Feeling & Connecting: Using a Little Color to Express Our Inner World

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Welcome back to another colorful post! I am sharing today an art therapy classic that I have remixed just for you! This post today is about incorporating scaling, cognitive work, and a classic body outline into the art therapy process. I originally intended to create a simple check-in handout but ended up with a 3 part activity that can be used to guide your entire session.

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This activity is versatile, the worksheet can serve to bring awareness to present feeling states; facilitate cognitive processing; provide psychoeducation on measuring the intensity of feelings; provide a channel for the creative process; facilitate discussion on coping skills and/or stress and relaxation responses in the body; or aid in introducing the topic of the mind-body connection.

This intervention is seemingly straight forward, however, you will be surprised to learn that this activity can guide the session in various directions depending on the client's unique presenting concerns.

This art therapy activity is an opportunity to invite the client to begin expressing and processing emotions as well as connecting this awareness to how their body is also affected by the experience. Our feelings are energies and I believe they are often best expressed via lines, shapes, and colors. Art allows us with a tool to symbolize these feelings. It's a powerful experience to visualize how feelings influence not only our minds but also our bodies. When using this activity, also provide psychoeducation on the topic of feelings as visitors. Many times clients try to contain, ignore, or hold on to feelings. It's important to "feel it" and understand it and let it pass through us, especially when dealing with difficult feelings.

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The "My Feelings" worksheet is a free download to all subscribers. If you haven't subscribed yet, just click the image above or the banner below! I will also be including an Art Therapy Rx script summarizing this activity and providing you with instructions on how to incorporate the worksheet into your teletherapy session. This handout can be utilized in your next televist by using screen share! Click the handout so I can send you your copy for free!

As always, please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences using the "My Feelings" worksheet in your session! 

Tell me a little bit about your work with clients!

1. What are your go-to art therapy activities for processing feelings? 

2. What did you find useful about this post and activity?

3. Would you like to share ideas for other therapy interventions you utilize with your clients? If so, join my creativity community to connect!

With Love, 

Lauren

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Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be utilized as a form of self-help, personal clinical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The content on this blog is meant for educational purposes and to provide clinical art therapy directives/resources for trained mental health professionals. This information is by no means a substitute for therapy.

Affiliate/Earning Disclaimer: Lauren Graham is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. In addition I an affiliate of the PlayTherapySupply.com. As an Amazon Associate and an affiliate of Play Therapy Supply, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases that are made by clicking on the affiliate links provided in this post. I only recommend products that I believe to be valuable and purchasing through my links is the same as shopping through Amazon. The only difference is you will be supporting my future work. Thank you!