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

Trust Circle

Size of Group: 8 to 10

Discussion: Open group with discussion on trust, how long it takes for one to trust another, how long it takes to lose trust in another, and what specific words or behaviors one must take in order to establish trust with others.

Activity: Form a circle with the participant's shoulders touching. Have a volunteer or yourself stand in the middle with their arms crossed and legs straight and stiff. Those forming the circle must stand with one leg forward and the other backward with their knees bent. Their hands must also be in a ready position to catch the person in the middle from falling.

The group may develop a list of rules or behaviors that will not be permitted in the group (ex, no hard pushes, no fooling around, keep hands up and eyes focused). Also a list of positive expected behaviors (ex, you're doing good, stay focused, good job) can be generated.

When the group is ready, and when the person in the middle is ready, instruct the middle person to fall. Others catch the person and gently guide them back to the center of the circle. Its important that people adjacent to each other help each other out ("at least 4 to 6 hands on the falling person").

If the middle individual is scared, bring the group closer. Once comfortable, the group can move a step back. For a "kool" experience, the "faller" may do this activity with their eyes closed.

Safety: REINFORCE SAFE BEHAVIOR and trust building behavior. If participants engage in unsafe behavior or behavior promoting distrust, stop the group immediately and process such behavior.

PROCESS: Discuss feelings felt by the falling individuals. Were they scared? Did they trust the group? What things did group members do that reinforced feelings and thoughts of trust? What things did group members do that generated feelings and thoughts of mistrust? What are things we can do in our lives to generate feelings of trust in others? What have you done in your live that generated trust/mistrust?

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Found here

The Relapse Process

Here's today's handout.  Hope you enjoy it!!

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Who Am I?

Tell patients the theme for the day. Have patients design their own “Who I Am…” pie graph (see image below for example). They can include factors such as personality, medical diagnosis, goals, religion, etc… (20 minutes)

Have patients share.

Discussion questions:

-Why did you include that on your pie chart?

-Did you learn anything new about yourself?

-Did you learn something new about your peers?

-How do we use these things to label ourselves/others?

-Are we only defined by one part of ourselves?

-How is mental illness a part of ourselves? Does it define us?

Mountains and Valleys (Low Functioning)

Here's a version of the Mountains and Valleys activity that Heidi Bolster, CTRS, adapted to a lower functioning population.

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This activity is to assist patients in problem solving, and to help them create a plan and hope for their future.

Materials

·         Paper

·         Markers, crayons, colored pencils

Description

·         Give patient a copy of the mountain and valley picture

·         Allow patients to color the picture

·         Underneath the picture, instruct patients to write a short description of a time when they were in a valley (a hard time) and how they were able to overcome it (climb the mountain) and how they felt once they overcame that trial.

·         Discuss what coping skills patients used to make it through that hard time, and talk about how they can use those same healthy coping skills now.

The Face I Wear for the World

Another activity submitted by Heidi Bolster, CTRS.

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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

Mountains and Valleys (High Functioning)

Thanks Heidi Bolster for submitting another great art therapy activity!  See here for a version adapted to a lower functioning group!

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This activity is to assist patients in problem solving, and to help them create a plan and hope for their future.

Materials

·         Paper

·         Markers, crayons, colored pencils

Description

·         Instruct patients to draw a mountain and a valley

·         Discuss with patients how we have mountains and valleys in our lives

·         Have patients think of the valley they are in and the mountain they are climbing

·         Have patients write or draw pictures on their drawing to describe this mountain and valley they are currently dealing with

·         Above the mountain instruct patients to write down coping skills, names of people who can help them, and beliefs they have that will help them climb their mountain

·         *Extra: instruct patients to draw a path from the valley floor to the top of the mountain and along the path have them write down steps they plan to take to reach the top.

·         Discuss drawings with patients throughout this activity (step by step) and help patients to see options where they may feel effort is useless.

The Butterfly Circus

The Butterfly Circus

“The greater the struggle, the more glorious the triumph.”

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Watch the short film “The Butterfly Circus” with patients (23 minutes).  Afterwards discuss the film with the patients and talk about overcoming obstacles to find joy in life.

Depending on the theme of the day, this video can be used for either Finding Joy in Life or Knowing Myself.  Adapt the questions to meet the theme and the needs of the group.

Some questions to consider:

·         What character do identify with the most?  Why?

·         What does will believe about himself at the beginning of the film?  At the end?

·         Have you experienced something that changed how you view yourself, for better or for worse?  What was it?  Explain…

·         What challenges have you had to overcome in your life?

·         What does the ringmaster of the Butterfly Circus represent to you?

