2.    Mentor: Esme 

 

3.    Client: Richard 

 

4.  Discuss and Agree Upon Guidelines: The client and I have agreed that we will meet over an online call, using Zoom. I will drop a palette of watercolour paper through the client’s letterbox, and the client already has access to watercolour paint, as well as pencils. As we are meeting online, there is minimal risk of Covid-19 being an issue.  

 

5.    Identify Problems and Goals with Client:  

Problems 

The client has been suffering with a lot of frustration, particularly when having to do daily tasks such as shopping or driving, and misses the things they would do pre-pandemic, such as going to the cinema or their favourite restaurant. They are very conscious of what they call, the ‘Groundhog Day’ feeling as each day feels very similar to them at this time, during lockdown in 2021. 

Goals 

Today, the session will consist of the mentor and the client making their own colour palettes, and giving the colours names to match the memory or feeling we associate with the colours created. Hopefully this exercise will have a therapeutic effect of reconnecting the client with their past and present emotions.  

 

6.    At the end of this session the client will be able to:  get in touch with their past self, to introspectively check in with their emotions. 

 

7.    Agree on Confidentiality Issues: The client has agreed that I can write up my findings on the session, but that they will be allowed to assess my notes afterwards in regards to what they are comfortable with being shared. 

 

8.    Agree Whether Work Produced in Each Session Can be Shown to Others Beyond the Session: The client has decided it is alright for my lecturer to see the work they produce, but is uncomfortable with a larger group of people/the class seeing the work produced. 

 

9. Agree on Materials Used: In this session the client will need paper, paint, and a pencil. 

10. Session number with this client:  2
11. Length of SESSION - 1hr -1.30 hr.

Mentor’s Reflection on Session: 

 

I was pleased with this exercise. I completed my colour palette first, with word and memories I associated with the colours as an example to show the client. While I did this, I chatted to the client about what their life was like currently and how they had been coping with the circumstances we find ourselves in at this place in time. The client was very open-minded regarding this exercise and was especially taken with the idea of attaching a memories to name the colours. Since this exercise felt very productive in terms of therapeutic quality, it is likely I will practice it with another of my clients.  

 

 

 Client’s reflection on Session: 

 

I thought the exercise was very interesting. I thought it was interesting the way it made your mind think back to a memory when you looked at the colour. Generally speaking, the first thought that came to mind was the best thought, and it was better when I didn’t think too much about it. It was a very calming way to dig around in your memory. I would definitely repeat it. 

Below: 
Colour Palette completed by Mentor.

ANXIETY COLLAGE EXERCISE 

 

 

1.    Date: 20^th of March 

 

2.    Mentor: Esme 

 

3.    Client: Charlie 

 

4.    Discuss and Agree Upon Guidelines: The client and I have agreed that we will meet in person, we feel this is safe to do so, considering the current situation with Covid-19, as we currently staying together in our accommodation. This will make it easier to collaborate, and get the most use out of the magazines we are cutting from. 

 

5.    Identify Problems and Goals with Client:  

Problems 

The client, Charlie, is feeling a lot of built-up tension. The current situation regarding Covid-19, has made life difficult for Charlie in a lot of ways. They say they have problems keeping bad thoughts under control, and are experiencing anxiety in a way they are not used to. Usually Charlie would be able reduce their anxiety by seeing friends, or going for a drive in their car, but as the client explains, these things have transformed into stress-inducing activities as well during the Pandemic. 

 

Goals 

Today, the session will consist of collage-making; the client and I will be creating collages using cut out images from magazines, juxtaposed with words that describe our anxiety. To finish the session, we will both give our collages names, and think of coping skills that would help relieve our negative emotions surrounding anxiety. The goal is to release tension,and to improve our understanding of negative emotions of anxiety the client and I experience. 

 

6.    At the end of this session the client will be able to:  explain their anxiety in terms of images and words, express themselves and hopefully alleviate anxiety or tension they have. 

