If I Only Had A Green Nose

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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.

Sensory Snowmen

This idea was submitted by Rachel Munoz, CTRS in San Diego, CA.  She found it on Pinterest and it was originally posted here.  According to Rachel, this would be a great sensory activity, especially with kids who have never seen snow or older adults to reminisce about snow.  Really, it would be perfect for an art therapy group anytime during the winter!

Materials:
Shaving cream
Elmer's glue
Cardstock (blue, black, brown, orange)
Ribbon (for the scarf)

Description:
Mix equal parts shaving cream and Elmer's glue.  The mixture dries puffy as seen in the picture.  Have patients "paint" or spread the mixture with their fingers to create their own snowman on blue cardstock.  Before the mixture dries, add cardstock piece that have previously been cut out to form the eyes, nose, mouth, hat and arms.  Add the ribbon for the scarf.

 Thanks again, Rachel!  What a fun idea!!

Feelings Jenga

Here is another Jenga game.  If you haven't seen the Communication Jenga or the Social Skills Jenga, be sure to check them out as well.  Jenga has endless possibilities for rec therapists!!

I saw this picture on Pinterest and immediately thought it would be perfect for my facility.  The geriatric unit especially loves telling stories, and this would be a good way to keep them involved and on topic.

Basically, you write an emotion on each Jenga piece.  Examples of different emotions might include:
-Happy
-Grief
-Lonely
-Worried
-Excited
-Angry
-Disappointed
-Hurt
-Sorrowful
-Exhausted
-Hopeless
-Confident
-Friendly
-Embarrassed
-Ashamed
-Proud
-Indifferent

Play Jenga as normal.  When a player pulls out a Jenga block, he/she must read the emotion listed on the block and then share a time when he/she felt that emotion.

You could also write the same emotion on several different Jenga blocks, so that more than one person will draw that block and share that emotion.

Afterwards, process with the group.  Which emotions were easy to talk about?  Which were more difficult?  Which emotion do you feel the most?  The least?

Skittles Bowling

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Here's another popular activity, especially if your patients/residents are able to go off-campus for group activities.  The teenage boys at the residential facility I used to work at loved this activity!

The game is very simple.  Prior to bowling each frame, the player will randomly pick a Skittle out of the bag.  Depending on the color of the skittle, the player must bowl the ball a certain way.  Ahead of time, have the group decide what each color will represent.

Examples might include:
-Granny style
-Normal bowling
-Backwards
-Bowl with the non-dominant hand
-Spin three times prior to bowling normally
-Around the back
-Bowl sitting down
-Blindfolded

Afterwards, process with the group.  Talk about the experience and what each player learned.  Consider the following questions:
-What was good about this version of bowling and what was difficult?
-What made it difficult?
-What was it like to not have control over what you were doing?
-Do you like being told how to do things, or having to do things a certain way?
-How does this relate to our lives currently?
-What are examples of how other people control you?
-How do you control others?
-How can we handle situations when we are being controlled like that?
-Did you feel anxious not knowing what you would have to do?
-Was that good anxiety or bad anxiety?  How do you know?

Let the players eat the rest of the Skittles afterwards!  (This is usually their favorite part!!)

A-Z Coping Skills

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Here's another A-Z Activity, like the A-Z leisure education game or the A-Z emotions.

Discuss with patients the importance of coping skills.  Talk about the difference between positive and negative coping skills.  Ask the group for some ideas of how they can postively cope with stress, anxiety, depression or relapse in their lives.

Give each participant a piece of paper.  Have them write the letters A through Z along the left hand side of the paper.  (Or you could have this done ahead of time if you'd like).  Then instruct the participants to come up with a positive coping skill that starts with each letter of the alphabet.  Remember to emphasize that we want to identify positive and not negative coping skills!  Be as specific as possible!!

For example:

A - Ask my friend Jane for a hug
B - Bake chocolate chip cookies
C - Call my sibling Joe
D - Deep breathing relaxation exercise
E - Exercise for 10 minutes

Continue for all the letters.  Have patients share some of their favorite or most creative coping skills.  Put the lists up somewhere that is easily visible in moments of stress, and practice trying new activities to find what coping skills work best for each individual.

Q-Tip Paintings

This is another idea I found on Pinterest and can't wait to try it out in my art therapy groups!

I think it will work really well with the geriatric psych patients who have trouble with fine motor skills needed to do most art activities.  I'm sure it won't look quite like the original image posted here, but I know they will still be great!!

Materials:
Paint
Q-Tips
Construction Paper

Description:
Have patients "paint" using the Q-tips as brushes.  Pour various colors of paint onto a surface (i.e. plate).  Dip the Q-tip in the desired color, and then stamp the Q-Tip to the colored paper.  Continue until the design has been created.  If patients are having a hard time coming up with ideas to paint, it might be helpful to have pictures from magazines or old calendars available as examples.

Don't worry about making the pictures as pretty as this example!  The key is to have the patients try something knew and complete a difficult or unusual task.  It's not about the final product--it's about the process!!

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Time for a GIVEAWAY!!!

Happy New Year!!!  Let's get the year started off right, shall we??

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How would you like to win a 

$15 Amazon Gift Card???

We want to spread the word about this blog and what an amazing resource it can be if we all work together and share our ideas.  So, here's how it's going to work:

*The giveaway will be open from Jan. 1 - Jan. 7.

*Entries can be earned by:

     - Become a follower of this blog

     - Post about the blog or giveaway on Facebook

     - Pin an activity to Pinterest

     - Join our Facebook group

     - Submit an activity idea

Each entry can only be earned ONCE, with the exception of an activity submission.  You can submit ONE activity EACH DAY during the giveaway

*Winner will be announced on Wednesday, Jan. 9.

Questions??  Email andrea.ctrs@gmail.com

GOOD LUCK!

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