·         Have you ever known anyone like the ringmaster?  Who?  How has that affected your life?

·         How can we change what is negative in our lives? 

·         How can we find joy in life, even amid depression and other difficulties?

·         How can you help others change their lives for the better?

The Rainbow Fish

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Read the book “The Rainbow Fish” by Marcus Pfister with the patients.  Discuss the moral of the story with the patients.  Why did the fish not want to share his special fins at the beginning?  What helped him change his mind?  What do the shiny fins represent? 

Activity:

Instruct patients to make a multi-colored fish.  You can either print off a template and have the patients color it with markers, or give them construction paper and make a mosaic out of it.  However, there are only as many colors as there are participants.  Each participant gets one color, and must share with the others in order for each person to be successful. 

Process:

Talk about how it is important to work together to accomplish a goal.  What was it like to ask for something you needed?  To help someone?  Why couldn’t you just have one color in your fish?  What does this represent?

What qualities or contributions can you make to this group?  To other groups in your life (ie family, religious groups, friends, coworkers, etc.)?

Back to Back Drawings

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Partner patients up with a peer and have them sit back to back.  One peer describes to the other peer how to draw the picture they are looking at.  They may not tell the other person what the picture is.  Have the other peer draw the picture then look at the real picture. 

Have patients change roles and now have the person drawing last time be the explainer (using a different picture that before). Show them the real picture afterwards to compare.

Discussion Ideas

1.     What made the assignment challenging?  How is this similar to the challenges that arise in our everyday communication with others?

2.     What were the strengths/ weaknesses of your partner’s communication?

3.     What is your personal style of communication and how did that come through in the activity?

4.     What is one thing you could take from this activity to better improve your communication in your personal life?

Things Left Unsaid

Here is another activity submitted by Adrianna Markley, CTRS.  It's nice because it can be adapted for a variety of topics.

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Purpose:
For patients to understand how communication styles may lead to things being unsaid.  To get out anything they wanted to say to someone but was never able to.


Materials:
Lined paper
Pencils
Trash can

Directions:
Have each patient write a letter to someone that they never finished a conversation with. It can be under any circumstance (the person died, they never finished an argument, etc.). They can address it if they like but do not have to. It is important to note that nobody will be reading their letters. Patients can write whatever they like to whoever they want.

After patients are done writing their letters, ask how it feels to get those things out and why they weren't able to say it before.  Did they feel sad or angry?

Next have patients rip up and destroy their letters. Each pt gets to throw theirs into the trash can.

Ask how it feels to destroy the letter. Do they feel relieved? Are they sad? How do emotions affect our ability to communicate?

Write Your Own Obituary

This activity was submitted by Adrianna Markley, CTRS.

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Purpose: Encourage patients to reflect on their lives and how others perceive them.

Materials:
Paper
Pens

Description:
Have patients write their own obituary and then read it aloud to the group.  Have the patient explain why he/she wrote certain things.  Would others recognize the same things?  Why would there be differences? What would the patient like others to notice and remember about themselves?

Popcorn

Here is another activity from the book "Great Group Games: Boredom-busting, Zero-prep Team Builders for All Ages" by Susan Ragsdale and Ann Saylor.

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Materials:
Gym (or other large, open space)
Soft foam, fabric and/or tennis balls

Description:
Have the group stand in a large, open area.  One player will throw a ball high into the air.  Another player will catch it.  If the second player successfully caught the ball, the facilitator will give a third player a ball.  At the same time, the two balls are thrown into the air and two other players catch them.  Throwers can't catch the ball they throw, but they can catch other ones.  With each successful toss and catch, introduce another ball into the game.  If anyone drops a ball, give the group time to come up with a new strategy and then start over with one ball.

Processing:
-How did the game change with the addition of each new ball?
-Did you revise any strategies as you added balls? Why or why not?
-How do you respond to changes in life?
-Is change bad or good?  Explain.
-When you experience change, how can you handle it with personal power and confidence?

Two Paths

At our facility, we have a day where we talk about creating your own path and not just reacting to life.  We also talk about how our behavior affects those around us.  This idea was originally introduced by Jill Sederberg, and later modified by Heidi Bolster.

Read the poem "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost to begin with and discuss the following questions:
-Do you know exactly what will hapen when you make a choice
-Can you come back from a bad decision?
-What roads (choices) do you have ahead of you now?
-Where do you think those choices will lead you?
-Where do you want/need to go?

Next, have the patients draw two paths that they have right now in their lives.  Draw what choices will lead you down each path, how you are affected, and how those you care about are affected.



Discuss what path/choices are going to take them to a life that they can be proud of and happy with?  Why?

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.