teamwork, defined roles, coordination) What are the qualities of tigers? (i.e. solitary, acts on its own impulse, big and powerful) Are there times it is better to be like an ant? A tiger? Are there times it is worse to be like an ant? A tiger? Divide your paper in half, and label one side "Ants" and one side "Tiger." On the ant side, draw yourself as an ant in a situation in which you remember that you behaved like an ant. On the tiger side, draw yourself as a tiger in which you remember that you behaved like a tiger. (Few people feel confident in their ability to draw tigers. Encourage participants to take risks, use their erasers, and be nonjudgmental of their work.)
33. Four elements of you:
Discussion: Passion gives us the will to live and gives shape to our lives.
Fold your paper into four sections. Label each section, The Earth of Me, The Air of Me, The Fire of Me, and The Water of Me. Use image and color to express your passion in life as symbolized by the four elements.
34. Tank of Gas
Discussion: Even with great talents, someone with low self-esteem can't get very far. It would be like having a nice car without any gas. On the other hand, some people who have physical limitations have achieved great things due to their self-confidence.
Make two columns on a piece of paper. On one column, list the areas of your life that you feel confident about, and on the other column, list the areas of life that you feel insecure about; i.e. academics, work, appearance, creativity, making friends, etc. Count the number of items listed in each column and write the total at the bottom of each list. Subtract the Insecure total from the Confident total: that is how much gas you have left in your tank. On another piece of paper, make a visual affirmation of your ability to improve your confidence and self-acceptance in areas of your life that you are currently insecure about.
35. God Grant Me the Serenity
Discuss the quote, God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can't change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Make two lists, "The things I can change" and "The things I can't change." On each side, list the things you can and can't change in your life. On another sheet of paper, draw how your life would look after you successfuly changed the things on your list, "The things I can change."
36. Gratitude and Wishes
Draw, paint, or color a tree, including its roots and branches, by creating intricate patterns that become more complex as they get farther from the tree's trunk. Add words or glue pieces of paper shaped like rocks in the soil at the roots to represent things you are grateful for in your life. Add words or glue pieces of paper shaped like leaves in the branches to represent things you wish for in life. Discussion: Why is gratitude at our roots and our wishes in our branches?
37. Holistic Health
Discussion: What is a healthy mind? A healthy heart? A healthy body? A healthy spirit?
Divide your paper diagonally into four triangles. Fill each triangle with color, words, and images that represent what a healthy mind, heart, body, and spirit is for you.
38. How Does This Serve Me?
Write down a common emotional difficulty you have in life, such as depression or anger. Make a list of ways that feeling is serving you in your life. For example "Depression serves to express my grief, protect me from failure, gets me attention, and makes people leave me alone." "Anger allows me to feel powerful and in control." Make another list of some alternative ways of getting those needs met.
Fold a large paper into three sections. Using magazine images, make a collage for each section, entitled, "My feeling," "How it serves me," and "Alternatives."
39. Daily Schedule
Make a schedule of your daily routine. Add into your schedule one activity to improve each of the following: mental health, emotional health, physical health, and spiritual health. For example, "On my walk to school, I will try to think positive about my day." "I will spend a few moments in prayer or meditation before I go to sleep." "I will do some yoga while I watch tv at night." Decorate your schedule with markers, designs, and glitter so it looks attractive to you. Take it home and tape it someplace you will see it daily.
40. Spirit
Identify a spiritual power that you believe in, and write it in the middle of your paper using special lettering, i.e. God, Spirit, Nature, Love, etc. Using color and image, depict six qualities of the spiritual power in a circle around the word, such as "All-knowing," "Healing," or "Unconditional Love." Add a border and background color to tie the images together.
41. How Animals Heal
Read source material from wikipedia or websites about animals' natural ability to identify plants that they need to heal when they are sick. Discuss what else animals do when they are sick, i.e. whine, rest, lick themselves, etc. Draw, color, or paint a picture of yourself as an animal in your natural habitat. Depict your animal as injured in some way, i.e. twisted ankle, cut on the paw, has a cold, etc. Add to your image three natural remedies you will use to heal yourself; i.e. a shady resting place away from predators, a healing plant, an animal ally who can bring you food while you rest.
