You Are Special: Stars and Dots Drawings

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Give patients the picture with a dot in the upper corner.  Have patients draw their negative traits, weaknesses, things they don’t like about themselves, etc.

Read the book “You Are Special” with the patients.  Talk about the book and how people judged each other by giving dots or stars out.

Give patients the picture with a star in the upper corner.  Have patients draw their positive qualities, accomplishments, things they like about themselves, etc.

Compare the two drawings.  Ask patients which one they like better, and their reasons for that choice.

Talk about how we are sometimes judged by our diagnosis.  Explain that we can choose if we will let it be a dot or a star in our lives. Ask for examples of each scenario.  Discuss with patients ways in which their diagnosis makes them unique and how they can turn their diagnosis into a strength and not a weakness.

ABC books

Here's another Sunday Service activity that we do at our facility!

Materials:
Crayons
Construction Paper
ABC Book Templates (We found ours on Google, see examples below)
Glue Sticks
Hole Punch
Binder Ring

Description:
Have the patients make ABC books to donate to the local Crisis Nursery or hospital.  Begin by coloring each page of the book.  Glue each page to a piece of construction paper.  (We shrink ours down to 1/4th of a page).  Hole punch the corner of each page.  Assemble the book once each letter has been completed.

Talk about the importance of service and how service can help us cope with life's difficulties.

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Letter to My Future Self

This is an alternate to the "Letter to My Younger Self" activity.

Materials:

White or Lined Paper

Pens/Markers

Construction paper

Description:

Help patients make a small book using the white or lined paper.  Use the construction paper to make a cover.  Entitle the book "Letter to My Future Self."

Talk with patients about the challenges and difficulties they are currently facing.  Ask them to think about what lessons they can learn from these experiences.  Help them identify how they will be stronger and better people because of these challenge.

Instruct patients to write down these thoughts and any other things they would want their future selves to know or remember.  This may relate to life lessons, relationships, etc.  Be as specific as possible.

Afterwards, process with the patients.  What kinds of things did they include in their book?  Why?  How can they apply these lessons in their lives now, not waiting until the future? 

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Letter to My Younger Self

Here's a product I saw on Pinterest and thought it would be an awesome rec therapy activity!

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Materials:

White or Lined Paper

Pens/Markers

Construction paper

Description:

Help patients make a small book using the white or lined paper.  Use the construction paper to make a cover.  Entitle the book "Letter to My Younger Self."

Instruct patients to write down any advice they would give their younger self.  This may relate to life lessons, relationships, etc.  Be as specific as possible.

Afterwards, process with the patients.  What kinds of things did they include in their book?  Why?  How can they apply these lessons in their lives?  How did they learn these lessons?  What would happen if they hadn't learned these lessons yet, would their lives be different?

Life Map (Self Discovery)

Here's one more idea from Nicole Bernard, CTRS, from the URTA Conference.


Program Goal: Clients will look to the past, present and future to discover themselves

Equipment/ Preparation: Art supplies

Space requirement : Class room

Group Size: Any

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Activity Description
Introduction: The North Star
• Read the book The North Star by Peter H Reynolds

Activity: Life Map
• Clients will create a life map of where you have been in life and where you are going.
• This map will include a legend where different landmarks represent different metaphors. Examples:
-Bridges are places in your life where you recovered from a traumatic event.
-Forks in the road for decisions
-Mountains, obstacles
-Caves and haunted forests
-Completely blackened out areas

Variations:
-Create a compass rose for your map. What do North, East, South, and West represent to you? Which direction is the compass rose guiding you?

Processing/Closure:
Fact Finding
• What are some objects in you map?
Feeling questions
• What emotions did creating this map cause? What did you do to deal with those emotions?
Transference/synthesis questions
• Where are you going? What is your dream? What do you want to accomplish in your life?

Thanks again Nicole!!

12 Gifts of Birth

Jill Sederberg introduced this book to our facility and we use it all the time!  It's a fantastic book!



The book lists 12 unique gifts that each person is born with.  After reading the book, we have a variety of activities we do.  This might include identifying our own unique gifts, talking about developing talents, etc.

It's a simple book, but has a powerful message and our patients seem to really respond to it.

How Are You Peeling?

I read this book in a group during my internship.  My co-intern Katie Greenland and I had a blast preparing this lesson!

As we read this book with the kiddos, we had them play special attention to the pictures.  We then talked about what the faces looked like and how different emotions are expressed differently.

The Paper Bag Princess

Idea submitted by Shuri Bunting, CTRS.

Read the book with the patients.  Discuss the themes of the book together.  Questions to consider include:
   -Why is the prince attracted to the princess in the first place?
   -What qualities the princess possess that are genuine and authentic, and are reasons why the prince should want to be in a relationship with her?

Relate the book the the patients' lives.  Ask:
   -What are some superficial reasons others are drawn to be in a relationship with you?
   -What are the real reasons someone should want to be in a relationship with you?

Activity:
Have each patient create their own "paper bag princess" using a brown lunch sack.  Use markers to decorate the outside of the bag.  Write superficial qualities on the outside of the bag of why people are in relationships with you (i.e. pretty, fun at parties, give them money or drugs, etc.).  On the inside of the bag, write the real qualities you possess that should attract someone to you (i.e. caring, loyal, patient, good listener).  Have patients share their puppets and reflect on the positive and negative relationships they may currently be in.

