Cups

Here is an activity submitted by Molly Gilbert, an RT intern at Sycamore Springs in Lafayette, IN.  

Objective/Goals: ­­To improve skills in the areas of stress and frustration management.

Population: ­­higher functioning patients dealing with mental health and substance abuse 

Materials Needed: one plastic cup per patient

Activity:

This is an activity based on the routine/song “Cups” by Anna Kendrick. 

Begin by discussing how patients currently deal with stress and frustration.  Discuss the difference between positive and negative coping skills and ask each patient to identify a positive way of dealing with stress and frustration.  Ask the patients to keep this in mind as they complete the activity, as it has the potential to increase their stress and frustration. 

Before passing out the cups, explain that the group will be learning a routine with the cups and that their end goal is to be able to do it all together as a group. (For even higher functioning groups, you can identify the goal as being able to do the routine along with the song).    Show them this video as an example (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2mawaBrvFg – Anna Kendrick Cup Song Audition - Pitch Perfect).

Teach patients the cup routine step by step:

·         Clap, clap

·         3 hits on table (right, left, right)

·         Clap

·         With right hand, lift cup and set back down

·         Clap

·         Grab cup with upside-down right hand

·         Opening of cup to palm of left hand

·         With right hand, tap bottom of cup on table

·         Place cup, up-right, in left hand

·         Right hand on table

·         Place cup upside-down on table to the right of your right hand

Once the group has the concept, practice the entire routine continuously.  Slowly increase the speed as patients become more confident.  As patients improve, add the challenge of passing the cup to the right at the end of each set.  When done correctly, the cups are passed around the circle.  For higher functioning groups, play the song and have them try to do the routine along with the music.  

Debriefing:

Review the positive coping skills patients identified at the start and discuss any that were used during the activity.  If negative coping skills were used, discuss why those were negative and brainstorm more positive coping skills.  End with a discussion on how it feels to be stressed/frustrated by something, but to keep working on it and then accomplish it. 

Let's Make a Leisure List!

From DONICA

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Leisure Lists

Size of Group: 4-12

Equipment: Pencil, paper, and leisure categories

FOCUS AREA: Benefits of Leisure

Description: Break the group into 2 to 3 groups. Begin discussion on favorite activities. On a large sheet of paper or white board, list the participant's favorite activities. Then, beside each person's favorite activity, list the + benefits they obtain from their preferred leisure.

Following discussion, begin the game of Leisure Lists. Break the group into 2 or 3 groups. Give the groups one minute to list as many Winter Activities on their sheet of paper. After one minute, turn the paper over and have the groups list as many "things found on a picnic."

This game is reminiscent of "Scattegories." After the 1st round, have the group with the most items listed read their list. If the other team(s) have the same item on their list, that item is crossed off on everyone's list. If no one else has an item (e.g., snow boarding), then the team gets one point. After team one has finished reading their list, the next team(s) read their list. The team with the most listed items wins the round.

You can continue with additional round with different leisure topics (things related to football, names of dances, things people collect).

Complete the activity with feedback from participants on what choices they might make when feeling depressed, bored, etc. and tie it in with the benefits they listed earlier.

EXPECTED OUTCOME: Participants will better understand how engagement in preferred activities can positively affect their feelings, moods, and thoughts.

SUMMER TIP for Parents: Use this to help your kids think of fun activities to do over summer break! Then create a master list and see how many of the activities you can do before school starts again! 

Blanket Names

Spend a short amount of time introducing everyone in the group.

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Separate the players into two teams.  Have each team form one line.  Each team chooses one player and does not reveal whom they chose.  One person from each team volunteers to hold up a blanket between the two teams.  The chosen players face the blanket directly.

The players who are holding the blanket should drop the blanket.  The first player to name the person they are facing correctly wins.  The other player is out.  

Continue selecting players to represent each team and naming them until an entire team is out.

Random Words

Prepare a list of random words ahead of time.

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One person will go at a time.  Have that patient close his eyes and point to a word on the list.  Patient will then open his eyes and tell of an experience or memory they have in connection to this word.  Have each person go a few time.

Talk about the importance of boundaries and how we should be aware of what information we share with others.

This is a great activity for the geriatric unit because they love to reminisce.

Bucket Lists

Explain the idea of a bucket list to patients.  Assist patients in creating their own bucket list of things they want to do in their lives.  Have them share their lists at the end.

Talk about the importance of setting goals and discuss how we can work to achieve these goals.

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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.

Space Ball

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Group Size: 8 to 30

Equipment: a beach ball or a soft ball

Focus: group challenge, energizer, frustration tolerance

Description: Participants either form a circle or place themselves equal distance from each other around the gym. The object of the activity is to keep the ball afloat without letting it hit the ground. Challenge the group to set a goal and try to set their personal best or "world" record.

Discussion: Groups and individuals sometimes become frustrated. Discuss what people do when they become frustrated (escape, sabotage, anger, etc.). Have participants suggest specific behaviors they can do to prevent frustration and its subsequent behaviors. Continue the game and encourage everyone to act on the + actions suggested by the group.

Ways to Improve as a Group: invite the group to suggest ways they can improve and obtain higher scores.

Expected Outcome: group cohesion, understanding of frustration and reactions to frustration, laughter, physical exercise

Concerns: encourage participants not to dive for the ball if playing on a rough surface

submitted here