42. My Wise Self (adapted from an exercise from The Progoff Intensive Journal Program)
Discussion: Everyone has a unique kind of wisdom that allows them to see and understand things about life that no one else can.
Divide your paper in half. On one side, draw yourself surrounded by any problems you currently have, including words, colors and images. On the other side, draw your Wise Self, either as a god or goddess, an old man or woman, an animal, a mountain, or any image that fits for you. Imagine that your Wise Self is looking across the paper and seeing you in your difficult situation. On another piece of paper, let your wise self speak using your non-dominant hand to write his or her words. Using your dominant hand, write questions to your Wise Self to keep the conversation going as long as possible.
43. Rewrite History
Pick a negative memory you feel comfortable to process in the group. Draw, paint or color the scene as vividly as possible. Add whatever you needed in that moment to prevent, tolerate, or respond to the situation in a way that would have been better than what actually happened. Afterwards, journal or freewrite about your experience. If it feels right, make a promise to yourself to learn from the experience and strive to get the help you need to prevent or overcome difficult experiences.
44. The Eye of the Hurricane
Draw, color or paint an image of anything that has a still, calm, powerful presence that is unaffected by disturbances in its environment: i.e. the eye of a hurricane, a mountain undisturbed by the birds squaking above, a tree undisturbed by the squirrels, etc.
45. Shadow (another seemingly complex activity but very worthwhile)
Each participant gets nine small squares of paper, arranged in three columns. Using a different-colored marker for each column, number the pieces of paper in each column, 1, 2, 3. In the middle column, draw yourself. Draw your head in the top square, your torso and arms in the middle square, and your legs and feet in the bottom square. Write a word or phrase next to your head in the top square that expresses "How I look to others." Write a word or phrase next to your torso in the middle square that expresses "How I usually feel." Write a word or phrase next to your feet in the bottom square that expresses "How I usually act." Use words like, beautiful/ handsome, tough, calm, shy, anxious, silly, cool, crazy, ect. On the left column, draw someone you really dislike or hate. Again, draw the head in the top square, torso in the middle square, legs in the bottom square. Add words to each box like before, "How do I look to others," "How do I feel," and "How do I act." On the right column, draw someone you really admire or are jealous of. Add words for each square as before.
In the next step, mix and match the different qualities to make your ideal personality. Try to take at least one quality from the person you hated and one from the person you admired. Imagine how your life would be different if you had this new personality. Write a story about an event from your regular life, such as riding the bus or going to work that turned out differently because of your new personality.
46. Missing Pieces (adapted from the concept of soul hunting)
Think of a bad experience from your life that still affects you now. Imagine that some part of you ran away because of the pain of that experience. Identify what part of you ran away: strength, joy, confidence, peacefulness, power, pride, courage, trust in others, self-esteem, etc. Draw, color, or paint a picture of how that part of you looks or feels when it is in its full and healthy state. Write a letter to that part of you, asking it to return. Make your own letter or use the following form:
"Dear ____, I know you left because of ____. It is now safe for you to return because ____. I promise to make sure it stays safe by _____. I miss you and I need you in my life because _____. Please return so I can be whole. Love, ____"
If desired, write a response letter from the missing part.
47. Tolerance Pledge Ceremony
Make a list of all the names that humiliate someone for being different. Write your pledge to disavow the words. Make your own pledge or use the following form: "No one has the right to call me these names and I don't have the right to call anyone else these names. I pledge that I will accept others the way they are and try to appreciate people who are different from me. If I really don't like someone, I will give them space to be who they are, and I will defend my right to be who I am. (Add your own words) Signed, ___" One at a time, read your list of derogatory names to the group, rip up the paper, and throw it in the garbage. Read your pledge aloud with conviction to the group. Group applauds for each person.
48. Tough Guy and Drama Queen
Discussion: What are the stereotypical ways for males and females to respond to emotional pain? Which one is more socially acceptable? Are there "tough guy" women and "drama queen" men?
On a pre-printed silhouette of a human figure, use color and image to express a balance of good qualities from the Tough Guy persona, i.e. strong, self-controlled, and protective; and the Drama Queen, i.e. expresses feelings, interdependent with other people, caring and sensitive.
49. Inner Sanctuary
Discussion: What are some benefits/ purposes of meditation?
