Materials

· Paper

· Markers, crayons, colored pencils

· Blank face page outline

Description

· Have a discussion with patients regarding what they openly portray about themselves to the world, and what they might hide from others.

· Talk about why some things are guarded while others are left open for others to see

· Give the patients the page and have them complete the following:

o What is most important to you (use pictures and words)

o Are you guarded around others or open (use colors to portray this)

o How do you see life (decorate the eyes according to how they see the world)

o What do you listen to, what words effect you? (decorate ears according to this)

o What do you express (opinions, beliefs, etc.)- decorate mouth according to this

o The, on the back of the mask, have the patients write down what they hide from the world/ what they don’t want others to see

· Process what the patients put down on their masks and talk about why we guard some things and are open about others

· Talk about the benefit of sharing with those we trust, but the importance of boundaries in doing so

· Ask if there is anything the patients would like to change about their “mask”, and if so, ask how they can take steps toward those changes now