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Type of Technique- expressive arts in a group setting

Intended/Appropriate Population- This group activity is intended for elementary age school children. This technique is best suited for children who struggle with anxiety. These individuals lack confidence, are shy, are overly self-conscious of themselves, and possess a negative self-image. However, this activity can be used with most children as a way to develop creativity and reduce the over-importance of achieving perfection 100% of the time.

Objective- The objective of this technique is to help children, particularly self-conscious and anxious children, break out of their shell and be “forced” to engage in something where they cannot achieve perfection and that it is still okay. This activity not only helps in overcoming these negative attributes but can also function as a form of assessment about the child for the therapist and a beginning exercise to get the client more comfortable with expressive arts techniques.

Rationale- This technique is effective for it helps clients achieve several goals:

Decrease self-consciousness

Increase self-confidence

Work on overcoming fears of perfectionism

Opportunity for individuals to truthfully express themselves in a safe space

Develop creativity through spontaneity

Overcome negative self-criticism

Instructions-

MATERIALS: blank pieces of paper with a frame-like border and drawing/art supplies including markers, crayons, and colored pencils

1. Pass out the Goofy Art sheets and drawing supplies to all of the children in the group.

2. The therapist then explains how all of the artwork they will make will be placed into the gallery of goofy art. The therapist must also explain to the children that in order to “make it into the gallery”, their artwork must be silly, spontaneous, goofy, and messy in nature– perfection is not desired or accepted.

3. As the children begin drawing, the therapist should encourage a fast-paced and fun environment so the children do not think too much or overthink about what they are drawing and coloring.

4. Goofiness is encouraged and reinforced by the therapist through positive affirmations/compliments of artwork and artistic techniques by the children.

5. After a minute or two of drawing time has passed, a period of show-and-tell ensues where the children show off their messy and silly pictures. These works of art can also be hung around the room and have the children walk around like they were patrons in a real gallery.

Suggestions for follow-up- The follow-up process should include a significant amount of time devoted to looking at and positively commenting on all of the other children's pictures. As described briefly in step five above, both the therapist and the other children should give positive comments and compliments to the other children's artwork. Laughter and goofy behaviors should be encouraged by the therapist both during the activity and afterwards to foster a warm, inclusive, and positive environment that is accepting of all art, no matter how messy or silly it may appear at a first glance. Some additional follow-up questions may include: What was it like creating a masterpiece in a minute? What do you like most about your goofy and messy portrait? Did the group setting make you feel better about not trying to achieve perfection and instead just trying to have fun? Did you have fun creating your picture?

Contraindications and ethical considerations- One contraindication of this technique is that this activity may be more harmful than helpful for children who have experienced frequent bullying. This activity can be very vulnerable for some and those individuals may be less willing to participate due to past experiences and trauma. This should be addressed one-on-one with the client before asking them to participate in this activity in a group setting. An ethical consideration to keep in mind when using this technique is the fact that some cultures promote perfectionism as a social rule that must be followed and upheld at all times. Consideration needs to involve whether this activity can be used with individuals from these cultural backgrounds and, if so, whether or not these standards need to be addressed in therapy prior (if desired by the client).

Reference:

VanFleet, R. (2001). The Gallery of Goofy Art. In H. Kaduson & C. E. Schaefer (Eds.), 101 more favorite play therapy techniques (pp. 307-308). Jason Aronson.

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Type of Technique- toy (specifically, a board game)

Intended/Appropriate Population- This board game is intended for individuals ages eight through fourteen. It is most commonly associated with group therapy as the game allows up to twelve players but can be played one-on-one with a therapist and a client. It is used with school-age children who experience depression, sadness, and negative schemas.

Objective- The objective of this game is to focus on and help develop cognitive and behavioral skills in children. This game was created by a licensed psychologist named Eric B. Vogel. The game includes the ideas and theories of prominent psychology theorists including Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis. As described in the previous section, it is used to help children work to overcome depression and negative mindsets. It not only helps make children aware of these emotions but also provides strategies for overcoming, dealing with, and reconciling with these emotions.