On a pre-printed silhouette of a human figure, use color and image to depict a place you can journey to during meditation, such as a natural scene, your religious faith or practice, a repeated phrase, a color or song, or a safe place. You can depict the sanctuary as being inside the body (preferred), or you can also depict the sanctuary around the figure. Title the page, "My inner sanctuary" and discuss times in your life you might need to retreat to your sanctuary.
50. Dear Society
Draw three circles inside each other on a piece of paper, like a bullseye. On the inner circle, write something that you feel insecure about, such as "my appearance," "my intelligence," or "being weak." On the next circle, list phrases or words that have reinforced that insecurity, such as "You're ugly," or "You're slow." Make sure to include any messages about the consequences of having this deficit, such as "If you are ugly, no one will like you and you'll be alone forever," or "If you are dumb, you'll be a failure and be starving and poor forever." On the next circle, write the names of people who have said those words or phrases to you, such as, "myself," "my mom," or "people at school." In the four corners of the page, write where you think those people learned those judgments, such as society's expectations for people to look a certain way or to fit into a narrow definition of intelligence. Next, write a letter to society about how its expectations have negatively affected your self-esteem, and express your commitment to feeling confident about yourself. Make your own letter or use the following form:
"Dear Society, you expect everyone to be ___. If someone doesn't meet your expectations, then you ___. This is not fair because ___. My self esteem is low because I've been told that ___. I can try to work hard on improving ___ [i.e. grades, health, abilities, emotions, etc.] but I refuse to feel less than other people. I value myself because I [three things I like about myself]. Please stop trying to make me feel bad about myself. [Add your own final sentence]. Signed, ___."
Stay tuned for more!
1. Lighthouse
Visualization: You are lost at sea on a stormy night. You see a glimmer of light leading you to land. If you row hard, you can make it. Someone waits for you with a warm meal, dry clothes, and a place to rest.
Draw, color, or paint an image of a lighthouse as a source of guidance in your life. Depict yourself somewhere in the image, either in a boat on the water, in the lighthouse, etc. Add words to represent your sources of guidance in life, i.e. faith, family, hope.
2. Joyful Memory
Everyone shares the most joyful memory that comes to mind. Each person directs the scene, casting group members in the various roles, including him or herself. Participant watches the scene and comments on the feelings and memories that come up.
3. Lovers and Haters (This one seems complex at first but once everyone gets it, it's a very fun and powerful activity.)
Clients take six strips of paper each. Write three Negative Messages or beliefs on three of the paper strips; i.e. You're dumb, you're ugly, etc. Write three Powerful, Positive Responses to the messages on the other three paper strips; i.e. I have confidence in my abilities. I'm proud of the way I look.
Form two rows of three standing opposite each other. Let participants choose if they want to be in the "haters" row or the "lovers" row. A participant gives one of his Negative Messages to each person in the "haters" row. He gives the corresponding Powerful, Positive Response paper to the person in the "lovers" row that is facing the "hater." The participant stands between the first pair as they read the messages on the sheets and try to influence the participant using ad lib sentences. The hater extends her arm out to block the participant from passing.
e.g. Hater: "You're really dumb. You are always so slow. Why don't you ever understand anything?" Lover: "I'm proud of my abilities. I may not be perfect, but I'm exactly who I need to be." Participant listens to the two sides and finally chooses the Lover's side by repeating the Powerful Positive Response and pushing past the Hater's arm block. Participant repeats process with next pair until finished with all three pairs. Repeat for each person.
4. Friendship Mural
Big banner: "A true friend is someone who..."
Clients fill the mural with images and words that complete this sentence.
5. Resilience
Draw, color, or paint an image of a being in nature that survives in a harsh environment: a flower in a sidewalk; a fish at the bottom of the ocean; a creature in the desert.
6. Paraphrased quote from Elie Wiesel: "Violence is a form of communication for a person who fails to find words." Participants complete the following sentences for a journaling activity:
Violence happens because...
Someone who is violent toward others is trying to...
Someone who is violent toward himself is trying to...
Someone I have trouble communicating with is...
What I really need is....
What I wish people would understand about me is...