My Many Colored Days

Here's another one of my favorite groups because it's so easy to adapt for whatever functioning level of the group.  Plus, it's a Dr. Seuss book, so how can it not be awesome? ;-)

Talk about how colors represent various emotions, and how emotions are expressed through colors. For example,
   I’m feeling blue
   Rage represented by red
   Gray being a “blah” color
   Green with envy
   Etc.

Then read the book “My Many Colored Days” by Dr. Seuss with the patients.

Discuss the book with patients. How well did Dr. Seuss express emotions through colors? Do you agree with the emotion he gave each color? Why or why not? What would you change? What emotions would you add?

Ask patients what kind of day they are having? A blue day? A purple day?

How do you know what color of day you are having.

Give patients colored paper and markers. Have them create some kind of artwork using the colors to express the emotions they are feeling. Share and discuss the artwork with the group.

Maxie

Have patients share their lists. What are the most important activities on the list? The least important? Why?

Have patients make a list of the various things they do during the day. This can be things they do alone, with others, when they go to work or school, who they interact with, what time they eat, etc.

Read the book “Maxie” by Mildred Kantrowitz with the patients.

Discuss what happened to Maxie. Explain the impact her seemingly insignificant actions had on countless individuals.

Have the patients look at their lists again. This time, have them write next to each activity how someone else is influenced by them completing (or not completing) that task. Also look at how someone else doing something prior to that affects their ability to complete the task.

Talk about how our behavior affects us and those around us, both in positive and negative ways. Talk about how being in treatment is affecting the patients’ family, job, etc.

Set one goal to more positively influence other people.

Idea submitted by Adrianna Markley, CTRS.

If I Only Had A Green Nose

Don't forget to check back later today when to see the winner of the giveaway!!

We just got this book for our facility and I am already in love with it!  This particular activity focuses on the idea of codependency and peer pressure, but there are many other applications of the book as well.

Materials:
Book "If I Only Had A Green Nose" by Max Lucado
Paper
Colored pencils/markers/crayons

Description:
Give patients a blank piece of paper. On one side, have them draw or write about a situation when they gave in to peer pressure and followed the crowd. On the other side of the paper, have them draw or write about a time when they stood up for themselves and didn’t give in to what others wanted them to do.

Ask patients to share their pictures. Discuss the two instances as a group. What emotions accompanied each experience?

Read the book “If I Only Had a Green Nose” by Max Lucado with the patients. Discuss with them the message of the book.

Afterwards, relate the idea to co-dependency.

Co-dependency: of or pertaining to a relationship in which one person is physically or psychologically addicted, as to alcohol or gambling, and the other person is psychologically dependent on the first in an unhealthy way. 

Discuss how fads are a type of co-dependency.

Discuss how the Wemmicks in the book displayed the characteristics of dependency.

Consider the following questions:
-What kind of person is Willy Withit?
-What stood out to you about Punchinello? About Lucia?
-Why do you think Punchinello kept changing?
-Who gave Willy Withit power to decide what is “in”?

Relate the activity to our present lives.
-How does this relate to a situation you currently find yourself in? Explain.
-Have you ever acted as the “Willy Withit” in your group of friends? The Punchinello? The Lucia?

Talk about the importance of standing tall and not giving in to peer pressure or allowing ourselves to be overly dependent on others.

Idea submitted by Andrea Call, CTRS.

"Oh, The Places You'll Go!"

I love using this Dr. Seuss book in my groups.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

"Today is your day...

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose...

And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go....

You'll be on your way up!

You'll be seeing great sights!...

Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don't.

Because, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so

but, sadly, it's true

that Bang-ups

and Hang-ups

can happen to you...

And when you're in a lump,

you're not in for much fun.

Un-slumping yourself

is not easily done....

Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find....

But on you will go...

and face up to your problems

whatever they are...

You'll get mixed up, of course...

So be sure when you step,

and remember that Life's

a Great Balancing Act...

And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!!"

Copyright, 1990, published by Random House

Isn't that a great message?  I love to use it in my groups because it talks about how we have the power to act, and not just react to the situations we find ourselves in.  It says very clearly that we will have difficulties and times of fear and loneliness, but we can overcome them and still find success.  I find that no matter what population I work with, this book is always a hit, because everyone can relate to some part of it.

Depending on the topic of the group, you can focus on different aspects of the book as you process it with the patients.  For example, if the theme was coping skills, you might choose to talk about how you could cope when things don't go as planned, or you find yourself in a slump.  If the theme is about making decisions, you could highlight the part in the book about deciding which way to go and how you make that choice.  The possibilities are endless!!  I hope you enjoy it!!

Idea submitted by Andrea Call, CTRS, TRS.

You Are Special

Read the book “You are Special”by Max Lucado with the group.

Afterwards discuss the book with the patients and talk about what they learned from the book regarding their worth. Then give each Patient a dot and a star, clipart from a google search or even Microsoft word. Go around the group and ask each person what their dot is (something negative someone has said to them/ when someone made them feel bad). Then instruct the patients to let the dot fall to the floor and forget about what those people said because it does not stick if it does not matter to us. Afterwards ask patients what their star is (something someone said that was kind, a compliment, praise, or something that makes them happy). Instruct the patients to keep their stars but to remember that although receiving stars can be good, they do not predicate our worth as human beings.


Another great idea submitted by Heidi Bolster, CTRS!