Rationale- This technique is effective for it helps clients achieve several goals:

Understand the difference between positive and negative thinking

Overcome habits of negative thinking/mindsets

Overcome cognitive distortions

Developing foundational cognitive and behavioral skills necessary for personal success

Fostering positive social interactions (when played with a group)

Instructions-

Materials: the board game The Land of Psymon (and all materials that are included)

NOTE: the list below does not describe the rules but rather the important aspects of the game.

1. There are ten Psymon (or psychological creatures/monsters) that are considered bad and are representative of negative thinking/a cognitive distortion. During gameplay, players are taught different ways to defeat and defend against the bad Psymon through coping strategies and techniques.

2. There are six Psymon that are considered good and are representative of positive thinking and positive techniques that defeat the bad Psymon cards.

3. In the game, a player can earn points through collecting cards and identifying the good and bad Psymon in various situations as demonstrated on Think cards.

Suggestions for Follow-up- The follow-up process for this activity occurs during and after the activity. Dialogue and questions should pertain to discussion about the games’s teachings and opportunities for real-life applications. This should be specifically fit to the client’s own life situation, needs, wants, struggles, and challenges.

Contraindications and ethical considerations- There are little to no contraindications associated with this game. However, a possible contraindication is this game may be not very useful for children who have a fear of monsters. Some children may be afraid of monsters or unusual-looking things as they have trouble with vivid imagery or possess a harmful distortion of reality. However, this can be worked through in play therapy by educating the client that monsters are make-believe and cannot not harm them in any way. The therapist can also work the client through breaking down, understanding, and overcoming distortions in reality. One ethical consideration to keep in mind is using this game with children whose culture and/or religion does not like to associate with imaginary/fantasy creatures. There are other games and techniques that may be better suited for these children (i.e., absence of imaginary creatures) while accomplishing similar goals.

Reference:
Land of psymon (defeat negative thinking habits). (n.d.). Childtherapytoys.com https://au.childtherapytoys.com/products/land-of-psymon-defeat-negative-thinking-habits

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Type of Technique- Game/game play involving a healthy discussion about anger (or another negative emotion)

Intended/Appropriate Population- This game is intended for children ages four to twelve. It is used with children who have difficulty understanding, expressing, and communicating their emotions. Some example populations include children with emotional regulation issues and children with bipolar tendencies. It is most commonly used in a therapeutic setting but can be adapted to be used in individual and group sessions/settings. This Padlet will describe a scenario with a therapist and an individual.

Objective- This activity is intended to help children in therapy learn and understand that feeling anger and frustration is okay. Some children may be taught that emotions related to anger are wrong, rare, and not to be expressed but rather suppressed. Others simply do not know a way to begin expressing these complex emotions. It is also an interactive way to show how one can healthily and appropriately express and release their anger.

Rationale- This technique is effective for it helps clients achieve several goals:

Verbalizing feelings of anger and frustration

Understanding that anger is okay to feel and that it is a common part of the human experience

Healthy way to express, “feel the”, and work through the anger

Learning to be patient (by waiting for one’s turn)

Instructions-

Materials: playing blocks made of plastic, wood, or cardboard, sticky notes (optional)

1. The therapist distributes an even number of blocks to both the client and themselves.

2. The therapist then describes to the client that they will each take turns stacking blocks on top of one another.

3. When each individual places a block on the stack, they will say something that frustrates them, angers them, or is just not fair. (Optional: the child can write down their concern/statement on a sticky note and attach it to a block before adding it to the tower. This allows the therapist to have a written record of what they felt and expressed during the session.)

4. After all of the blocks have been stacked on top of one another, the therapist will ask the client to think of something that makes them really, really mad or frustrated or to make an angry face.

5. With this thought and/or face engaged, the client should proceed to knock down the tower with their hands or feet as instructed by the therapist.

Suggestions for Follow-up- If this activity proved to be successful with a client, the activity can be adapted for future use in addressing other negative emotions that may be hard for children to express such as sadness, anxiety, disappointment, fear, or loneliness. Whether it is with one client or several at the same time, this activity is excellent in fostering a dialogue about discussing our internal feelings and can be accomplished through questions such as: How does anger make you feel? When you knocked over the blocks, what were you thinking and feeling? How can you “let out” your anger and frustration in a healthy way outside of our time here? The therapist should also, while following up with the client, reassure them that feeling angry is a normal emotion to feel and that they should not try to hide it or be ashamed of it.

Contraindications and ethical considerations- This activity has little to no contraindications for it is very adaptable for different kinds of emotions (such as the ones included in the section above). It is also adaptable in that it can be used one-on-one with a therapist or it can be used in a group therapy setting where the individuals are comfortable enough with one another to actively participate. One ethical consideration the therapist needs to be hyper-aware of during this game is any answers from the client that raise red flags. Some statements that may indicate further action is needed is clients referring to possible personal experience with abuse and/or neglect.

References:
Hall, T. M., Kaduson, H. G., & Schaefer, C. E. (2002). Fifteen effective play therapy techniques. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 33, 515-522. https://doi.org/10.1037//0735-7028.33.6.515

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Type of Technique- Using a rock and Play-Doh to begin a dialogue with a client about anxiety (a form of toy play therapy)

Intended/Appropriate Population- This form of play therapy can be used with all ages and most populations. However, it would be most effective with children and those with delayed cognitive development. This activity helps children who are not fully developed cognitively and those with cognitive impairments to perhaps engage in an outlet that lets them understand and realize their emotions which they may not be able to verbalize right away. This can be used in a variety of settings, especially school, home and a play therapist’s office.

Objective- This activity, which functions mainly as a toy and includes elements of expressive arts, aims to help clients visualize several things. During tough times, such as times of grief or the pandemic, some individuals may have more difficulty than others in identifying and understanding their emotions. This activity allows individuals to play around with rocks and Play-Doh and see and feel how these objects can represent different emotions, thoughts, and experiences in one’s life and whether or not they can be controlled in any way. The use of rocks and Play-Doh also begins a dialogue about specific events in one’s life that they have or do not have control over (more details in the suggestions for follow-up section).

Rationale- This technique is effective for it helps clients achieve several goals:

An understanding of anxiety, sadness, and other negative emotions one feels

An agent in helping one become aware of their autonomy in many aspects of their life

Material demonstration of what aspects of one’s life are in their control and are not in their control

Helps one (who may not be able to verbalize their emotions right from the start) in identifying what aspects of their life they are struggling with

Long-term usage (i.e., at home after a session) when one feels overwhelmed and out of control

Instructions-

Materials: a rock that can be held in one hand and a container of Play-Doh

1. Ask the client to hold the rock in one hand and squeeze it as hard as they can. Also, encourage them to try and break it, bend it, or twist it. During this step, ask the client: Can you change, control, or manipulate the rock in any way?

2. Next, ask the client to take out the Play-Doh and squeeze it as hard as they can. Also, encourage them to try and break it, bend it, or twist it. During this step ask the client: Can you change, control, or manipulate the Play-Doh in any way?

3. Discuss with the client that the rock cannot be changed no matter how much you try to change it. However, the Play-Doh can be controlled and changed into many different shapes.

Suggestions for Follow up- After completing the steps above, the therapist should continue the dialogue by offering up several follow-up questions. Possible questions include: What are some rocks present in your life (meaning things that are out of our control such as what others do/say, illness, and unexpected disturbances)? What are some Play-Dohs in your life (meaning things that are in our control such as our behaviors, actions, and interactions with others)? How do you take control of the Play-Dohs in your life? These questions can help the client better understand how they may not be able to control everything in their life (i.e., the rocks) but they do hold some control and can focus on the Play-Dohs in our daily lives. Allow the client to take this activity home with them and use it when feeling overwhelmed or anxious about life. The therapist should encourage them to take a moment and focus on the Play-Dohs present in their life and let go of the rocks when they become too overwhelming. In addition, to help the client regain control, encourage them to repeat the instructions above in using the rock and the Play-Doh in order to regain one’s self.