7. Powerful Ally
Think of a person or character, real or imaginary, who is powerful, strong, or wise. Remember a time you felt alone, scared, out of control, or helpless. Imagine that the Powerful Person is there with you during the experience, either offering help or just being with you. Participants enact the memories with the Powerful Person present in the scene. Each participant casts the needed players in the scene and instruct the players how to enact the various characters' actions. Client plays herself in the scene.
8. Inner Child
Draw yourself as a child on your paper. Add images and words to give this child everything that it needs, including a supportive nurturing parent.
9. Purpose in Life (adapted from an activity used in the Awakening the Dreamer Symposium)
Fold paper into three sections. In the first section, list your gifts, strengths, talents, including abilities and personal qualities. In the third section, list problems in the world that are concerning to you, such as child abuse, animal abuse, unemployment, etc. In the middle section, use creativity to devise at least three ways to use your gifts in the first section to solve problems in the third section. Draw and color an image of one of these ideas as if it has already happened and succeeded in solving the problem.
10. My Relationship with _____
Select a magazine image for yourself and another person with whom you have conflict or difficulty. Glue each image on opposite sides of the paper. Draw arrows from the other person to yourself and write words above each arrow to indicate the disagreeable actions of the other person. Draw a protective wall between you and that person using bricks, laser shields, or any kind of imaginary protective device that believably prevents the disagreeable actions from harming you. Now safe from harm, add images, words, and colors around the picture of the other person to depict your wish for their healing, growth, and peace. Write your prayers or hopes that they will receive what they need to be happy. Add images, words, and colors around the picture of yourself to describe what goals and values you will pursue once you are healed from the negative impacts of this relationship.
11. Lifeline (adapted from a standard Expressive Therapies activity I learned at Lesley University)
On a piece of paper, make two points on the opposite ends of the paper, one labeled "birth" and the other labeled "now." Draw a line between the two points. Identify at least three high points and three low points in your life and graph them according to your age (horizontally) and according to the feelings in the experience (vertically). Low points will be below your lifeline and high points will be above your lifeline. Connect the points with lines making a zig-zag line. Share the events with the group and the group responds with cheers, applause, and praise on the high points and boos and words of encouragement at the low points. If participant doesn't feel comfortable sharing details of their lives, they can simply say, "Age 6, high point."
12. Inside - outside bags/ boxes. (standard Expressive Therapies activity used at Lesley University)
Decorate a bag or box with images and words on the outside to represent the qualities you show to the world. Decorate the inside of the bag or box with images and words that represent the inner qualities that are hidden to most people.
13. Feeling Code Collage (learned from my art therapy supervisor, Susan LaMantia)
Take one sheet of paper and draw and color an image to represent various feelings, such as happy, sad, mad, scared, embarrassment, love, peace, crazy, bored, etc. Label each image with the feeling. Participants can also choose feelings to add to the list. Encourage participants to use creativity; i.e. "happy" might first make you think of a smiley face, but it could also be like a purple and green spiral or a puppy. On a second sheet of paper, use the feeling code to make another drawing in which the images can be made bigger, smaller, repeated, overlapped, or arranged in a unique relationship to other images. Title the new drawing and discuss.
14. Cooling My Hot Spots
Using a preprinted picture of a human silhouette, use color and image to represent feelings of anger or emotional pain on the place of the body associated with the feelings, i.e. black pit in the stomach, red squiggles on the fists wanting to punch, etc. Draw a cooling image and phrase beside each of the hot spots, i.e. a waterfall with the words, "Let go," or music notes with the words, "Don't let other people get you down."
15. Three Animals (adapted from a game I used to play with friends - I have no idea where we learned it from.)
On a sheet of paper, write the name of your favorite animal and three qualities you like about that animal; i.e. cheetah: sad, caring, and shy. Next, write the name of your second favorite animals with three qualities, and finally, your third favorite and its three qualities. Consider the possibility that the first animal represents how you want others to see you, the second animal represents how people actually see you, and the third animal represents who you really are. (Reading them aloud with their meanings with the group can be quite humorous.) Next, draw, color, or paint a mixed breed animal with the three animals you chose, such as a creature with a cheetah head, a mouse body, and a fish tail. Add a habitat, food, family and friends for this animal.
16. Relationship Needs
Select a magazine picture to represent you and glue it to the middle of a large piece of paper. Select magazine pictures to represent the six most important people in your life and glue them in a circle around you. Draw a line connecting each of the people to the picture of you. On the top of each line, write a word or phrase about what you need from that person. Under each line, write a word or phrase about what that person needs from you.