 

 

7.    Agree on Confidentiality Issues: The client has agreed that I can write up my findings on the session, but that they will be allowed to assess my notes afterwards in regards to what they are comfortable with being shared. I have told the client that they do not need to explain their collage, as it is quite a sensitive exercise, but if there is any part if their collage they are comfortable explaining they may do so. 

 

 

8.    Agree Whether Work Produced in Each Session Can be Shown to Others Beyond the Session: The client has decided it is alright for my lecturer to see the work they produce, but is uncomfortable with a larger group of people/the class seeing the work produced. 

 

9.    Agree on Materials Used: 

In this session the client will need paper, magazines, scissors, glue, and markers to complete  their work. They are also free to incorporate other materials but these are the necessary materials. 

10. Session Number- 2

Name of Mentor's Collage; The Panopticon

Mentor Reflection on Session:  

 

I think this session was productive, for both the client and myself. I think putting fears and anxieties down on paper in any sort is vastly underrated for coping with these emotions. My collage centred around my anxiety about how I look, and how I am perceived. I find when I go onto social media, I am bombarded with advertisements that make me look at features of mine as inadequate. I have been finding it difficult with more time in front of a camera online, more exposure to the judgement/view of others, and more frequently seeing advertisements directed at women my age. This was a particularly easy anxiety to describe using cut-outs from magazines as the magazines featured plenty of advertisements and articles revolving around anti-aging products, skincare, and beauty products. I think this insecurity has been spurred on by the fact that I have had to stay inside, and have not been able to go out and see people. It makes it too easy to forget that what we see on social media is not reality. I asked my client if they related to the online pressure, and they agreed it could be quite tolling on their mental health, and we discussed a coping mechanism could be to avoid social media, and to do things that do not centre around how we look. Instead to do things that keep us busy, and will actually enhance our quality of life, such as artwork or spending time with people whose company we enjoy. The client affirmed that they had enjoyed this exercise and felt like they could handle their emotions of anxiety more by the end of the session. 

 

Name of Collage: Zoom Zoom but not Vroom Vroom 

 

 

 Client’s Reflection on Session: 

 

At first I didn’t really understand the purpose of the session, I actually had never made a collage before except maybe in primary school. When my mentor Esme demonstrated and started to do her collage as an example I understood a little better. This exercise made me more anxious at first because it made me think of things that made me anxious but when you actually stick everything down on the page and start to get creative with it it felt like I had a bit more control over my feelings. I was proud of the name I created for my collage, ‘Zoom Zoom but not Vroom Vroom.’ I gave it this title because basically I have had to do a lot of Zoom meetings/online meetings since we have been in lockdown all of this year and most of last year. As well as this, going for drives makes me anxious now as I find myself very uncomfortable at the idea of being stopped at a Garda checkpoint while driving around. I don’t like confrontation as I tend to choke on my words. I also put an image of a dog in my collage as when going to pet a dog a few years ago, I was bitten by the dog. I still like dogs but being around them makes me very anxious for this reason. Overall I enjoyed this exercise, I don’t do that much creative work anymore since I left school and I felt like I had a bit more confidence in myself at the end. Some coping methods I discussed with my mentor, Esme, was to go for walks with friends more often so that I do not have to deal with the stress online meetings can give me, and to maybe go on walks with friends who have dogs, as if I was walking with the dogs I might be able to feel comfortable around dogs again instead of feeling the need to avoid them. I am considering starting to do more creative work as a coping mechanism as well. I definitely felt like this session relieved some tension in me, which was one of the goals we set at the start of the session.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 8. Agree Whether Work Produced in Each Session Can be Shown to Others Beyond the Session: The client is happy for their work to be shown to others, but not their reflection on the session.



Session Number with this client: 3




Mentor's Reflection on the Session:
Since I really thought this session was beneficial when working with Richard, i decided I would practice it with my client, Cleo. Cleo rose to this opportunity, and was especially interested in attaching words that conveyed her emotions to the colours. This was diffeent to when I did the exercise with Richard, as they were more taken with the concept of attaching memories to the colour palette. In this session, particulary as we were meeting in person, I asked my client what they were going to wear, then matched my outfit with similar style and colour tones, to mimick the technique I learned from the 'Creativity is Therapy' Talk on the 23rd of March 2021, hosted by the NSPCC. I really think this helped to connect to the client as they smiled and noted that we were matching. I hoped this would help the client to feel more supported during the session.