Contraindications and ethical considerations- One contraindication of this technique is that individuals with sensory issues and sensory processing disorder may not take well to interacting so much with the rock and the Play-Doh. This activity may overload a client’s senses and thus another activity relating to emotion identification should be used. Another contraindication associated with this technique is that survivors of sexual assault may find the textures of the Play-Doh triggering. For the best practice of ethics, this activity should not be used with populations who have experienced sexual assault.

References:

Deterding, K. (n.d.). The rock and the Play-Doh. Twin Rivers USD. https://www.twinriversusd.org/documents/Health%20Services/Mental%20Health%20and%20Wellness/Rock%20and%20Play-doh%20COVID19%20%20lesson.pdf

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Type of Technique- Creating a mandala (a form of expressive art/art therapy)

Intended/Appropriate Population- This form of play therapy can be used with almost all ages and developmental stages. This includes preschool and elementary school-age children, adolescents, and adults. This activity can be adapted to be used in a variety of environments. It is commonly used in a play therapy session but can also be used at school and home. More specifically, mandalas have been used with adolescents who are diagnosed with ADHD as it allows them to engage in “thinking about and expressing their thoughts and feelings in a safe and contained space” (Green et al., 2013, p. 163). Additional populations mandala art has been used with is those diagnosed with PTSD and dissociative disorders.

Objective- Jungian play therapy uses play in the therapeutic setting as a way for clients to uncover their “subconscious images, metaphors, and symbols” and thus be able to understand them and work through them more effectively (Green et al., 2013, p. 161). Creating mandalas in therapy for the purposes of exploring unexplored feelings was first introduced by Carl Jung to help individuals bring “a part of the psyche from the unconscious mind to consciousness” (Stangline, n.d.).

Rationale- This technique is effective for it helps clients achieve several goals:

Allows clients to become aware of their unconscious feelings and inner world

Allows clients to increase focus both emotionally and cognitively

Helps encourage an increase in energy and attention span

Helps decreases heightened levels of anxiety and depression

Relaxes the body similar to the effects of meditation

Encourages healing of the self

Instructions-

Any type of material can be used depending on what the client wants to use such as food/kitchen items, pieces from nature, or markers/colored pencils/crayons/etc. (most commonly used).

1. Educate the client on what a mandala is and how it is found all throughout the world around us.

2. Allow the client to choose materials with which to make their mandala and allow them to make their own.

3. Ask the client to create a legend corresponding to what each color/material in their mandala represents for them.

Suggestions for Follow up- Immediately following the creation and labeling of one’s mandala, the therapist may ask several questions about the mandala: What does the mandala mean to/represent for you? What were some of the thoughts you were thinking about while creating your mandala? What would it be like to be inside of your mandala? These follow-up questions help to facilitate a verbal conversation between the therapist and the client by allowing each individual a better understanding of the client’s inner psyche, thoughts, and world. Follow-ups with this activity may take the form of creating mandalas more frequently (such as at home between therapy sessions) in order to experience benefits of relaxation, reduced anxiety/depression, and increased concentration.

Contraindications and ethical considerations- There are no major contraindications or ethical considerations. The materials used to create a mandala in therapy can be specifically determined by the client and use materials that they are comfortable with. This form of expressive art therapy does not dictate one type of material that can be used and thus is a flexible activity for all ages and populations. Mandala art has been used in many religions, spiritualities, and cultures including Christianity, Native American culture, and Hinduism.

References-

Green, E. J., Drewes, A. A., & Kominski, J. M. (2013). Use of mandalas in Jungian play therapy with adolescents diagnosed with ADHD. International Journal of Play Therapy, 22, 159-172. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0033719

Stangeline, M. (n.d.). Learn how to use the mandala in therapy sessions. Creative Counseling 101. Retrieved March 2, 2022, from  https://www.creativecounseling101.com/the-mandala.html