17. Wise Puppet
Using craft materials, create a puppet of a real or imagined character that represents wisdom, such as a grandfather or Yoda. Each person enacts a skit with their puppet in which the participant asks the puppet for advice about something in life. Participants should use a special voice for their puppet characters and keep the conversation with their puppet going as long as possible.
18. Good and Bad Mandalas
Discussion: The world has happy and sad aspects, but sometimes negative events can lead to positive events. Consider the possibility that the negative and positive events are in some kind of harmony and that there is a larger order of goodness. Draw, color, or paint a mandala that includes both happy and sad things in life, intertwined with each other, in a balanced and colorful harmony; i.e. gravestones next to blossoming trees, broken hearts next to rainbows, thief next to a policeman, etc.
19. Treasure Map
On a piece of paper, label one corner, "The beginning" and another corner, "Success." Draw a windy path between the two points. Using collage materials, create stations along the path with creative titles, such as "Crossing the desert of loneliness," "Forgiveness and letting go," "Climbing the mountain of determination," "Resting in the shade of a caring friend," etc.
20. Affirmation Poster
Think of a sentence or expression that makes you feel better when you are depressed/ angry/ anxious. Make a large poster of the saying using glitter, favorite colors, and/or images to put on your wall; i.e. "This will pass." or "You're worth whatever it takes."
21. Inspired Poem
Find a quote that is meaningful to you and write at the top of a piece of paper. Add your own lines below it that expand on the quote in the way you understand it - continue for the rest of the page. Find someone in the group to read your poem for you as you use movement or gesture to express the meaning of your poem.
22. Heroes, Allies, and Companions
Divide paper into three parts, titling each section, "Heroes," "Allies," and "Worthy Companions." Identify and draw artistic representations of people for each box. Heroes are people that you look up to and admire for their achievements or way of being. Allies are those who have more power than you that you trust or can enlist to help you move toward your goals. Worthy Companions are peers who are on a similar journey or could be a good support to you in your journey.
23. Predator vs. Hero
Divide paper in half. On one side, draw an artistic representation of the part of you that sabatoges your success in life. On the other side, draw an artistic representation of the part of you that is working hard to be successful. On the back of your paper, draw an image representing your Hero gaining control of your Predator, either by putting the predator on an island, in jail, or by negotiating some kind of agreement.
24. Law Books
Discuss Kohlberg's six stages of morality. Do you do the right thing to 1) avoid punishment, 2) gain reward, 3) be regarded as a good boy or girl, 4) because you believe in the law, 5) because you believe in a social contract, or 6) because you feel what is right and wrong in your own heart? Make a book of laws as you would like them to be, including one page each for the following topics: World Laws, Society Laws, School Laws, Friendship Laws, Romantic Relationship Laws, Family Laws, and Self Laws.
25. Butterfly Initiation
Discuss initiation rites of indigenous cultures that enacted a death/ rebirth cycle for youth. Compare that process to the death and rebirth of a butterfly larvae entering a cocoon phase in which its body disintegrates before forming the adult butterfly. Divide paper into four segments and label each one, Child, Preparation, Death, and Rebirth. Draw, color, or paint an artistic representation in each box, such as caterpillar, cocoon weaving, disintegration in the cocoon, and the butterfly.
26. How to Treat an Illness
Discussion: What are some treatments for physical illnesses, such as a wound, a cold, or a disease? (i.e. rest, bandages, surgery, etc.) How are these symbolic of the same treatments we use for emotional or mental problems? (i.e. talking to friends and family, talking to a therapist, hiding or protecting our hurt places, changing destructive patterns, etc.) Design your perfect healing hospital that would help you to heal your heart and mind whenever you are having problems. Include animals, food, recreation, support, mediation, and anything you think would be helpful.
27. Advantages and Disadvantages
On one side of your paper, list the following: age, race, body type, speech/ language, fashion/ style, mental ability, physical ability, sexual orientation, social style, income/ financial. Make two columns entitled, Advantage and Disadvantage. Place a check in one or both of the columns for each word depending on whether that characteristic has been an advantage or disadvantage in your life. For example, a teen might say his age is both a disadvantage and an advantage because people treat him like a child and he's not allowed to drive, but he also isn't responsible for bills or working and can still have fun. Share with the group, and then draw, paint, or color a "pride" collage of various images and words that represetn qualities about yourself, including any aspects that have been a disadvantage in your life.
28. My Perfect Life
Draw an image of your perfect life, including your home, relationships, clothing, job, and achievements. Turn your paper over and write three steps that will help you make your dream come true.
29. Good and Bad
Discussion: If someone makes mistakes in life, does that make them a bad person? Can someone admit to being imperfect and still be proud of himself or herself?
Either sitting in a circle or in partners, take turns saying a statement while looking into a peer's eyes. After saying the statement, keep looking in their eyes for a count of ten seconds without laughing.
"I make mistakes but I'm still ok." "I'm not perfect but I'm trying my best." "I'm proud of who I am, even if I have problems sometimes," etc. If the speaker laughs, then he has to start the count over. Variation: allow the partner to make silly faces to try to make the speaker laugh.
30. Layers of Feelings (adapted from a lecture by WIlbert Alix, Trancedance Trainer)
Discuss layers of feelings: Our first response to difficulty is often anger, to protect ourselves. Under anger is fear of being hurt. Under the fear is sadness or pain about the situation that we don't want to feel. Under the sadness is our deep need for love or respect.
Draw four circles inside each other, like a bullseye. Label the circles, starting from the outer circle, anger, fear, sadness, and love. Fill in each circle with the different layers of feelings for the same situation. For example, I was mad when my teacher yelled at me in class. (Anger) I was afraid of being sent to the office and getting in trouble. (Fear) I'm sad that things don't always go the way I want them to in my life, and that my teacher seems to hate me. (Sadness) I wish I was more appreciated and valued by people in my life. (Love) Add colors and images to express your associations with the feelings in each layer.
31. Fill in the Story
Find and print pictures of scenes from plays, movies or tv shows in which there are several characters pictured together in the middle of the story (not posing for the camera and smiling). Each participant choses a picture and writes the following:
Names and ages for everyone in the picture.
Name of the main character
Main character' greatest wish, greatest fear, best quality and worst quality
Setting of the scene
Background to the scene: what has happened before the moment pictured?
Write the conclusion of the story and draw, color, or paint the final scene of the story.
32. Ants and Tigers
Discussion: What are the qualities of ants? (i.e. small, teamwork, defined roles, coordination) What are the qualities of tigers? (i.e. solitary, acts on its own impulse, big and powerful) Are there times it is better to be like an ant? A tiger? Are there times it is worse to be like an ant? A tiger? Divide your paper in half, and label one side "Ants" and one side "Tiger." On the ant side, draw yourself as an ant in a situation in which you remember that you behaved like an ant. On the tiger side, draw yourself as a tiger in which you remember that you behaved like a tiger. (Few people feel confident in their ability to draw tigers. Encourage participants to take risks, use their erasers, and be nonjudgmental of their work.)
33. Four elements of you:
Discussion: Passion gives us the will to live and gives shape to our lives.
Fold your paper into four sections. Label each section, The Earth of Me, The Air of Me, The Fire of Me, and The Water of Me. Use image and color to express your passion in life as symbolized by the four elements.
34. Tank of Gas
Discussion: Even with great talents, someone with low self-esteem can't get very far. It would be like having a nice car without any gas. On the other hand, some people who have physical limitations have achieved great things due to their self-confidence.
Make two columns on a piece of paper. On one column, list the areas of your life that you feel confident about, and on the other column, list the areas of life that you feel insecure about; i.e. academics, work, appearance, creativity, making friends, etc. Count the number of items listed in each column and write the total at the bottom of each list. Subtract the Insecure total from the Confident total: that is how much gas you have left in your tank. On another piece of paper, make a visual affirmation of your ability to improve your confidence and self-acceptance in areas of your life that you are currently insecure about.
35. God Grant Me the Serenity
Discuss the quote, God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can't change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Make two lists, "The things I can change" and "The things I can't change." On each side, list the things you can and can't change in your life. On another sheet of paper, draw how your life would look after you successfuly changed the things on your list, "The things I can change."
36. Gratitude and Wishes
Draw, paint, or color a tree, including its roots and branches, by creating intricate patterns that become more complex as they get farther from the tree's trunk. Add words or glue pieces of paper shaped like rocks in the soil at the roots to represent things you are grateful for in your life. Add words or glue pieces of paper shaped like leaves in the branches to represent things you wish for in life. Discussion: Why is gratitude at our roots and our wishes in our branches?
37. Holistic Health
Discussion: What is a healthy mind? A healthy heart? A healthy body? A healthy spirit?
Divide your paper diagonally into four triangles. Fill each triangle with color, words, and images that represent what a healthy mind, heart, body, and spirit is for you.
38. How Does This Serve Me?
Write down a common emotional difficulty you have in life, such as depression or anger. Make a list of ways that feeling is serving you in your life. For example "Depression serves to express my grief, protect me from failure, gets me attention, and makes people leave me alone." "Anger allows me to feel powerful and in control." Make another list of some alternative ways of getting those needs met.
Fold a large paper into three sections. Using magazine images, make a collage for each section, entitled, "My feeling," "How it serves me," and "Alternatives."
39. Daily Schedule
Make a schedule of your daily routine. Add into your schedule one activity to improve each of the following: mental health, emotional health, physical health, and spiritual health. For example, "On my walk to school, I will try to think positive about my day." "I will spend a few moments in prayer or meditation before I go to sleep." "I will do some yoga while I watch tv at night." Decorate your schedule with markers, designs, and glitter so it looks attractive to you. Take it home and tape it someplace you will see it daily.
40. Spirit
Identify a spiritual power that you believe in, and write it in the middle of your paper using special lettering, i.e. God, Spirit, Nature, Love, etc. Using color and image, depict six qualities of the spiritual power in a circle around the word, such as "All-knowing," "Healing," or "Unconditional Love." Add a border and background color to tie the images together.
41. How Animals Heal
Read source material from wikipedia or websites about animals' natural ability to identify plants that they need to heal when they are sick. Discuss what else animals do when they are sick, i.e. whine, rest, lick themselves, etc. Draw, color, or paint a picture of yourself as an animal in your natural habitat. Depict your animal as injured in some way, i.e. twisted ankle, cut on the paw, has a cold, etc. Add to your image three natural remedies you will use to heal yourself; i.e. a shady resting place away from predators, a healing plant, an animal ally who can bring you food while you rest.
42. My Wise Self (adapted from an exercise from The Progoff Intensive Journal Program)
Discussion: Everyone has a unique kind of wisdom that allows them to see and understand things about life that no one else can.
Divide your paper in half. On one side, draw yourself surrounded by any problems you currently have, including words, colors and images. On the other side, draw your Wise Self, either as a god or goddess, an old man or woman, an animal, a mountain, or any image that fits for you. Imagine that your Wise Self is looking across the paper and seeing you in your difficult situation. On another piece of paper, let your wise self speak using your non-dominant hand to write his or her words. Using your dominant hand, write questions to your Wise Self to keep the conversation going as long as possible.
43. Rewrite History
Pick a negative memory you feel comfortable to process in the group. Draw, paint or color the scene as vividly as possible. Add whatever you needed in that moment to prevent, tolerate, or respond to the situation in a way that would have been better than what actually happened. Afterwards, journal or freewrite about your experience. If it feels right, make a promise to yourself to learn from the experience and strive to get the help you need to prevent or overcome difficult experiences.
44. The Eye of the Hurricane
Draw, color or paint an image of anything that has a still, calm, powerful presence that is unaffected by disturbances in its environment: i.e. the eye of a hurricane, a mountain undisturbed by the birds squaking above, a tree undisturbed by the squirrels, etc.
45. Shadow (another seemingly complex activity but very worthwhile)
Each participant gets nine small squares of paper, arranged in three columns. Using a different-colored marker for each column, number the pieces of paper in each column, 1, 2, 3. In the middle column, draw yourself. Draw your head in the top square, your torso and arms in the middle square, and your legs and feet in the bottom square. Write a word or phrase next to your head in the top square that expresses "How I look to others." Write a word or phrase next to your torso in the middle square that expresses "How I usually feel." Write a word or phrase next to your feet in the bottom square that expresses "How I usually act." Use words like, beautiful/ handsome, tough, calm, shy, anxious, silly, cool, crazy, ect. On the left column, draw someone you really dislike or hate. Again, draw the head in the top square, torso in the middle square, legs in the bottom square. Add words to each box like before, "How do I look to others," "How do I feel," and "How do I act." On the right column, draw someone you really admire or are jealous of. Add words for each square as before.
In the next step, mix and match the different qualities to make your ideal personality. Try to take at least one quality from the person you hated and one from the person you admired. Imagine how your life would be different if you had this new personality. Write a story about an event from your regular life, such as riding the bus or going to work that turned out differently because of your new personality.
46. Missing Pieces (adapted from the concept of soul hunting)
Think of a bad experience from your life that still affects you now. Imagine that some part of you ran away because of the pain of that experience. Identify what part of you ran away: strength, joy, confidence, peacefulness, power, pride, courage, trust in others, self-esteem, etc. Draw, color, or paint a picture of how that part of you looks or feels when it is in its full and healthy state. Write a letter to that part of you, asking it to return. Make your own letter or use the following form:
"Dear ____, I know you left because of ____. It is now safe for you to return because ____. I promise to make sure it stays safe by _____. I miss you and I need you in my life because _____. Please return so I can be whole. Love, ____"
If desired, write a response letter from the missing part.
47. Tolerance Pledge Ceremony
Make a list of all the names that humiliate someone for being different. Write your pledge to disavow the words. Make your own pledge or use the following form: "No one has the right to call me these names and I don't have the right to call anyone else these names. I pledge that I will accept others the way they are and try to appreciate people who are different from me. If I really don't like someone, I will give them space to be who they are, and I will defend my right to be who I am. (Add your own words) Signed, ___" One at a time, read your list of derogatory names to the group, rip up the paper, and throw it in the garbage. Read your pledge aloud with conviction to the group. Group applauds for each person.
48. Tough Guy and Drama Queen
Discussion: What are the stereotypical ways for males and females to respond to emotional pain? Which one is more socially acceptable? Are there "tough guy" women and "drama queen" men?
On a pre-printed silhouette of a human figure, use color and image to express a balance of good qualities from the Tough Guy persona, i.e. strong, self-controlled, and protective; and the Drama Queen, i.e. expresses feelings, interdependent with other people, caring and sensitive.
49. Inner Sanctuary
Discussion: What are some benefits/ purposes of meditation?
On a pre-printed silhouette of a human figure, use color and image to depict a place you can journey to during meditation, such as a natural scene, your religious faith or practice, a repeated phrase, a color or song, or a safe place. You can depict the sanctuary as being inside the body (preferred), or you can also depict the sanctuary around the figure. Title the page, "My inner sanctuary" and discuss times in your life you might need to retreat to your sanctuary.
50. Dear Society
Draw three circles inside each other on a piece of paper, like a bullseye. On the inner circle, write something that you feel insecure about, such as "my appearance," "my intelligence," or "being weak." On the next circle, list phrases or words that have reinforced that insecurity, such as "You're ugly," or "You're slow." Make sure to include any messages about the consequences of having this deficit, such as "If you are ugly, no one will like you and you'll be alone forever," or "If you are dumb, you'll be a failure and be starving and poor forever." On the next circle, write the names of people who have said those words or phrases to you, such as, "myself," "my mom," or "people at school." In the four corners of the page, write where you think those people learned those judgments, such as society's expectations for people to look a certain way or to fit into a narrow definition of intelligence. Next, write a letter to society about how its expectations have negatively affected your self-esteem, and express your commitment to feeling confident about yourself. Make your own letter or use the following form:
"Dear Society, you expect everyone to be ___. If someone doesn't meet your expectations, then you ___. This is not fair because ___. My self esteem is low because I've been told that ___. I can try to work hard on improving ___ [i.e. grades, health, abilities, emotions, etc.] but I refuse to feel less than other people. I value myself because I [three things I like about myself]. Please stop trying to make me feel bad about myself. [Add your own final sentence]. Signed, ___."
Stay tuned for more!
When art and psychotherapy are joined, the scope and depth of each can be expanded, and when working together, they are tied to the continuities of humanity's history of healing.
~ Shaun McNiff
~ Shaun McNiff