Client's Reflection on the Session:
How I made the palette  

 

The colours I created are inspired by different stories that I was telling Esme about and used this as a reflective piece to reflect on how I felt during different stages in my life.  

 

I created passion when we were talking about my partner and how passion feels within a relationship. I decided to make passion a shade of deep vibrant purple because it shares the deepness of love but yet  elements of vibrancy and excitement.   

 

I created love when we were talking about how when you enter into a comfortable relationship for the first time and I decided to make a deep burgundy colour to express the passion, connection and overall love and how deep your first love hits you.  

 

I created desire/unrequited love when I was reflecting on a time in my life where I had a sort of relationship with someone who was taken at the time, so using red, purple and green I made brown maroon colour to symbolise the feelings I had for the person where the red and purple was to symbolise the vibrancy and love I felt when I was with the person but also green to symbolise the envy that goes along with all the other emotions that you have since you know you can never truly have them in that way.    

 

I created despair when I was reflecting on a very difficult time in my life using greys, blacks and navy to symbolise the feeling of being lost in a very deep unsettling and unknown sea.  

 

Summer sea was made by mixing a variety of greens and blues together to reflect the ocean where over the past summer many enjoyable happy days were spent sea swimming safely.  

 

I created this when reflecting on a time where I was on a walk with friends from Dun Laoghaire to Greystones over summer where we the sky change from day to night gradually and how spectacular it looked and hoping or more days like that very soon.  

 

Over the past 2 years hiking has become a larger part of my life and I have many happy, vibrant memories linked to that and wanted to reflect that through the use of yellow and greens to symbolise the sunshining on grass.  

 

This colour came into my mind when thinking about room décor for a chair about to be reupholstered and thinking about colours that would suit a navy room and the colour dusty pink came into my mind when thinking about my grandmother who always had dusty pink furnishings here and there through-out her house growing up.  

 

How I felt 

I found this to be a very relaxing and enjoyable exercise that allowed be to process emotions and memories in a different light and bring another dimension of understanding and peace to my thoughts.  

 
8. Agree Whether Work Produced in Each Session Can be Shown to Others Beyond the Session: The client is happy for their work to be shown to others.

Agree on the Materials used: we will be using drawing pencils for this exercises and the client has watercolour paints that they can incorporate if they wish.

Agree on the number of sessions: The client and I have agreed we will do at least three sessions together over the next few months.

Picture done by Richard, for the Train Journey Art Session.

 
8. Agree Whether Work Produced in Each Session Can be Shown to Others Beyond the Session: The client is happy for their work to be shown to others.

Agree on the Materials used: the client will be using pen in this exercise as they do not have access to many art supplies at this time. Luckily, a lot of art supplies are not required for this exercise..

Agree on the number of sessions: The client and I have agreed we will do at least three sessions together over the next few months.

Mentor Reflection on Session: I think this was a productive session, I appreciated the client's enthusaism to work despite the difficult things they are dealing with mentally. I think the client found drawing quite difficult today, and raised a very interesting question with me - does art therapy work better on people who are more artistically minded? This is something I would ike to explore futher during my art therapy work.


Client Reflection on Session:
Before doing the prompts I felt nervous about not understanding what to do and cautious about allowing people to dig into my psyche. However, Esme explained the exercise and exactly what she would be asking me and who would be seeing my work, and that made me feel better.
I found it difficult to interpret the first prompt I did (the computer attachment image prompt) as for many of my emails they are business nd the last thing I want to think about during therapy is business emails.

 

8. Agree Whether Work Produced in Each Session Can be Shown to Others Beyond the Session: The client is happy for their work to be shown to others.


Mentor's Reflection on the Session:

The client picked strength, happiness and loyalty. The colours Charlie picked to express these attributes were reds for loyalty, golden yellow for happiness, and blue for strength.  I braided threads of love,acceptance, and patience into my own bracelet. For these, I picked two brown colours (for patience) two pink colours (for love), and two green colours (for acceptance). This exercise was therapeutic as it gave the client something to focus on with their hands. I think I could have thought the exercise through more thoroughly because it was hard to explain my art exercise idea to the client. Overall I think the client enjoyed it and that it was a beneficial exercise. I wanted to do this exercise because I knew the client was not a particularly artistic person, and would perhaps like to do something that would not require too much technical skill.

Client's Reflection on Session.
I liked this exercise! I was happy with the colours i picked. I had never really made a bracelet before or braided anything so it felt like I learned a new skill. It took me a while to understand the exercise even though Esme explained a few times. I think this was a good exercise for someone like me, as i am not especially artistic, and there was not a lot of skill involved in this. In some of my other sessions i felt self conscious about my art skills.=, so this would probably be the type of exercise I would prefer.


Session Number: 4

 

2.    Mentor: Esme 

 

3.    Client: Richard 

 

4.    Discuss and Agree Upon Guidelines: The client and I have agreed that we will meet together and go for a walk, in order to draw natural things for our postcard. We will social distance and be inkeeping with the current Covid 19 regulations.

 

5.    Identify Problems and Goals with Client:  

Problems 

The client has been feeling reasonably well, minor nuisances are causing him distress however, such as doctor's checkups and problems with their car. 

 

6.    At the end of this session the client will be able to:  get in touch with their past self, to introspectively check in with their emotions. 

 

7.    Agree on Confidentiality Issues: The client has agreed that I can write up my findings on the session, but that they will be allowed to assess my notes afterwards in regards to what they are comfortable with being shared. 

 

8.    Agree Whether Work Produced in Each Session Can be Shown to Others Beyond the Session: The client has decided it is alright for my lecturer to see the work they produce, but is uncomfortable with a larger group of people/the class seeing the work produced. 

 

9. Agree on Materials Used: In this session the client will need paper, paint, and a pencil.

Session Number with client: 3

Client's Reflection on Session: really enjoyed getting outside and drawing, really made a change from drawing inside. This was very therapeutic. I will send one postcard to my mother and one to my friend John, who lives down the country.

part of it, not outside it. This will in time be over and then 

what ? What have we learned ? ... The only real things in 

life are food & love, in that order, just like our little dog 

Ruby ... and the source of Art is love.'  David Hockney.

 

2.    Mentor: Esme 

 

3.    Client: Charlie

 

4.    Discuss and Agree Upon Guidelines: The client and I have agreed that we will meet over an online call, using Zoom. 

 

5.    Identify Problems and Goals with Client:  

Problems 
The client is happy to be living at home with their family, but finds it harder to get work done when they stay there. They are feeling reasonably well, their main complaint is that they are having trouble focusing.  A goal for today for the client is to focus their energy and time on something unrelated to their worklife. In this session I will ask the client to pick from three exercises; the seed prompt, the box prompt, or the spring clean prompt.

 

6.   At the end of this session the client will be able to:  feel refreshed from work and college stress, and have practiced their sketching skills. 

 

7.    Agree on Confidentiality Issues: The client has agreed that I can write up my findings on the session, but that they will be allowed to assess my notes afterwards in regards to what they are comfortable with being shared. 

 

8.    Agree Whether Work Produced in Each Session Can be Shown to Others Beyond the Session: The client has decided it is alright for people to see the work they produce.

 

9. Agree on Materials Used: In this session the client will need paper, paint, and a pencil. 

Number of Session with client: 4

Client's Reflection on Session: I imagined the seed to grow into a weeping willow bonsai tree. This exercise made me feel good because I thought I did well drawing the pot for the tree. I did not want to add colour to the drawing because i did not want to change it when I saw the result I had just using pencil.
Work Produced by Client: