Expressive Art Manual

Expressive Arts Toolkit Manual
Collection of Toolkit Interventions for Teachers
A collaboration between the University of Memphis School of Social Work

students and Dr. Susan Elswick, LCSW.
Edited by: Dr. Susan Elswick, LCSW

Formatted by: Stacey Abraham and Anna Sanderlin
2019 - Present
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Table of Contents
Painting for Prevention 6
Movie Club 🎥 8
Trauma Diary Activities 9
“Chapters” 12
“Who Am I?” Identity Workshop 14
Crazy Schedule, Sane You! 23
Flat Game 25
Guided Meditation 26
Beads For Healing 28
Feeling in Color 32
Intervention to End Student Hunger 34
Activity Hunting 37
Links That Make Me 39
Let’s Relax! 40
The Emotional Popsicle 42
No Place For Bullying 44
Kindness Ornaments 46
Everybody Loves Puppets Intervention 50
Communication Rap Battle 52
Class Pass Intervention 54
Balloon Game 56
I Too Can Be A Superhero 60
Creative Writing 62
Juggling Act 63
Let’s Talk About It 65
“Healing Club” 65
Tool Kit For Positive Behavior 68
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention for Children who Suffer from Bullying 70
Let’s Taco ‘Bout Feelings 72
Taco Tuesday Make & Tell 72
Yoga Club 75
Tree of Life 77
Empathy Maps 78
My Roots 80
Imagination Therapy 82
Mindfulness Art: I Am Here 83
Text Support 85
The Collage of Many Emotions 87
Reach for the Stars Wristband 88
Alternate Outcomes (AO) Club 90
Page by Page 92
Bean Bag Feelings Toss 95
Major and Minor Problem-Solving Game 97
My Artistic Point of View 100
Paint Club 102
M-Modeling A-And I-Identifying N-Needs 103
MAIN-Reading Intervention 103
Heroes in Crisis 104
Student Investigation Team (SIT) 106
Movement Connections 109
Attitude of Gratitude Tree 111
What Would You Do? 113
Write and Rhyme Program 115
Therapeutic Painting 119
Life Panorama 121
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Art/Drawing Club 125
Visual Journaling 128
Photo Justice 130
Past, Present, and Future Self Portraits Intervention 134
Feelings Postcard 136
Shake It Out 139
Art Club 141
Cartoon/Comic Creations 144
Rainbow Stones 148
Expressive Journal 151
Friends on Hand 153
Our Glass 155
Clay Feelings Intervention 158
Trauma Jar 160
Promoting Self-Care 163
SuperMask 165
Create Your Own Balance Scale 167
Social Stories 170
Self-Affirmation Collage 172
New Growth 174
Painted Through Feelings 177
Play Therapy 180
Music For All: Music Therapy Sessions 182
Trauma Collage 185
Let’s Take a Road Trip (Projective Storytelling Technique) 187
Kinetic Sand Therapy Activity 191
F.I.T. Families 193
Name That Feeling 196
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Songwriting Club 198
Body of Emotion 200
Your Time Yoga With Interpretive Dancing 202
Circle of Relationships 205
Tipping the Scale 208
“Click In, Click Out” 211
Grief Ornament 216
Environmental Arts Club 219
Movement Therapy Group 222
Moving and Grooving 225
Collage Art Therapy for LGBTQIA+ Youth 227
Color My World 230
Art Therapy 232
Situation Creation 237
Emotional Literacy and Regulation Activities 239
Womb Drumming 241
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Painting for Prevention
1234 University Street
Memphis, TN 38111
(901) 555-8999
info@paintingforprevention.org
How is Paint Therapy Delivered?

Painting:
Paint and other mediums are used on
a blank canvas or piece of paper to
create a unique piece of art.
Crayons/Chalk:
Creating effects using crayons/chalk
to layer, blend, or draw memories.
Drawing/Illustrating: Therapeutic Painting With a Twist
Pens, pencils, or other colored
mediums are used on paper to create Painting For Prevention
whatever comes to mind. The event will allow you to express
Collaging: yourself through paint! Clients can
Art created using images from describe those undesirable feelings
magazines, personal pictures or other through paint that they otherwise
printed media to express emotions. wouldn’t be able to discuss verbally.
Founding Objects:
Using an object that has been found
and creating it into an art piece using
various craft materials.
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The Benefits of Paint Therapy What is Paint Therapy?
There are several benefits associated Paint Therapy combines human
with Paint Therapy: development and psychological
● Assists clients in
theories with visual arts to promote
communicating their emotions
nonverbally. mental and emotional health.
● Instills clients with
self-appreciation, self-respect,
Furthermore, Paint Therapy also
and self-esteem.
● Encourages clients to build promotes creativity and encourages
trust in a safe and inclusive clients to express themselves using a
environment.
variety of art techniques and
● Assists clients in changing their
perspectives and future mediums.
outlook.
Paint Therapy is used for a variety of
age groups ranging from children and
adolescents to adults with varying
needs and abilities.
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Movie Club 🎥
Susan Elswick
This intervention is a great way to assist clients with describing and processing
their feelings and emotions in a less threatening manner. Through Created scripts,
acting, and film making the client is able to use the movie characters as a metaphor
for life and events causing them stress.
Materials Needed:
Camera
Paper
Pens
Set Materials and Costumes
Music
Computer
How To Do The Technique:
For this intervention, the client will be asked to identify a pressing issue in their
current life. Once the issue is identified, the client will be asked to create a movie
that would portray the feelings and emotions of this event. The clients are asked to
create a movie theme, script, characters, costumes, etc. The client can also assign
roles to others to complete this activity. The client will be the producer and the
videographer. At the end of the movie development, everyone has an opportunity to
view the finished product and the video can be shown in live screen and red carpet
format.
Suggestions for Adapting the Technique:
This could be adapted in a manner that every individual client brings in a portion of
the video. The collective group comes up with a movie idea, and each individual
member creates a section of the movie in their own perspective. The end result is a
compilation of all the videos spliced together that results in one story or message.
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Trauma Diary Activities
Daphne McKee
Description: ● Kids can share with new social

This intervention is a way that people, workers or counselors as
especially young people, who are not needed, so that they do not
willing or able to communicate their have to re-explain and relive
trauma histories to adults, can record these issues to new staff in
and make sense of their experiences environments that potentially
in a way that; have high staff turnover.
● Makes sense to them, Materials Needed:
● Moves at their own pace of ● Blank journal or pad of paper
comfort, without lines
● Helps them develop ● Writing supplies
communication skills and ● Drawing supplies
personal expression,
● Helps themes to easily see and
understand how much they
have progressed or regressed in
therapy,
● A counselor or social worker
can easily adapt to their
individual needs, and
How To Do The Intervention:
A kid receives a blank journal in which to record their trauma histories. Either in
sessions or on their own, the kid records traumatic incidents that have warranted
the therapeutic intervention. A counselor or social worker provides a few guiding
questions, including but not limited to:
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1. What happened?
2. How has this incident or situation affected your life today?
3. How much of this incident could you control, and how much of it was outside
of your control? (For youth who have experienced traumatic incidents that
others incorrectly blamed them for, or for youth who have difficulty
understanding the consequences of their actions. The counselor or social
worker would have to be extremely careful with this question and adapt it
accordingly.)
4. What can you learn from this incident? (If adults, peers, or other trusted
people did not help the kid at the time of the traumatic incident, the kid
might be interested in exploring what they might do as an adult or a peer for
another kid in the same situation. This requires maturity and the kid’s own
desire to explore this question.)
Over time, youth can add details to these accounts as they gain a better
understanding of these questions. They can also organize incidents into chapters
based on chronology or by topic in order to explore how incidents relate to one
another.
How to Modify This Intervention For Kids With Special Needs:
● Youth who are less verbal (especially while revisiting traumatic incidents) or
who have learning disabilities for writing can start with drawing pictures or
making paintings describing their feelings at the time of the incident. Over
time, the counselor or social worker would ideally help them to add written
details as they progress.
● Youth may be disclosing information protected by HIPPA which would hinder
their getting a free and appropriate public education if other teachers or
peers knew. The school social worker would have to be careful with this
document, and might offer to lock it in a drawer.
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Data Collection Methods For Monitoring Progress:
● Use measurement tools such as Children’s Depression Inventory, Generalized
Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale,
using clickers to count
incidence of disruptive or
emotionally aggrieved
behaviors in class, or other
tools such as pre-tests,
mid-interventions tests, and
post-tests.
● Use the school’s archival data on attendance, suspensions, tardiness, law
enforcement calls, etc.
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“Chapters”
Daphne McKee
Description:
This intervention is to improve emotional
regulation, situational awareness, and
empathy skills. This intervention is geared
specifically towards children who struggle
with getting in verbal and/or physical
fights. However, it can be adapted for
people of various ages who need to reflect
upon a particular incident and mine it for understanding. This activity was
implemented with third and fourth graders who were frequently in trouble. It was
found that many of these students did not understand what behaviors they were in
trouble for. This activity was productive because they gained clarity on exactly what
they were doing and exactly where they could have acted differently.
Materials Needed:
● Paper or Whiteboard
● Crayons or Markers
How to Implement This Intervention:
In the immediate aftermath of an argument or fight, the clinician says to the child,
“Tell me what happened.” The child typically spills a tangle of words about what
another person did. Rather than verbally demand, “But what did YOU DO?”, the
clinician can prod the child to break the incident down into “chapters.” The clinician
could ask questions like, “What exactly did he say? And what happened before that?
What exactly happened before that? What were the words you used then?” Over
the course of a conversation, the clinician helps the child to identify “Chapter 1”,
“Chapter 2”, etc. of the fight, argument, or other incident. These “chapters” are
typically 1-2 sentences. The next step is to draw small arrows next to each chapter
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that go up, go down, or stay level in order to identify if the situation was escalating,
de-escalating, or neither at each step.
(If the clinician and the child have time, the clinician can prod the child to identify
how each person in this situation felt during each chapter. The child can then draw
a simple facial expression for each chapter.)
Once all of the chapters are on paper, then the child (with the clinician’s help) can
more easily point to where the situation began to get out of control, where the
child could have used their coping skills, where their peers could have used coping
skills, etc.
How to Adapt This Activity:
For students whose reading skills are still elementary enough that it slows down the
activity, the child can use stick figures or just jot down a few words for notes.
Students on the autism spectrum might need to break their stories down into more
chapters with more exhaustive detail in order to understand their situations.
Students with language barriers can do this activity with the help of a staff member
or peer who translates the sections. Students with ADHD/ADD can take breaks or
use fidget spinners, etc. as necessary through the activity.
Collecting Data:
The social worker can evaluate this intervention in the immediate moment with an
individual student by observing the student’s behavior when they return to class.
Do they immediately get back into an argument? How do they get along with the
other students or staff involved in the earlier conflict? Are they able to engage with
the class? There are a lot of extenuating factors affecting these outcomes, but the
social worker should still collect qualitative data on the immediate effects of the
individual’s behavior.
If the social worker does this activity regularly with a student in sessions, the social
workers can evaluate the intervention through archival data. This data includes the
frequency of suspensions, student’s referrals to behavioral staff/law enforcement,
etc. The social worker should establish a baseline for these types of occurrences.
Identify a control group of students, and compare the results to the baseline
established before the use of this intervention.
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“Who Am I?” Identity Workshop
Ebony James
Intervention Details:
The “Who Am I?” Identity Workshop will be a half-day intervention program during
the school day, with the purpose of helping students gain an understanding of their
identity and identity expression. Students will engage in self-exploratory activities
to gain insight into their own identity. During this workshop, students will learn
about their multiple identities as an individual(age, gender, religion/spirituality,
socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation) and their identity in a
group. They will explore their interests, strengths, qualities, learning styles, and
how to introduce themselves. There will be several hands-on activities throughout
the duration of the workshop for students to get involved and learn more about
their individual and social identity.
Materials: ● Activity Handouts

● Paper Handouts & Other Information
● Pens/Pencils Needed:
● Crayons/Markers/Colored ● The Feeling Wheel
Pencils ● Student Interest Inventory
● Chart Paper ● Strengths & Qualities
● Music Worksheet
● Laptop/Desktop Computer ● Would You Rather Activity
Method:
The workshop will be held by grade level. Several sessions per grade level may be
needed based on the number of students per grade.
Staff & Workshop Introduction (10 Min)
First, introductions will be made of the workshop staff and other important and
supportive personnel. Students will be given the purpose of the workshop and
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asked to think about what identity means to them. We will have 3-5 students share
about what identity means to them and this will serve as the ice breaker.
Student Pre-Introductions (10 Min)
Students will then be asked to get in groups of 4-8 (based on grade level) and
introduce themselves to the other group members. We will then share some of the
responses people provided during their introductions. What are some similarities
and differences that the groups heard? Students will be given 1 minute each to give
their introduction. Next, the activities will begin.
Pre-Activity
Students will be provided with several handouts in a folder that they can keep. The
handouts will be used throughout the workshop to assist them in the activities.
Students will be provided time before activities to complete certain handouts.
Activity 1 (20 Min): Describe Yourself
In activity 1, each student will be provided with chart paper and coloring materials
to use to describe themselves. Using words, pictures, etc., students can describe
who they are and what they represent. There will be examples around the room to
assist the students who do not know where to begin.
Activity 2 (20 Min): Group/Social Identity
The students will hear a 5-10 minute presentation on what group identity is and
what that looks like. They will then play a game called 4 corners. There will be 4
corners of the room sectioned off. The presenter will call out different things about
a group and if students identify with that group they will leave the center of the
room and move to the corner they identify with. The students must choose the
corner they identify with the most. Students will also complete a worksheet to
identify which groups they belong to.
Activity 3 (20 Min): Life Map
Students will be responsible for completing a life map. They can begin from when
they were born to important events in their life, and they will be responsible for
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ending the life map with a future goal. For example, middle schoolers can put,
“Upon middle school promotion, I would like to attend ____ High School and take
AP classes.” A high schooler may say, “After graduation, I would like to go to the
military,” or “I would like to attend ____ University and receive a Biology degree.”
Life maps will be pre-designed for individuals who may require assistance or who
need extended time. Students will be encouraged to display their maps around the
room and share, if willing.
Activity 5 (45 Min): Post Introductions a.k.a. “The Elevator Pitch”
The whole group, after all of the activities are complete, will learn about the
Elevator Pitch. Then they will have an opportunity to create their own and
introduce themselves once more using the skills and information they have gained
from the workshop.
Close-Out & Dismissal (10 Min)
Adaptations/Modifications/Accommodations:
The intervention can be adapted to students with special needs or other
populations by providing the following modifications and accommodations:
● Extended Time for Activities
● Pre-Made Resources
● Prompting Questions
● Hands-On Activities/Movement
● Color Coded Documents
● The Use of Technology
● Peer Helper
There will also be individuals walking around to help monitor, guide, and assist
students as needed.
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The Feeling Wheel
The Feeling Wheel is to help you pick an adjective to accurately describe your
feelings. For example, if you are feeling happy or joyful, you will look at the colors in
yellow to find an adjective that may more accurately describe your feelings.
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Student Interest Inventory
Name:
Birthdate:
I was born in _______(City), _______(State), _______(Country).
Parent(s)/Guardian(s) Name:
Cell Number:
Work Number:
Parent Email:
Sports: My favorite type of music is:

My favorite sport to watch is:
My favorite sport to play is: General:
At my school, I play: The thing I like most about myself is:
The thing I like least about myself is:
Arts: The thing I do best is:
My favorite type of art to create is: The thing I do the worst is:
I play this instrument:
Family and Home:
Free Time: I have these types of pets:
My favorite things to do on the I have ____ brothers and ____
weekends are: sisters.
My favorite things to do after school I am the (oldest, middle, youngest).
are: (Circle one)
I usually go to bed at this time:
Entertainment: I have these chores to do at home:
My favorite television show is: I work this many hours per week at a
My favorite movie is: job:
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Homework:
I like to do homework: Yes No
I like to eat when I study: Yes No
I like to listen to music when I study: Yes No
Background noise bothers me when I study: Yes No
Classroom:
These two rules are important to me in a classroom:
1.
2.
School:
I like to read on my own: Yes No
My favorite book is:
My favorite subject is:
My least favorite subject is:
I need to be told to stay on task (often, sometimes, or never).
I prefer working (with a partner, in small groups, or by myself).
I work harder when I know I will be graded: Yes No
I am comfortable asking for help when I need it: Yes No
I pay attention best when I (sit up front, sit in the back, it doesn’t matter).
When I grow up, I want to be:
Overall, I like school: Yes No
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Learning Style Inventory
Circle two numbers that best describe you:
1. I LIKE words. I am sensitive to sounds, structures, meanings, and functions
of words. I enjoy storytelling, writing, reading, jokes, puns, and riddles.
2. I LIKE numbers. I can easily pick up on numerical patterns. I can easily
complete calculations in my head. I like step-by-step instructions.
3. I LIKE images or pictures. I sometimes daydream and I have artistic, designer,
or inventive qualities.
4. I LIKE music. I appreciate musical expressions such as rhythm and melody.
Music can make me animated or calm me.
5. I LIKE to be physical and hands on. I am good at athletics.
6. I LIKE to be around people. I like to teach others and can read other people’s
moods, temperaments, and motivations.
7. I LIKE solitary activities. I understand my feelings and I am self-motivated
and strong willed.
8. I LIKE nature. I can pick up on patterns in nature. I enjoy being outdoors. I
like studying scientific topics.
I learn best by (hearing the information, seeing information, or doing activities with
my hands). (Circle One)
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Strengths and Qualities Worksheet
Activites Very Good Good Not So

Good
Playing Sports
Gardening
Making Friends
Remembering Things
Math
Playing a Musical Instrument
Being Responsible
Learning New Things
Talking to People
Working on Machines
Cooking
Listening to Others
Being Able to Work as Part of a Team
Following Directions
Being Friendly
Speaking in Front of People
Working Without Supervision
Designing Things
Working With Animals
Photography
Running/ Jogging
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Would You Rather Activity
Sit with a partner. Each partner should answer. Try to explain why.
1. Would you rather eat cake, ice cream, or a piece of chocolate right now?
Sample answer… “I would rather have ice cream now because it is hot outside
and I just like ice cream better than cake and chocolate. I’d want chocolate ice
cream. What about you? What would you rather have?
2. Would you rather live in a big city or in a small town?
3. Would you rather spend a year in Japan, Switzerland, or the USA?
4. Would you rather take a vacation in South America or Africa?
5. Would you rather be invisible whenever you wanted or have the ability to fly?
6. Would you rather have coffee, tea, or juice at the moment?
7. Would you rather take a course in Chinese, Swahili, Italian, or Hindi?
8. Would you rather know Japanese, Spanish, or German?
9. What would you rather be doing right now (than sitting here in this
workshop)?
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Crazy Schedule, Sane You!
Jasmine S. King
Description of the Intervention:
This particular intervention has been designed for persons who experience anxiety
and mood fluctuations on a daily basis due to schedules or routines that may have a
hectic, rapid, fast paced, or overwhelming amount of activity. This intervention is
beneficial to clients for the purpose of completion, self-reflection, reassurance, and
self-appreciation. It allows clients to see their progress, completion, or how they
could improve the use of their time or even decrease some activity. The twelve
pictures of the client are added as a highlighter and reminder to self that though
you have experienced the many tasks, events, and activities this month, you can still
smile because YOU completed them. In conclusion, the client can carry on into the
next month of activities on a positive and prosperous level.
Materials Needed:
● Calendar/Planner
● Writing Utensils; Preferably a Pen
● Highlighters/Pens of Multiple Colors
● Camera
● Printer
● 12 Pictures of You; Alone and Smiling
● Small Stickers
How to Use the Intervention or Technique:
Every time you get a new task or assignment, write the due date or the date it will
occur along with the time in your calendar or planner on that particular slot. At the
beginning of each month, take and insert a picture of you, alone and smiling. Place
that picture at the beginning of the next month in your calendar or planner. The
smile that helped you through last month will also assist you through the next
month.
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Suggestions or Ways to Adapt The Intervention to Students With Special
Needs/Other Populations:
● Search resources or persons that can assist you with writing if you are
unable to write or see.
● Use your phone for voice recognition into your phone calendar.
● Decorate your planner.
● Use multiple colored utensils to identify a specific task, factor, or duty.
● Place your calendar or planner in a designated or private place for your
everyday access.
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Flat Game
Tamika
This intervention is a great way to interact with your peers. Flat intervention will
help with their teamwork skills by secretly communicating with each other when
they have four matching cards.
Materials:
● A Deck of Cards
● A Table
● Chairs
Description of the Technique:
For this intervention, each team will have to
choose a nonverbal signal to use when
they both have four matching cards. Teams will sit across from each other so the
other teammate will be able to see the signal. Each member will be dealt four
playing cards and there will be four dealt on the table face up so each player can
swap one card out. If no swaps are made during each deal, the cards will be put
away and no one will be able to use them anymore. Whenever a team calls “FLAT”
their partner should have four matching cards and the team will get a point.
This could be adapted in a manner that every student interacts with each other and
learns to work together as a team. Secretly communicating, giving each other
nonverbal signals, is a great way to gain teamwork skills.
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Guided Meditation
Alexa Tracy
Description
This intervention is for emotionally disturbed children or students with behavioral
issues. It also works great for calming a classroom before a big activity. Guided
meditation helps students to become empowered, learn mindfulness, and stay
in-tune with their body, thoughts, and feelings. Through guided meditation,
students will learn how to channel peace whenever they are feeling stressed in
their environment.
Materials Needed:
● A Meditation Script
● Calming Music
● Yoga Mats or Carpet (Optional)
How to do the Technique:
To begin, turn the lights in the classroom off. Have your children lay on the floor or
sit in a comfortable position. Turn on your choice of meditation music or nature
sounds. State the following sentences slowly and calmly. The following is an
example of a script:
1. Relax your body. Take a deep breath in through your nose and out through
your mouth. Take another deep breath in, and let it out.
2. When you are ready, I want you to picture
your favorite place that makes you feel calm.
This could be your room, the beach, a quiet
forest, or anywhere that makes you feel
peaceful. Take in the air with another deep
breath and let it out.
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3. Use your imagination to look at your surroundings. What do you see? What
do you hear? Who are you with? Answer these questions in your mind.
4. Place your hand on your heart. How does your heart feel in your special
place? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could feel this way all of the time? Well, you
can!
5. Place your hands on your belly. I want you to breathe in all the goodness of
your special place. Your belly should expand like a balloon. And release your
balloon by breathing out of your mouth. Watch your balloon float away.
6. I want you to tense up your body, from head to toe. Slowly release all of your
muscles, one by one.
7. Take a last look around your favorite place. Know that you can come back
anytime you feel sad, lonely, or stressed.
8. Make sure all of your muscles are relaxed. Finally, take one last deep and long
breath.
9. When you are ready, slowly open your eyes and return to your classroom.
This could be adapted in a lot of different ways. Social workers can make different
themes up for guided meditation, such as a trip to your own spot on the moon or an
underwater adventure. It can be modified by intensity based on age and
developmental stage. There are also many websites and podcasts that can help a
therapist get started. One podcast to try is “Peace Out - Relaxation and
Mindfulness Stories for Kids”. You can also find a lot of useful content on YouTube
by typing in “Guided Meditation for Children”.
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Beads For Healing
Mary Elizabeth Hearn
The intervention used for this project is a great activity to be implemented with
children who experience anxiety, depression, emotional problems, and behavioral
issues as a result of experiencing one or more traumatic events in his/her lifetime.
This intervention works to assist children in discovering effective and healthy
coping skills, as well as their personal strengths. Another goal of this intervention is
to help children alter their negative and maladaptive thoughts about themselves
that resulted from the trauma they experienced. By developing appropriate coping
skills and focusing on individual strengths, children will have the ability to begin to
see themselves in a positive light and as survivors of trauma. Building individualized
and effective coping skills will ultimately work to decrease a child’s behavioral and
emotional outbursts when faced with a trauma reminder. The group is used for
children 11 to 15 years of age. The ideal group number is 6-8.
Materials Needed:
● Yarn
● Colorful Beads
● Scissors
● Journal
● Pen
Description of How to do the Technique:
This intervention will take place in a group setting with six to eight students. Each
student will be given a long piece of yarn that will eventually be made into a
necklace. The long string of yarn represents the most significant trauma
experienced by each individual student. The social worker will then ask the
students to each identify a traumatic experience that has had the most significant
impact on his/her life. After the students have identified a traumatic event, the
social worker will ask them to write about their trauma experience in their journal.
When writing in their journals, students will describe the trauma event they
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experienced as well as negative beliefs about themselves that developed as a result
of the adverse experience. After the students are finished writing in their journals,
the social worker will encourage the students to share with the group what they
have written about the experience and the negative thoughts they hold about
themselves due to the trauma. The social worker will give the students the option
to not share with the group if they do not feel comfortable speaking about their
traumatic experience.
The social worker will next provide the students colorful beads that represent
coping/relaxation skills as well as individual strengths. Students will use beads to
identify skills, activities, and techniques that help reduce high levels of arousal and
emotional distress when coming into contact with a trauma reminder or memory.
Students will also use the beads to identify their personal strengths. Each bead
represents one coping/relaxation skill or one personal strength. Common
coping/relaxation skills entail deep breathing exercises, muscle relaxation,
exercising, drawing, imagery, meditation, and journaling. Common strengths
students might identify with are courageous, strong, kind, honest, determined,
resilient, smart, and creative. Each student will choose a different color bead for
each strength and coping/relaxation skill. Students write in their journal the color
bead they chose to associate with a specific individualized strength or
coping/relaxation skill. Once the students associate a color bead with a strength or
coping/relaxation skill, the students will place the bead on their string and begin
making their necklace.
After the students complete their necklace, the social worker will ask each student
to share with the group the strength and coping/relaxation skill associated with
each color bead. Students will have the opportunity to take their necklaces home
and wear them as a reminder of their strengths and effective coping/relaxation
skills. By addressing the experienced trauma and associated maladaptive thoughts
with the group, students can begin to alter their thoughts to be positive and see
themselves as survivors of trauma. By identifying individual strengths, the children
are able to feel empowered and resilient.
Suggestions for Adapting the Technique with Special Needs Population:
This intervention can be adapted to be beneficial for students with special needs.
For the students’ safety, the social worker would not provide beads to the students
in case a child attempts to swallow them. Instead, the social worker would have the
students draw a long string in their journal representing the traumatic event that
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has had the largest impact on them. The students are encouraged to write in their
journals about the traumatic event and share their story with the group. The
students will draw beads on their string within the journal representing individual
strengths they possess and coping/relaxation skills they enjoy using when facing a
memory of the trauma. The students will be encouraged to share the strengths or
coping/relaxation skills associated with each bead to the group. Because the
students with special needs are not making a necklace they can wear, the social
worker will give the students a large piece of white paper and ask the students to
draw a picture of themselves with their necklaces on. The social worker will give
the students these drawings so that the students can look at it and be reminded of
their strengths and coping/relaxation skills. The ideal number of children involved
in this group is 3-5.
Materials Needed for Adaptation with Special Needs Population:
● Journal
● Crayons
● Large white sheet of paper
● Pencil
Measuring Techniques:
In order to determine the level of effectiveness of this intervention, the students’
classroom teachers will be given a child behavior rating scale in order to see if the
intervention has improved the students’ emotional and behavioral problems. The
scale measures a child’s behavior daily and ranges from 1 (no instances of behavioral
or emotional issues) to 5 (five or more behavioral or emotional outburst). Before the
intervention is implemented, the teachers will need to use the child behavior scale
for a week in order to determine a child’s baseline behavior. The classroom teachers
will measure all students’ behaviors daily for two weeks after the intervention has
been completed. The social worker will take the baseline data and compare the
results against the data that is collected for two weeks after the intervention is
implemented.
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Child Behavior Chart For Teacher
Child’s Name:
Date: Amount of Child’s Amount of Child’s

Behavior/ Emotional Behavior/ Emotional
Outburst Per Day Before Outburst Per Day After
Intervention (Circle One) Intervention (Circle One)
Monday 1: None 1: None

2: 1 Emotional Outburst 2: 1 Emotional Outburst
3: 2-3 Emotional 3: 2-3 Emotional
Outbursts Outbursts
4: 4 Emotional Outbursts 4: 4 Emotional Outbursts
5: 5+ Emotional Outbursts 5: 5+ Emotional Outbursts
Tuesday 1: None 1: None

Outbursts Outbursts
Wednesday 1: None 1: None

Outbursts Outbursts
Thursday 1: None 1: None

Outbursts Outbursts
Friday 1: None 1: None

Outbursts Outbursts
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Feeling in Color
Shannon Hudson
This intervention is an artistic way of assisting clients in thinking about the
complexity of their feelings and how they might impact the experience in the
classroom. Through labeling individual feelings with color, then creating mosaics
from these colors, the client will be mapping their complex inner worlds in order to
gain clarity; therefore, this exercise is a valuable tool in teaching the client how to
accommodate multiple emotions at once. The overall goal of this intervention is to
increase the felt sense in the body.
Materials Needed:
● Colored Tissue Paper in a Wide
Range of Colors
● A Journal
● Mod Podge or Another
Decoupage
● A Paint Brush
Description of How to do The
Technique:
To start, the client will make a feelings
key on the first page of their journal.
The client will begin by listing the emotions they are familiar with, followed by
assigning a color to each. They will tear a small swatch from each tissue paper that
coordinates and glue it under the emotion. It might be helpful to begin the body of
this exercise with a few deep breaths. Once settled, they will be asked to think
through their day and to identify any obvious emotions that arise. The client will be
encouraged to write about their experience, big or small, or to simply write the
name of the most glaring feeling(s) they experienced that day. Paint the decoupage
on the blank journal page. Tear the paper and place it on the page, representing
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however much of the feeling they may have felt. Paint one coat of decoupage on top
of the tissue paper and let dry.
Suggestions For Adapting The Technique:
If the client is unable to produce feelings or is unable to communicate them, the
intervention could be adapted to still include the client within the somatic nature of
the activity. The client could simply pick his favorite colors and create without a
plan.
How to Track Progress:
The increased or decreased skill in communicating feelings would be evidenced
over time in the ebbs and flows of what is being created throughout the journal.
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Intervention to End Student Hunger
Nedra Stratton
Description:
This intervention will serve to provide students access to food who exhibit signs of
hunger at school. This grant or school fundraiser funded program will distribute a
selection of healthy food options to children, free of charge, who show effects from
hunger during the school day. This problem affects children who may not be able to
concentrate in the classroom. Effects of hunger are shown by students who
complain of illness, who act out in class, or who fall asleep in the classroom.
Sometimes children arrive late to school and miss the breakfast period before the
cafeteria closes. Furthermore, in schools where there is not a free lunch program,
some children do not have the funds to pay for breakfast or lunch. There may also
be times that some children do not have sufficient options/portions for lunch and
may leave the lunch room still hungry. Very often, children experience hunger at
the end of the school day from having an early lunch period. All of the issues may
lead to the child disengaging from classroom instruction. Hungry children do not
learn as well as children who are well nourished.
Materials Needed:
● Mini Refrigerator (Optional)
● Fresh Fruit/Fruit Cups
● Bottles Water
● Ultra High-Temperature
Pasteurized Milk (non
refrigerated)
● Pretzels/Healthy Chips
● Granola Bars/Cereal Bars
● Yogurt/Cheese
● Crackers
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● Organic Non Perishable Meals
● Logbook
Description of How To Do Technique:
Administrator/Teachers: Inform faculty that there is a food pantry located in the
social workers office. Brief them on the necessity of the food pantry. Educate
teachers on what to look for in students in their classrooms who may be displaying
signs related to hunger. Establish a policy that if the student arrives at school late
and has not had breakfast, they need to go to the social workers office for a quick
breakfast alternative.
Parent/Family: Have a school-wide meeting with parents, educate them on the
effects that hunger has on their children in school. Inform them of the school’s
practices regarding hungry children. Comfort their reservations by explaining that
this program is for their child’s benefit and does not reflect on their parenting.
Allow the parents to opt-out if they prefer their child not participate. Advise
parents/guardians that if they opt-out and their child comes to school hungry on a
regular basis, there will be a meeting to discuss hunger-related issues affecting
their child.
Students: When a child displays signs of hunger, send them to the school social
workers office. Allow them to choose 2-3 items for nourishment. Designate a place
for the child to complete their meal. When finished, send the child to class with an
excuse note.
Signs of Hunger:
● Students say that they have not eaten today.
● Students complain of a stomach ache.
● Students complain of a headache.
● Students cannot focus or concentrate.
● Students act out in class (anger, sadness, irritability, withdrawal).
● Students appear tired or display low energy.
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This can be a school-wide program for all children rather than a problem-focused
program for some children. Making it a school-wide program takes the attention
away from the children who are always in the social worker’s office for food. It
makes the child’s personal issues less obvious to other student’s awareness, which
may be embarrassing for some students. In the case of a school-wide program, the
school can employ a morning and evening snack session to keep their students
from experiencing hunger during the school day.
Recordkeeping:
Keep a log of every child who receives items. Maintain an inventory. Re-order food
as needed. Keep an expenditure log for reporting and auditing.
Data Collection/Evaluation:
Use the data from recordkeeping regarding student participation. Follow-up with
teachers about the behavioral changes in the students who have accessed the
program. This will be conducted through teacher observation and interaction with
the student(s). Ask if they have noticed any changes in the student(s) since the
implementation of the program (positive/negative). Consider changes in actual
behavioral tendencies in the classroom after having access to the meals. Also use
the students’ grades to determine if there is a change in classroom performance
and outcomes after accessing the program. Record findings and keep an on-going
history of the findings. Report findings and updates to Administration and Parents,
annually at a minimum.
36
Activity Hunting
Tyler Johnson
This intervention is a great way to
help clients connect with others
through similar hobbies, activity
likings and interesting conversation
that will help them get through a
possible depression stage either
during family separation, personal
doubts or academic struggles.
Through providing lists of sports they are interested in, performing arts that they
enjoy, arts and crafts, collections and common favorites they may have. The client is
able to use the new friends they will make to help them have fun and enjoy an
environment that will help them cope with their depression.
Materials Needed:
● Survey
● Music
● Timer
● Colored Bands
● Sports Equipment
● Art Supplies
● Performance Art Equipment and Materials
Description of How to do Technique:
For this intervention the client will be asked to pick a colored wrist band to wear
along with filling out a survey to bring to their assorted group. The survey will ask
ten questions about what kinds of activities they enjoy, favorite sport team, and
hobbies, etc. They will then read each survey out loud with their group members.
Based on the survey they will find someone or a group of people who have similar
37
interests. They will have ten minutes to enjoy anything that is provided or may use
that time to just talk and get to know one another. After the time is up they will
proceed to a different color group to find another partner or group of kids that hold
the same interest. They will proceed to switch around for a total of three times. At
the end of the intervention, everyone will have the opportunity to exchange
personal information so they can stay in contact, and this is when we encourage
them to plan future arrangements to meet up and spend time with their new
friends.
This could be adapted in a manner that every individual can bring one thing that
they believe represents relaxation or something fun. As a group, they will be able to
comment on things that might seem interesting to them. The end result is finding
friends who share the same interests and finding connections.
38
Links That Make Me
Paula Hughes
This intervention is a great way for young clients to
identify all of the positive attributes the client has.
This will assist the client in building self-worth and
self-esteem within themselves.
Materials Needed:
● Strips of Paper (recommend various colors)
● Glue Stick
● A Marker
For this intervention, the client will be asked to identify all the positive things
he/she can think of about himself/herself. For every feature listed, write it on a
strip of paper. Then link the strips of paper together to make a chain. Once the
chain is complete, let the client tell you about their links. When completed, the
chain can be hung around the room to remind the client of all the good things
about himself/herself.
This could be adapted in a manner that several clients can work together to tell the
positive attributes of the group. The collective group works together to form a
single chain to hang around the room. This would still provide the same message,
just on a bigger scale.
Additional Information:
Allow clients to include anything that appeals to the client. For example, physical
abilities, personality traits, and personal values. You should be able to measure the
success of the intervention with the client by the success of the chain that he/she
made.
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Let’s Relax!
Alia D. Mitchell
This intervention is a great way to assist clients with easing tension, calming
worries, and decreasing edginess. Relaxation is a good technique that allows those
that have experienced previous traumas to free
their minds and focus on themselves rather than
other stressors. This activity is targeted for
teenagers (age 13-18 years old) and can be
completed either in the home or in the presence
of the therapist/trained professional.
Materials Needed:
● Comfortable Room (with carpet or yoga mat)
● Paper
● Pens
● Clay (at least two per person)
● Music
● Chairs
For this intervention, the client will be asked to sit comfortably in their chair with
their arms at their sides and their feet planted on the floor. While this is occurring,
the therapist will have soft music playing in the background to assist with comfort.
THe client will close their eyes or look down at the ground while you do this
exercise. The client will place a ball of clay in their right hand and will squeeze the
ball of clay as hard as they can. While the client is squeezing, they will feel how tight
the muscles of their hands and arms are. The client will count to five as they
squeeze, then drop the ball of clay and let their hands hang loose. After this, the
client will feel the difference in the muscles of their hands and arm when they are
relaxed. The client will repeat to themselves, “My hands are relaxed.” The client will
40
do the same thing with their left hand. This can also be done with all the parts of
your body one at a time or all at the same time (the therapist can assist with this).
Make sure it is based on comfort for the client and try not to forget to include all of
their muscle groups (arms, feet, legs, stomach, back, chest, shoulders, and face).
After this is completed, the client will take a piece of paper and fold it in half. On
the left side of the paper, the client will draw a photo of how they visualize
themselves looking when they are tense, on edge, or stressed. On the right side of
the folded paper, the client will draw themselves on how they visualize them
looking when they are relaxed and stress free. To complete this assignment, the
client will be allowed 5-10 minutes. After this is completed, the therapist or trained
professional will discuss the photos with the client.
This assignment can also be completed in the home. It is best that the therapist or
trained professional thoroughly explains the exercise with the parent/guardian to
ensure that they are aware of why this is important and what benefits can come
from it.
41
The Emotional Popsicle
Jasmine M Hill
For this intervention activity, students will be given popsicle sticks that will vary in
colors upon coloring. Each colored popsicle stick stands for a different emotion
that can be displayed physically. This will help students control their behavior
inside or outside of the classroom.
Materials Needed:
● 1 Bag of Popsicle Sticks
● Scissors
● Pens
● Markers
● Crayons
● Multi-Colored Construction Paper
Description of Intervention:
For this intervention activity, students will be given five popsicle sticks that will
vary in color, one sheet of construction paper to make the share of a popsicle, one
pen, and their choice of crayons or markers. Each colored popsicle stands for a
different behavior or emotion that can be displayed physically. The students will
write coping skills on the back of the popsicle. The popsicle will indicate to the
teacher that the child is having issues while also providing helpful coping tips on
how to change their emotion or behavior. This will help students learn to control
and identify their negative or positive behavior inside or outside the classroom. The
popsicle stick description will go as follows:
1. Every RED popsicle stick reminds the teacher that you are angry during
class.
2. Every GREEN popsicle stick shows the teacher that you are practicing
self-control and in a green mood.
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3. Every ORANGE popsicle stick tells the teacher that you are frustrated, and it
is becoming difficult to practice self-control and you are becoming heated.
4. Every YELLOW popsicle stick tells the teacher you are emotional. (sad,
jealous, grief, etc.)
5. Every BROWN popsicle stick tells the teacher you prefer to be excluded from
the class or activity.
This intervention can be used by any student. Each student can design their own
popsicle sticks and track their own progress. Each student can share their negative
or positive reactions. The end results can give each student a description of how to
practice and maintain self-control inside or outside the classroom. Teachers should
be notified of the 5 assorted colors students will display. This will assist the teacher
with solving conflicts before they get out of hand.
Progress will be reported through the conduct system of the classroom. The colors
of the popsicles are also the colors that educators use to indicate conduct.
E-Green, S-Yellow, N-Orange, and U-Red. Conduct is recorded daily, so progress
can be shown weekly.
43
No Place For Bullying
Latonya Harris
This intervention is a great way to help children realize what bullying looks like and
how to take the proper steps to stop, walk, and talk. It also shows the student that
they are fully supported by different professionals
within the school. This play is created and directed
by students and professionals. The goal is that this
play is sown into the mindset of children
experiencing bullying and to cause them to act.
This is a non-harmful and play therapy way through
bibliotherapy and stage play of helping children
know that if they experience bullying that there is a
way to prevent or stop it all together. Through created scripts, acting, and film, the
students learn ways to combat bullying.
Materials Needed:
● Camera
● Playground Settings
● Music
● Lighting
● Book Related to Bullying (Bibliotherapy)
Description of How to Do Technique:
For this intervention, there will be a teacher, nurse, school worker, or even student
reading the narrative from the book related to bullying. The intervention will be the
stop, talk, and walk method. The setting will resemble either a playground or a
classroom setting. A teacher will record the play for use for assignments in the
future. A bright camera will be used to highlight the characters in the stage play. In
addition, music will play to make the play alive and project the mood of the child.
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The chosen reader will read through the book while the children play out the scene.
This kind of stage play will take several practices to perfect.
The children chosen to be in the play will be those who are already friends or have
positive relationships with one another. The process of choosing will be very
careful as not to pair students who have experienced bullying from one another.
a video. The collective group comes up with a movie idea, and each individual
member creates a section of the movie in their own perspective. The end result is a
compilation of all the videos spliced together that result in one story or message.
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Kindness Ornaments
Laura McCormick
These kindness ornaments were originally created as an intervention called
Kindness Hearts, by Carol Miller. This intervention is a wonderful way to encourage
a small group to maintain positivity in their lives and to lift up their peers in positive
ways as well. Students are able to express encouraging words to their peers, while
receiving the same in return. This helps to build group rapport, and it may allow
students to see themselves in a different, more positive light.
Materials Needed:
● Cardstock (any desired color)
● Notebook Paper
● Pens or Pencils
● Sharpies
● Small Brads
● Scissors
● Hole Punch
● Ribbon or Yarn
Steps for Intervention:
Ensure students are working in small groups, around 4-6 students (this intervention
can work with as few as 2, but the students would simply complete the positive
attribute sheet for each other). Facilitators can begin by discussing the importance
of having a positive view of oneself, as well as helping others to think of themselves
in that way. Each student should write their names on the top of their scrap paper,
then pass the paper to the student on their right. That person will write one
positive attribute about that student. The papers continue around the table until
they make it back to the owner. The students will then write a few positive
thoughts about themselves on their paper. After each student has around 6-8
items, it’s time to create their ornament. Students will take their cardstock and cut
46
it into 6-8, 8-inch strips. Next, they will write each positive thought onto a paper
strip. Directions on how to assemble the ornament are detailed here:
https://www.craftideas.info/html/delicate_tree_ornament.html
This intervention can easily be adapted to fit a variety of needs. The positive
thoughts can be combined onto a small card that can be given to a student to keep
for when they need a confidence boost. Another option, if the group has a
chalkboard or whiteboard available, is to have each student stand or sit in front of
the board, and have each peer come up and write their positive thoughts around
the person. It can serve as a visual of the positivity that surrounds each student,
and it can be a very powerful activity.
If this intervention is being used over the course of a few meetings, facilitators may
track students’ self esteem using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (questions and
instruction below).
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Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
Instructions:
Below is a list of statements dealing with your general feelings about yourself.
Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each statement.
1. On the whole, I am satisfied with myself.
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
2. At times I think I am no good at all.
3. I feel that I have a number of good qualities.
4. I am able to do things as well as most other people.
5. I feel I do not have much to be proud of.
6. I certainly feel useless at times.
Self-Report Measure for Love and Compassion Research:

Self Esteem
7. I feel that I’m a person of worth, at least on an equal plane with others.
48
8. I wish I could have more respect for myself.
9. All in all, I am inclined to feel that I am a failure.
10. I take a positive attitude toward myself.
Scoring:
Items 2, 5, 6, 8, and 9 are reverse scored. Sum scores for all ten items.
Keep scores on a continuous scale. Higher scores indicate higher self-esteem.
● Strongly Disagree - 1 point
● Disagree - 2 points
● Agree - 3 points
● Strongly Agree - 4 points
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Everybody Loves Puppets Intervention
Susan Elswick
This intervention helps clients to role play resolving conflict, discuss difficult
emotions, and reflect on their core values in relation to their situation. The client
picks a base puppet doll and assembles it to resemble themselves. They create a
puppet in the same way for the person with whom they are trying to resolve
conflict or process difficult thoughts, feelings, and conversations. Through crafting,
storytelling, and narrating, clients are able to narrate future interactions in which
they will face and overcome adversity.
Materials Needed:
● Base Puppet Doll (Head to Toe) ● Hot Glue Gun
● Pipe Cleaners ● Paper Towel Holders
● Googly Eyeballs ● Popsicle Sticks
● Yarn ● Tape
● Felt Fabric ● Markers
● Wool ● Larger Mirror or Picture Frame
● Shoe Box
How to Use This Intervention:
Clients who have expressed discontent in interpersonal relationships, obstacles in
resolving conflict, and hesitation in naming their strengths and needs may benefit
from the Everybody Loves Puppets! Intervention. Clients will begin by picking a
base puppet, with only the body structure and skin color already intact. The client
will then construct the puppet to make it look like themselves. The client will pick
materials based on a table, ranging from fabric to construct clothes, to yarn, pipe
cleaners, or markers to create the hair. The client will use their imagination to bring
the puppet to life, remembering and accentuating their strengths and a positive
frame of self. Next, the client will use the remaining materials to create a depiction
of the person or feeling with which they are experiencing difficulty. The client will
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then use the mirror or clear picture frame to serve as the stage for this
intervention. The client will write a script for their characters or act with
improvisation through a scene. The client acts out the scenarios bringing them the
most stress, adapting, and creating positive coping strategies to overcome the
obstacle.
Suggestions for Adapting the Intervention:
The intervention could be adapted for those with different physical or mental needs
by adjusting the requirements of creating the puppet. For example, one who may
require an extended period of time to create a puppet from scratch or have trouble
working with their hands could use a premade puppet to act out a scenario or role
play a heavy emotion. Finger puppets could also be used for those with movement
limitations. However, the intervention works best when the puppets reflect the
client. Therefore, the client should at least add a touch of themselves to the puppet
they use, even if the crafting is narrated through the client and constructed by
someone else.
Data Collection Methods For Monitoring Progress:
Data will be collected by the therapist at pre and post-intervention. The
pre-intervention assessment will be conducted at least a day prior to the
intervention, assessing the client's perception of relationships with others, with
self, as well as how they overcome situations of stress and adversity. The
post-intervention assessment will allow the client and therapist to acknowledge the
improved perception of relationships and coping skills. The assessments conducted
will be part of the Comprehensive Development assessment. Improvements
upwards of 2% in the social development and emotional development subparts will
indicate success in using the Everybody Loves Puppets! Intervention.
51
Communication Rap Battle
Marissa Brauer
This intervention is a fun, interactive group intervention that assists clients with
comprehending the four types of communication. Through this creative writing
task, the clients will be able to demonstrate their understanding on a specific type
of communication. This intervention promotes healthy communication skills and
increased self-awareness for the teenage clients.
Materials Needed:
● Paper
● Pens
● Dry Erase Marker OR Markers
● Dry Erase Board OR Poster Paper
For this intervention the clients will be asked to identify the four communication
types. The group will work together to define the four types of communication;
passive, aggressive, passive-aggression, and assertive. The facilitator will ask the
clients to self-identify with what communication type they use most often. The
facilitator will write specific definitions for each communication type on a dry erase
board or poster paper.
The clients are broken into four groups and assigned one communication type. The
groups will write a poem, song or rap about the communication type that they have
been assigned. They are asked to portray appropriate, matching body language
while presenting their final work. After fifteen minutes, the entire group will come
back together and each group will have an opportunity to present their work to
their peers.
To gauge progress, the facilitator will lead a reflection after their presentations.
They will be asked if they still identify with the same communication type that they
52
had previously identified with. They will also be asked about how they think it feels
to interact with people who display each communication type.
For further data collection, communication styles can be discussed for 2-3 more
group therapy sessions. An evaluation can be conducted about the individuals’
understanding of the topicat Group Session 1 and Group Session 3.
Adaptation Suggestions:
This activity can be altered for students with special needs by changing the
assignment to drawing a picture to describe the communication type OR finding a
book/toy that they have that may demonstrate that communication type as well. If
there is still a concern, the facilitator could take on the role as the presenter,
singing/dancing/rapping about the communication types.
53
Class Pass Intervention
Casey Falk
A class pass is used when a student is disrupting
class due to struggling to complete an activity in
class. In the counseling world this is also known as
an exit and wait plan. The student is allowed to
break from the task to collect themselves for a
specific amount of time before returning to
participate in class. This involves very specific
boundaries created by the teacher such as how
many passes to create and how long the student
will be allowed to have a break. Something else that teachers may need to take into
consideration is the behavior being shown and if there should be additional support
provided by another teacher or administrator. Fighting and bullying are behaviors
that should be handled in a different manner.
Materials Needed:
● Class Passes
● Poster With Class Pass Rules Listed
● Rewards Menu
Step By Step Method:
At the beginning of the semester, the teacher will explain the Class Pass to the
students. THe teacher will also educate the students around how to recognize
when they need to request a Class Pass. This involves helping students understand
when they feel like they may lose control and focus in class. When the student feels
like they may disrupt class, the student should ask for a Class Pass. There will be
specific activities that the student can do within the class to take a break from the
lesson that the rest of the class is working on. Some activities could include doing
54
specific work on the computer or reading time. The Class Pass will only be for 10-12
minutes. Once the student returns to the lesson and successfully proves that
he/she is no longer disruptive the student will be rewarded. The teacher can
reward the student immediately by allowing them to pick something for the
rewards menu. The teacher can also wait until the end of class to ensure that the
lesson is not interrupted again. The teacher should be sure to praise the student for
taking responsibility for their behavior.
There are many ways that this intervention can be adapted. The teacher can
introduce other ways that a student can get a Class Pass without the student
actually asking. Many students struggle with communicating their needs in class
because they feel embarrassed. This can lead to more disruptive behavior. Teachers
can work with the students to develop different ways to signal that the student is
struggling, for example, the student could do a “thumbs-down” to alert the teacher
that they need a Class Pass. The pass would only be used when necessary and
would need to be monitored to ensure that the Class Pass is not being used as a
crutch or to encourage avoidant behavior.
Progress can be monitored with a log format sheet kept with the daily lesson plan,
The teacher can keep track of what student requested the Class Pass and what they
chose to do during their break. The teacher can also track the student’s behavior
and how well they transition back to the lesson. This can be done with the
assistance of the school social worker with RTI software.
55
Balloon Game
Hannah Mangrum
This intervention is designed for students who struggle with social anxiety, low
self-esteem, extreme nervousness, and other forms of anxiety. The student will
replace the negative thought/trigger with a positive thought to help decrease
anxiety. The goal of the intervention is to increase positive thoughts, stop negative
thoughts, and decrease feelings of anxiety that restrict the student from partaking
in certain activities.
● Population: Students between the ages of 10-15 who struggle with anxiety,
low self-esteem, social anxiety, and
nervousness.
● Number of Students: 4-6
Materials Needed:
● Balloons
● Positive thoughts Paper Slips
● Negative Thoughts Paper Slips
● Pen/Pencil/Markers/Crayons/Colored
Pencils
● Optional: Safety Pin or Scissors for Popping Balloons
● Optional: Helium
For this intervention, each child will be given 5 balloons with smiley faces on them
and 5 balloons with sad faces on them. Each child will also be given 5 slips of paper
that read “happy thought” and 5 slips of paper that read “nervous thought”. Each
student will also be given writing utensils. The students will be asked to take their 5
pieces of paper that read “nervous thought” and write/draw something that makes
them nervous or gives them anxiety (These situations should not be ones in which
the child is in danger). Example situations might include: “Walking into a
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classroom”, “Going to school”, “My hair not looking good at school”, “Being made fun
of in class”, “Other kids laughing at me”, and “Other kids not talking to me when I
talk to them”. After the students have finished writing or drawing their “nervous
thoughts”, they will put one paper slip into each balloon with a sad face. The
students will set these balloons to the side and begin working on the next 5 pieces
of papers. On these 5 strips the students will write/draw 5 things or situations that
make them happy or would make their bad situation better. Example situations
might include: “Making a new friend”, “Someone complimenting my hair”, “ Being
asked to sit with people at lunch”, “Telling other kids a joke and they laugh with me.
Not at me”, and “Going to school and having a good day.” These strips of paper will
be placed into each happy balloon. The social worker will then assist the students in
blowing up each balloon. This can be done with helium or just air. Once the
balloons are blown up, students will go around the room and share one of their sad
balloons followed by their happy balloon thoughts. Once they share their happy
balloon, they will either release or pop their sad balloon. The students will go
around the circle until all sad balloons are popped or released and only happy
balloons are left.
Purpose:
This exercise is designed to teach the students that they can change their negative
thoughts to positive thoughts. The act of popping or releasing their sad balloon
signifies they can let go of their sad/anxious thoughts. They are replacing those
thoughts with their happy/positive thoughts. This should help the students learn
about thought stopping.
Suggestions for Adapting This Technique:
● This activity could be overwhelming to certain students with special needs
such as those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder due to sensitivity to
sound. It is important to use the balloon release instead of pop for these
individuals.
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● Another possible adaptation for those with special needs is lowering the
number of balloons involved. For example, if children within the group are
easily distracted, the social worker could use 1-2 balloons instead of 5.
● Another adaptation to this intervention could be eliminating the use of
balloons if the students are not able to complete the activity with the
balloons. Students could rip up the nervous thought pieces of paper instead
of putting it into a balloon. This should still give the student the feeling of
letting go of the nervous thought.
Measuring Technique:
Students will use self monitoring on the anxiety measure shown below. Students
will discuss what being anxious or nervous means for them. This discussion will
include what happens to them when they get anxious/nervous. The group will then
discuss the 1-10 nervous scale. 1 is very nervous, 5 is somewhat nervous, and 10 is
not nervous. The student will rate their nervousness before releasing their nervous
thought balloon. The student will rate their nervousness after the release of their
balloon while discussing their happy thoughts. Then the student will be asked to
rate their nervousness while actually in their nervous thought situation during the
week. The student will be instructed to try and stop their nervous thought during
the week and replace it with their happy thought. The social worker will use this
date to evaluate if this intervention is effective.
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Anxiety Measure
1-Very Nervous
5-Somewhat Nervous
10-Not Nervous
Date: Before Releasing: After Releasing: During Situation:
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I Too Can Be A Superhero
Dominique Lloyd
This intervention will be used to help young children who have been diagnosed
with ADHD learn how to regulate themselves and regain focus during hyperactive
moments. This will also give the child an outlet to express themselves to the best of
their ability. This intervention was designed to create a less threatening
environment for children to be able to express themselves and what they are
feeling.
Materials Needed:
● Paper
● Markers
● Face Paint
● Costumes
● Camera
Technique:
For this intervention, a child
diagnosed with ADHD will be
asked to identify a time where they struggled to focus
and/or calm themselves down. Once the child is able to
identify a time, the child will be asked to present how they
felt through acting their feelings out to the best of their ability. Once the child is
done acting out their feelings, the child then will be given the opportunity to dress
in a costume similar to their favorite superhero. Once dressed as the superhero of
their choice, the child will then be asked how they feel their favorite superhero
would handle the situation of helping them calm themselves down. The child will be
given the opportunity to act out the reaction they feel their superhero would have
and the actions the superhero would take.
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This could be adapted in a manner that the child is able to use this technique in
his/her home with the help of his/her parents. The parents can record the
technique taking place and bring the video in for viewing.
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Creative Writing
George Taylor
Using this intervention will allow the students to be able to express themselves in
an acceptable way, without disrupting class, or harming other students. Through
creative writing, the students will be able to express themselves, write about their
feelings, or write about what is bothering them, rather than acting it out.
Materials Needed:
● Pen/Pencil
● Paper
Technique:
For this intervention, the student will be
asked to pick an issue at home or at
school that has been bothering them.
The student will then write a fictional
story about how the main character resolved these issues in an appropriate
manner. The student can base the story in any setting they would like. At the end,
the student will read their story and explain how they can relate that to their issue.
This activity could be done in groups, perhaps with the individuals that are having
the issue. They would be asked to each write their own resolution, and then
collaborate on the rest of the story. The stories will then be put together to form a
complete story. Each student will read their story, or their section of the story.
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Juggling Act
Clara Walz
This activity focuses on experiential learning which is learning by doing. This
activity teaches patience, team work, memory, multi-tasking, time management,
alertness, and more. Once the activity is complete, the group processes how this is
related to their own life experiences.
Materials Needed:
● 1-10 Balls of Any Shape or Size.
(the amount of balls used is up to
the leader’s discretion).
● Chairs
Description:
Students will make a circle (roughly
arm’s length apart). The leader will start
with one ball. The person to pass the ball must pass it to someone who has not had
the ball yet (Remind the students that they must remember who they received the
ball from and who they passed it to). This will continue until all passes have been
completed. The last pass goes back to the first passer. This will be the order of the
passes. The leader will then start again with one ball. If the group messes up, they
must start over. Once one ball is successful, you can add another ball. You may end
up with up to as many balls the group is able (you may also challenge the group and
go backwards).
After the activity is over (up to the leader's discretion dependent on time,
frustration levels, or success) pull up some chairs or have a seat on the floor and
discuss the following questions.
1. What was the experience like for you?
2. What was the hardest part of the activity?
3. What frustrated you?
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4. What made you happy?
5. What are some things in life you struggle to juggle?
6. What helped you (or the group) be successful?
7. What caused you (or the group) to struggle?
8. How did you work as a team?
This activity could use as many balls as able. I suggest using balls of different shapes
and sizes for extra challenge and fun. You may sit on the ground and roll the balls if
needed or have students sit in chairs. You may ask questions or as little questions as
you want. With group processing you want to guide the students and allow them to
do most of the talking.
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Let’s Talk About It
“Healing Club”
Hanif Akinyemi
This powerful intervention is an awesome way to guide children to talk about their
traumatic experiences in a safe, fun, and dynamic way through facilitated dialogues,
music, dance/movement, visual arts, creative writing, spoken word/poetry, drama
(acting), and mindfulness. In addition, they will receive group support,
psychoeducation on trauma and how to talk about their adverse childhood
experiences, and learn positive coping skills. This intervention is committed to
increasing awareness about trauma and recognizing the importance of involving
youth in efforts to help them heal as well as how to prevent traumas. We will share
information with the youth, but also listen to the youth express their thoughts,
feelings, and perceptions about trauma and potential solutions. In support of the
intervention, teaching artists who specialize in the arts can be used to help
facilitate conversation with the youth. The youth will “create” products such as
songs, poems, dances, visual images, stories, and skits that reflect their views and
experiences with trauma. With this intervention, we hope to bring to light the
youths' understanding of trauma and the impact of trauma on their lives. Most
importantly, this intervention is geared toward leaving a lasting impression that arts
and hobbies can prove to be a viable solution to enhancing the lives of youth
suffering from trauma.
Materials Needed:
● Flip Charts ● Music Speakers

● Assorted Colors of Markers, ● Pens
Crayons, Colored Pencils, or ● Sticky Notes
Water Based Paint ● Paper
● Talking Piece ● Acting Props (optional)
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● Legal Pads ● Light Refreshments
● Sketch Books ● Water
● Computer/Laptop
● Projector and Screen
Description of How to do the Intervention:
Through the use of self-reporting the facilitator will identify children who have
experienced one or more adverse childhood experiences or witnessed violence.
Once these children have been identified each session will begin with introductions
and a check-in to promote mindfulness and group togetherness. The check-in is
geared toward getting baseline data each session on the youths beginning
emotional and mental state. After the check-in there will be a presentation of some
sort such as a video or performance by a teaching artist. This presentation will
share information on trauma, warning signs of PTSD, how/why trauma occurs and
positive coping skills. The presentation will also, specifically express how trauma
affects physical and mental health, family, relationships, and other areas of
functioning. Following the presentation, the youth will share their reactions to the
presentation through guided discussion. During the discussion the talking piece is
always used to designate who's talking. After the discussion the youth will break
into small groups or work as individuals to create “artistic” products. Each session
will have an art theme such as music, dance/movement, visual arts, creative
writing, spoken word/poetry, drama(acting). Based on the particular art themes of
each session the youth will create songs, poems, dances, visual images, stories, and
skits that reflect their views and experiences on trauma. The mental health
professional and the teaching artist will help the youth with their creations but
promote autonomy. After the creation period is over the youth will reconvene to
share their creations with the group. Additional time for reflection and a check-out
will be provided at the end of each session. The check-out is geared toward
allowing the youth to self-report how each session has impacted them.
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Intervention Group Size: 10-15 Youths
Age Range: 10 years old-18 years old
Duration of Intervention: 10 Weeks
Duration of Each Weekly Session: 60-90 Minutes
This intervention is very dynamic which allows it to be adapted to become
culturally responsive for youth coming from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The
facilitator can use art, dance, music, and stories related to the youth’s native
culture. It’s also adaptable because it can be used in a school setting or after-school
programming. It is also a low-cost intervention and can be provided in the
community or in a school setting.
When assessing to identify specific youth for the intervention use self-reporting
and a life events checklist for the children. This will give you baseline data on any
children that report witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event. Assessment of
post-traumatic symptoms using self-reporting will need to be done prior to the
intervention, at week 5 of the intervention, and during the week 10 session. A
decrease in symptoms means that it was a successful intervention. In addition,
week 10 will also be a culminating celebration session. Family and friends should be
invited and the youth should be encouraged to share their favorite artistic creation
from the intervention.
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Tool Kit For Positive Behavior
Doris Scott
This intervention is a good way to relax and help the student think of positive ways
of handling negative behavior. It allows the class to also have a small time out with
music. It is a type of therapy that the group can participate in. The music involves
choosing different types of music and then discussing why this song or music
makes you happy or feel better. Each student can choose different songs until the
thirty-minute period ends. With this exercise, the students are learning a technique
that can be used if they are stressed or may have a problem at home. In addition to
the music, the students can write down a song that they want to listen to and one
person chooses that song out of the box of all the students. This idea gives the
students something to look forward to the next time and it teaches them patience.
In the end, the students choose the song they liked best to win.
Materials Needed:
● Cell Phone/iPod For Music
● Pencil
● Paper
● Toy For Gift
Description of Music Therapy:
This intervention would consist of students that may have behavior issues or have
ADHD or just need a different way of relaxing before they continue to work on their
classroom assignments. Once a week this would be an exercise that the students
could look forward to with the hopes that this would improve their productivity in
the classroom. The students chosen would be from the school teachers and the
counselors. Many of the students will begin to look forward to this non-traditional
learning. Each student eventually will have a chance to pick from the box to choose
the song they want to listen to. Afterwards, all students will vote for the winner for
that day.
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With the collaboration of the teacher, counselor, principal, and social worker, this is
a program that can be chosen to be used. After being chosen, we can get feedback
from other professionals to see if the program could be implemented school-wide.
The results are that it will capture the minds of children and help them relax and
work with other students. Therefore, the negative behavior will be eliminated. The
students will learn an alternative way to deal with negative behavior.
Data Collection of Progress:
The number of students that are involved in the start of the intervention compared
to the number of improvements in the students since starting the music therapy.
Also, students tell others that they get excited about being involved in music
therapy. The school will provide the measure of how the improvements are going in
the end.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention for Children who Suffer
from Bullying
Danielle Burton
This intervention will be aimed at children who have suffered from bullying.
Children who suffer from bullying can have multiple reactions, like depression,
anxiety, isolation, rejection from peers, and thoughts of suicide. Cognitive Behavior
Therapy is an approach and through CBT children will learn healthy ways to cope
with their emotions.
Materials Needed:
● Olweus Bully/Victim
Questionnaire
● Billings and Mouse’s Coping
Strategies Scale
● CBT Worksheet Packet
● Client Pamphlets
Step by Step Method for Replication:
Children will have CBT three times a week, over a three- month period and a
pretest/posttest will be administered to see how effective the intervention is. Each
session will be used to target behaviors that occur because of bullying. Through
repetition children will be taught to replace negative thoughts and emotions with
positive thoughts and emotions, with the use of optimism. In the second session
children will work on verbal and communication skills. In the third session
confidence will be restored with the children through role play. Overwhelming
stressful situations will be altered through softening techniques. Each week over
the three-month period these techniques will increase in consistency.
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CBT should be applied by the child’s level of cognitive development. This could be
done by non-cognitive techniques like the development of relaxation techniques,
the intervention would be changed to accommodate each child and other
populations.
Data Collection Methods for Monitoring Progress:
Symptom records would be used to monitor coping behaviors over time. CBT
activity diaries are another resource to monitor progress, as well as daily
monitoring forms that could be used by teachers and parents.
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Let’s Taco ‘Bout Feelings
Taco Tuesday Make & Tell
Latrice Wright
Every youth occasionally feels sad or has a “low” day, but when that youth is
experiencing depression, it can interfere with their daily life activities. Additionally,
adolescents coping with depressive moods are reluctant to share how they are
really feeling. Learning to identify and express feelings in a positive way helps
adolescents develop the skills they need to manage them effectively.
Intervention:
This intervention is a great way to encourage adolescent
clients to talk about their feelings and emotions in a
socializing and therapeutic group setting. Through various
toppings labeled to represent different feelings and
emotions, the client can add items or leave items off that
represent how they are feeling or describe stressors they have endured since the
last meeting.
Materials Needed:
● Taco Shells ● Tomatoes
● Meat ● Olives
● Cheese ● Sour Cream
● Taco Sauce ● Jalapenos
● Lettuce ● Plates/Bowls
Technique:
For this intervention, each taco ingredient
represents a different emotion or stressor. At the
initial group meeting, the participants will
collectively discuss and decide what mood each core
ingredient will represent. At the beginning of each
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group meeting, the clients will be asked to prepare his/her taco based on their
recent feelings or moods. Then in group discussion, the clients will be asked to
describe their tacos or taco salad. In describing their food, the clients would share
why they chose their items and how it related to their feelings and emotions. The
client can explain why they left off particular ingredients if it represented a
significant emotion they didn’t experience but desired to discuss.
Clients can bring additional toppings to represent new feelings, emotions, and
stressor not symbolized by the core ingredients. For example, if the client had a
rough and/or stressful week, the client could bring chunky salsa and add it as a
representation of that specific emotion or stressor. If the client had a gloomy or
depressive week, the client could bring guacamole and explain why he/she
included that ingredient. If the client had a great meal, he/she could bring rice or
beans to represent the accomplishments. This socialization sparks creativity and
encourages the client to find meaning in identifying his/her emotions.
Each participant will be encouraged to at least fix one representation of his/her
true feelings discussion even if he/she does not desire to “Eat Their Feelings”! At
the end of the group session, that client’s creation and leftovers will be donated to a
homeless shelter. Giving back to the community is an excellent way to promote
positivity and boost morale.
Adaptation:
For a healthier variation, this intervention could be adapted in a manner that the
group could use various fruits and create a Fruit Feeling Salad. Just as the various
taco ingredients, the assorted fruit items will represent different feelings and
emotions. For smaller children, My Ice Cream is Screaming.
Different flavors of ice cream and a variety of toppings could be used to symbolize
various feelings and emotions. In both alternatives, the concept and techniques
remain the same.
Additional Assessment:
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The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D):
Prior to each group session, each participant would be asked to complete The
Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). HAM-D is a multidimensional scale
designed to assess the severity of a patient’s level of depression before, during and
after treatment. This assessment tool is needed to monitor the youth’s reported
depressive moods to track and determine whether or not additional resources or
interventions are needed.
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Yoga Club
Hannah DeRouen
This intervention provides clients with an opportunity to decompress their
thoughts and emotions at the end of each school day. It teaches controlled
breathing and other relaxation techniques that can help students process their day
and leave feeling calm and clear minded.
Materials Needed:
● Yoga Mat/Towel/Blanket
● Music
● Comfortable Clothes
● Lamp
Description of How to Do the Technique:
This intervention would be used in groups. It would be held at the end of the school
day, Monday through Thursday, and last 1 hour. Students who felt comfortable
sharing would individually describe one stressful or negative thing about their day.
After hearing about everyone’s struggles, they would pick a mat or blanket and find
a place to begin yoga. The therapist will turn on the lamp(s) and turn off the
overhead lights to ensure a more relaxing ambience. The therapist would turn on
relaxing music and then proceed to lead the group in a series of beginner level yoga
poses that are meant for stress relief. While stretching their bodies, the therapist
will encourage controlled breathing and will instruct the group to let go of their
stress and negativity for the day. The therapist will use a strength-based approach
of motivational interviewing to help inspire the group to be empowered moving
forward in their day. When the class is coming to an end they will lay on their backs
in “corpse pose” and focus solely on their breathing as a final relaxing moment.
When they feel ready, they will be allowed to leave quietly at their own pace.
This is a very simple and adaptable technique. For students with a mental or
physical handicap all poses can be modified to fit their capabilities and willingness.
This class would not be mandatory so any students who may not feel comfortable
would not be pressured to attend. A change of clothes is optional as some students
in low income areas may not be able to accommodate.
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Yoga Class
Held Monday - Thursday after school from 3:30-4:30 P.M. for all students who want
to participate.
Please Bring:
● This handout
● A mat, towel, or blanket
● A change of clothes if you would like to be more comfortable
Use this scale to rate how you feel before and after class each day!
0 = No Stress At All
5 = Average Amount of Stress
10 = Overwhelmed With Stress
Before Class After Class
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Give this handout to your instructor at the end of the class on Thursday!
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Tree of Life
Kache’ Brooks
This intervention allows students to be able to pinpoint their needs and values to
create a better understanding of themselves and the world around them. This will
create an appreciation of differences and simultaneously breed better conflict
resolution skills and empathy. Through determining what values and needs
resonate most with them and explaining why, it will allow a space to be
introspective and self-aware.
Materials Needed:
● Needs/Value Sheet
● Pens
● Small Poster Board
● Markers
Each participant will receive a needs/value
sheet that includes about 50 words. Students will be asked to select 10 words that
resonate/speak to them (ones they think are important). After they select 10, they
will be asked to narrow it down to their top 5 words that they feel are needed for
them to be successful or thrive. After those top 5 words are selected, they will be
given a poster board. On the poster board, participants will explain what each
need/value means to them and how that can be adequately shown. Participants will
share what their needs and values are, and also share why those are needs for them.
This could be adapted by participants drawing pictures or explaining examples of
each need/value. This would allow participants to be more expressive in a visual
manner. The end result could be a collage of what it would look like to have all of
the needs in his/her life to be successful.
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Empathy Maps
DeAnn Smallwood
Empathy maps are used to help teachers and clinicians gain an understanding of
students’ insights and perspective. Empathy maps are also used to build
self-awareness and help students connect their words, thoughts, and feelings to
their experiences in efforts to build different
strategies to more effectively deal with these
situations. This activity can be used for
specific or hypothetical situations.
Materials Needed:
● Empathy Maps
● Art Supplies
● Feelings Chart
Description of How to Utilize Intervention:
In order to use this intervention, the students need to identify a situation that they
feel they need help finding more effective coping strategies. If the student does not
have a particular situation, the clinician should have hypothetical situations the
student might experience to use for the intervention to encourage proactivity
versus reactivity.
Once the client has chosen a situation, they will list the feelings and thoughts they
had associated with that situation and the words they used in response. Once these
are listed, the client and clinician will brainstorm healthy and effective ways to
better address the situation. The client can also list the actions they took as a result
of the situation, as well as the actions and coping strategies they will use next time.
For students that struggle to write or verbalize their feelings and reactions, they
can have the option to illustrate the “feel” and “do” sections of the map. The
clinician can also have cut out emojis in addition to the feelings chart to help
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students identify their feelings if they’re struggling. In order to better support the
student and teacher relationship, the clinician can invite the teacher to participate
in the activity, if the student is comfortable.
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My Roots
LaBrenda Thomas
The purpose of this intervention is to assist clients with identifying and processing
how their past experiences affect the behaviors they display. Clients will use an
illustration of a tree to identify their “roots” (past experiences, trauma), their
“trunk” (feelings that stemmed from those individual experiences), their “leaves”
(the behaviors and/or actions displayed in response to their experiences and
emotions.
Materials Needed:
● Flip Chart Paper or White Board
● Dry Erase Markers
For this intervention, the therapist will draw a picture of a tree with visible roots.
Therapist will explain to the client that the tree drawn represents them as an
individual. The therapist will describe the roots of the tree as the events the client
has experienced such as traumatic events. The trunk of the tree represents the
feelings and emotions that stemmed from the identified event(s). The leaves of the
tree represent the behaviors or actions that are driven by the identified emotions.
Clients will fill in the parts of their tree from the root up. Once complete, the client
will process with the therapist. At the end of this intervention, clients will be able to
identify the “root” of their behaviors. After processing the tree, client and therapist
will work through the identified events at later sessions in efforts to minimize or
improve the targeted behaviors.
This could be adapted by providing examples of various events to help the client
think of them and help the client complete their tree by actively talking through it
with the client. The technique could also be used for those who may struggle with
thinking about their events first. Instead, they can think of the behaviors that are
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affecting their relationships with others and allow them to work their way down the
tree.
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Imagination Therapy
MarQueshia Bowles
Imagination Therapy is based on using the imagination and stepping outside of the
body. Clients who will use imagination therapy will step outside of their body and
view situations from another point of view. The client and counselor will replay
scenarios and look at situations from many different points of views.
Materials Needed:
None
For this intervention, the counselor will seek out the different situations occurring
in the client life. The counselor will be sure to allow the client to choose the
situations they want to address so that all issues that are important and imperative
to the client are addressed. The counselor will take the lead of beginning the
imagination therapy. The counselor will ask open-ended questions so that the
client has to answer questions and keep the conversation and therapy going. The
counselor will allow the client to go as far as they want with looking into situations
from how others may have perceived them. Once other points of view have been
seen, the counselor will bring everything full circle. The counselor will then have
the client talk out how they felt and how they now perceive things.
Ways to adapt the intervention to students with special needs or other populations
is to make sure the approach is easy to understand to the student and they have the
ability to understand the concept.
Monitoring:
I would assess how much of another point of view the client can understand and
see. I would then assess how much of others' points of view they understand after
therapy is over. I will be sure to allow therapy to take place over the course of a few
weeks and assess at the beginning and ending.
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Mindfulness Art: I Am Here
DeAnn Smallwood
Mindfulness Art is an activity used to ground students and connect them to their
emotions in the moment in order to decrease stress or overwhelming emotions.
The grounding portion of the activity helps students become present, and the art
portion allows students to illustrate their emotions in any
way they would like. This activity offers students a creative
way to express their emotions and become comfortable
sharing them with others.
Materials Needed:
● Cardstock/Plain White Paper
● Pencils/Markers/Watercolors/Colored Pencils
Grounding Activity: To begin, students will need a piece of
plain card stock paper. Instruct students to place one hand on the paper and press
it into the surface. Prompt students to notice where on their hand they notice
pressure and how the paper feels under the hand. Then have them slowly open and
close their fingers to feel their fingers glide over the paper. Next, have students
trace their hands with a pencil. As they trace, encourage them to notice how the
pencil feels along their fingers. After they trace, have students continued to lightly
press their hands into the paper while prompting them with questions and
instructions: “Notice how your hand feels connected to the surface”, “What emotion
are you feeling right now in this moment?” “Where in your body do you feel that
emotion?” “Can you connect this area to your hand?”
Art Activity: Once students are aware of their emotions, they will begin to draw
inside their outlined hands on the paper. This section does not require much
prompting, but does instruct students to design the inside of the hand to show
their emotions. It does not matter how students decide to design their hands. Once
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students are finished, allow them time to discuss their design with peers, if in a
group setting, or allow the student time to discuss with the clinician. Discussion is
not required, but it may be a good exercise for students in verbally expressing their
emotions.
For students that struggle to create a design for their hand, clinicians can offer a
feelings and color correspondence option. In order to do this, the clinician can
assign ten colors to ten different emotions, then prompt the students to choose
which emotions they relate to the most. Once students have those emotions, they
will use the corresponding colors to fill in their hand in sections with sizes based on
how frequently they experience each emotion.
Tracking Progress/Effectiveness:
Clinicians can track the usefulness of this activity by having students complete a
feelings check-in before and after the activity. The check-in will include a section
to discuss how the activity did or did not help the student. The check-in can be
verbal or written dependent upon the age of the student.
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Text Support
Terica Carouthers
This is an intervention designed to help assist clients with processing their feelings
and emotions in a safe and discreet manner. Clients will be able to express their
feelings and emotions through an app that will be available to talk to a live person
24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Through this app a
person can text “support” to 1-800-SUPPORT
(1-800-787-7678) and a live agent will be available to talk
to them to process their feelings and emotions during a
difficult moment in their lives. Furthermore, if a person
is experiencing suicidal or homicidal ideations, the live
agent will contact the local police department and
mental health crisis agency for the caller and deescalate
the caller until local help arrives to provide the caller further assistance. This app
will change the way people especially adolescents feel about expressing their
emotions, due to living in a digital world clients may feel more secure in texting or
writing out their feelings instead of talking to someone over the phone and with
this newly designed app it will make a significant change to the statistics in seeking
help though this intervention.
Materials Needed:
● Text Enabled Cell Phone
● Licensed Professionals Who Have Been Trained In “Crisis Intervention
Training”
● 24/7
For this intervention the client can text “support” to 1-800-SUPPORT and a live
agent will text the client back during the process. The agent will identify the reason
the client is texting and help to walk the client through processing their feelings
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and emotions during a difficult time. If the client expresses during the texting, he or
she is experiencing suicidal or homicidal thoughts, then the agent will contact the
local police or mental health crisis agency to assist the patient and get them further
assistance.
This app could be adapted in a manner that every person will have access to it
through the computer as well in case someone does not have a text enabled cell
phone. The next addition would be a website through the computer where you can
send a message for support and a live agent responds the same way as through a
cell phone and can help the client express their feelings and emotions during a
difficult time. The ending result will be a client having access to help potentially life
threatening through a text enabled cell phone or through a computer in their time
of need.
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The Collage of Many Emotions
Gia Douglas
Sometimes communicating one’s emotion can be very challenging when one does
not know how to communicate that feeling or manage it. This intervention will
assist clients with understanding their emotional intelligence.
Materials Needed:
● Camera
● Scissors
● Construction Paper
● Computer
● Photo Papers
● Poster Boards
The clients will be given twenty-five (25) detailed descriptions of different
emotions. They will identify and describe that emotion from their perspective and
will take a photo displaying that emotion. The clients will work together to choose
the best description of the emotions and assemble a collage of their photos. An
example has been attached.
This could be adapted in many different styles. Instead of creating collages, clients
can use the photos to play games such as, match that emotion and describe a
scenario that fits that particular emotion or use the pictures to determine how they
are feeling when they are having a hard time verbalizing their emotions.
Data Collection Method:
The ultimate goal is for the clients to be able to communicate their emotions before
acting inappropriately. Data collection will be used to show a decrease in outburst
and an increase in communicating feelings.
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Reach for the Stars Wristband
Laura Pulley
This intervention is a great way to help students practice self-monitoring and
serves as a tangible reminder to help children remain on task throughout the day,
even as they move to different locations within the school. This intervention can be
used for a variety of different issues or negative behaviors that occur in the school
setting such as blurting out, remaining off task, wandering around the classroom,
etc.
Materials Needed:
● Paper Tyvek Wristbands
● Star Stickers
● Prizes
Once a behavior or issue is identified that
the teacher, school social worker, and
student would like to see decrease, the intervention can begin. The student will be
given a wristband to wear throughout the school day for a period of one week. The
child will receive a star sticker after each activity block (such as math, science,
reading, art, gym, etc.) if they did not present the behavior that they are trying to
decrease. Once the child receives a certain number of stickers, they will be able to
choose a prize out of the prize box.
There are several ways in which this intervention can be adapted. Along with using
the star stickers, the school social worker can also order different colored
wristbands. Once a child reaches a certain color wristband, they may no longer
need to have sessions with school social workers and it can symbolize graduating
from the school social worker. The school social worker can also modify how many
stars it takes to receive a prize or how long the wristband will be worn.
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Weekly progress can be monitored by using a graph to track the number of stars
the child received at the end of the week. If the intervention is effective, there
should be a large improvement in the amount of times the student exhibits the
negative behavior throughout the day. Below is an example of a chart that can be
used to track progress. The chart below was received from
https://www.allbusinesstemplates.com/template/MTDFD/printable-weekly-beha
vior-chart-sample/
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Alternate Outcomes (AO) Club
Andrea Wilson
This intervention is a great way to help clients to develop alternate ways of
handling stressful situations with the end outcome in mind. It allows teammates to
build on a situation and provide different viewpoints of how an issue can be
handled within the agency, so he or she can use it in real life. This intervention was
developed from the art therapy technique of the squiggle game which is a
non-directive approach. With the squiggle game, the child draws a squiggle on
paper then the facilitator picks up where the child leaves off by squiggling a little
more. The child then begins again, and then the facilitator draws. This continues
until the drawing is done. Facilitator then asks the child if he or she sees something
in the picture. In this intervention, small groups bring something that they struggle
with i.e. anger, anxiety, socializing, fear. One issue will be addressed on a biweekly
basis. The issue will be mentioned with a scenario (real or fictional) Through
created scripts, role play, and video viewing the client is able to use the practice as
a model for life and events causing them to act out.
Materials Needed:
● Computer
● Books
● Activity Sheets
● Small Materials (markers, paper, toys, et.)
For this intervention the clients will be asked to identify stressful things or things
that create social anxiety in their lives. After identifying these issues, they will be
written down on paper and placed within the stressors jar. Every two weeks, a
client will be allowed to reach within the jar and pull out a pressing issue. The client
(or facilitator) will read from the paper then be allowed to view a video or read a
book on that issue. This should not last longer than 5 minutes. The clients are then
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asked to take turns acting out different ways in which the issue can be fixed, so
there is an alternate outcome to what the person who has experienced the issue
usually gets. Each client will build on one another’s visual representation.
Sometimes the scenarios will be completely made up from an activity sheet, video,
or book. Other times it will be pulled directly from the stressor jar. The client will
be able to see the issue from a variety of viewpoints. At the end of the alternate
endings everyone has an opportunity to discuss the finished solution and the steps
leading up to solving the issue.
This could be adapted in a manner that every individual client picks a social issue
faced. The collective group comes up with a role play scenario, and each individual
member reenacts a solution to the issue in their own perspective. The result is a
compilation of alternate outcomes to an issue that results in one message.
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Page by Page
Rebekah Raines
This intervention is a great way for students/clients to verbalize their emotions and
discuss possible traumatic events in ways that allow them to feel empowered.
Children and adolescents often struggle to find the correct vocabulary to express
themselves and will often shut down if they feel uncomfortable in how they are
being asked to express themselves. Through art (visual, auditory, etc.), each client
will be able to use the medium they most feel comfortable with, thereby, decreasing
or eliminating the stress that prevents them from processing feelings.
Materials Needed (for creating a book):
● Typing Paper/Construction Paper
● Pens/Pencils/Markers/Crayons/Paint
● Glue/Tape/Stapler
● Magazines
● Photos From Home (optional)
Materials Needed (for creating a PowerPoint):
● Dedicated Access to a Computer
● Knowledge of Basic Computer Skills
For this intervention, the client will be asked to identify the most problematic issue
in their life (i.e. a specific event, day, person, time in life, etc.). Once this has been
chosen, the client will be given the option of how they would like to express this
issue (through a book or PowerPoint). The client will then be asked to make each
page different in terms of how the issue has affected their life by using the
materials provided (i.e. drawing, cutting out pictures from magazines, bringing
photos from home, using clip art, or whatever is needed). For example, one page
might focus on how the issue has affected their social life while another page
focuses on how the issue has affected their school life. Another way to complete
this exercise would be to have each page different in terms of what happened. For
example, one page could show how one aspect of the event (i.e. if the problem was
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a specific day, one page could show them feeling rushed in the morning, then the
next page could show how they felt making a mistake during a class presentation,
and so on). At the end, the client will present the finished product to the provider
that has been helping them to work on it to increase their comfortability in
communicating their feelings/emotions. The goal would be for the client to discuss
this so often (throughout the process and afterwards) that the client’s negative
identified emotion would decrease/be eliminated and/or they would find more
comfort in talking to those in their lives about how they feel.
This activity could be adapted to allow more clients to use it by including more
auditory aspects (such as allowing clients to bring in songs to explain the different
areas of how they were impacted) in order to include those clients that have visual
impairments. For clients that usually require more active engagement (i.e. younger
clients, or those with ADHD), you could do the following:
Using a soccer ball, the provider would write in each white hexagon an aspect of
the problematic event (i.e. splitting time between two houses after parents’ divorce,
eating lunch by themselves after having a fight with a friend, parents getting upset
with them for getting an F on a test, etc.). Going outside, the therapist would then
throw the ball to the client and whichever hexagon is facing the client once they
catch it, the client then must describe, in as much detail as possible, how they were
impacted by what is written in that space. Optional: Therapist and client could
spend the time the client is describing the event by throwing the ball back and forth
or going for a walk). While this is not necessarily a visual activity, it does help to
reach clients in a medium that works for them: physical activity.
If you are working with clients that are too young to have a complete knowledge of
emotions or who may be on the Autism Spectrum, it might be helpful to include
extra resources given how they may struggle with expressing themselves
adequately. This could include using emotion charts or teaming up with a therapist
that uses ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) (if a client has access to this). Whether
or not the client approves of this inclusion, and no matter which medium is being
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used, the exercise will most likely need to be adapted to allow the client the space
to express themselves given their developmental level.
Monitoring Progress:
In order to ensure the effectiveness of the activity, it would be helpful to do pre-
and post-tests. One’s professional judgment is needed to determine what works
best in terms of assessing effectiveness of the activity and the client’s
developmental level with understanding and completing the assessment. That being
said, a couples of scales that might be helpful to use could be the PHQ-9 (Patient
Health Questionnaire) (http://www.cqaimh.org/pdf/tool_phq9.pdf) or the SCARED
(Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders) screening
(http://www.midss.org/content/screen-child-anxiety-related-disorders-scared).
If you want to include a wider range of input from that child’s life, you could also
used the Vanderbilt Assessment
(https://www.nichq.org/sites/default/files/resource-file/NICHQ_Vanderbilt_Ass
essment_Scales.pdf) so that teachers and parents/guardians could have input.
Based on the results of the post-test and how it compares to the pre-test, the
therapist would then determine if a different intervention would be helpful (i.e.
referral to an outside provider, or maybe repeating the exercise using a different
stressful event to help with repetition of using positive skills).
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Bean Bag Feelings Toss
Robbie Eilert
Bean Bag Feelings Toss is a game that a social worker, counselor, teacher, etc., can
play with children to help them learn about emotions, feelings, and appropriate
responses to those feelings. Can be played individually or in small groups.
Materials Needed:
● Large Space on the Floor (4x4 Grid)
● Beanbags
● Feelings Faces
● Scissors
● Tape
How to Play:
Cut apart the feelings faces, and laminate if desired. Tape them to the floor.
Each player will take their bean bags and toss them onto the appropriate face to
answer the questions.
Questions can vary.
Ex: “How are you feeling today?”
“What face do you make when you’re mad?” “What face do you think I make when
I’m sad?” “Use your beanbag to find the silly face”, or “Use your beanbag to find the
happy face”.
Extra Notes:
At the beginning of each session, the first question can always be “How are you
feeling today?”, and the facilitator can track each child’s progress with how they are
feeling at the beginning of each session. Sessions can then focus on all the
emotions, or individual emotions, with the facilitator and the children talking about
each emotion in depth and how it’s ok to feel each emotion but it’s not ok to act out
in anger, sadness, etc.
If beanbags aren’t available, small stuffed animals can be used instead.
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Evaluation:
Facilitator can track progress with sticker charts, documentation, etc.
If meeting in weekly sessions, the facilitator can have the parents/caregivers
document the progress each day and report it back to the facilitator.
Modifications:
Faces can be taped/attached to a board or wall, and children can point to them.
Stuffed animals can be attached to the end of a yardstick, and children who can’t
bend over or get on the floor can use the sticks to touch their faces.
For younger children, or non-verbal children, the facilitator can lessen the number
of faces for them to choose from.
For children who have violent tendencies and throwing or tossing usually leads to
other consequences, touching the faces on the wall would work better.
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Major and Minor Problem-Solving Game
Antonya May
This intervention is designed to help children identify differences between major
and minor problems and learn when they need help from adults to solve a problem.
The children will learn problem solving skills by playing a board game that identifies
major or minor problems that they may encounter at school or in the community.
This intervention also is a good way to get children to develop manners and coping
skills when handling problems.
Materials Needed:
● Two Dice
● 4-5 Game Pieces
● Deck of Cards Listing 10 Minor Problems
● Deck of Cards Listing 10 Major Problems
● Cardstock to Make Board Game With at Least 20 Slots
Objective:
The teacher will introduce the game telling a social story about major and minor
problems and then going over the rules and definition of a major problem and
minor problem.
● Major problem is a problem that the student is unable to resolve on their
own and needs an adult to help solve.
Example: when someone is causing harm to the body by scratching, punching,
biting, pulling. a dangerous situation such as a fire, accident which can cause harm
or death, and when a student is scared or worried something bad will happen to
himself or another person.
● Minor problem is a problem that can be handled by the student. Does not
cause any hurt or harm.
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Example: someone will not play with students, makes a mean face, or not listening
or following instructions, does not take turns, takes students pencil, skips students
in line.
The children will also learn ways to handle minor problems
3 ways to handle minor problems are to
● Ask individual nicely to leave alone or to stop
● Ignore by not responding back
● Walk or move away
General Directions:
3-5 students can play this game at a time. To begin the game students will pick a
number 1-10 the student that picks the highest number will get to go first the
remaining students will take turns based on numbers. Students then roll dice and
move a number of spaces on the dice. The student is only able to move the game
piece if they answer the question on the card they pull correctly. The student that
reaches the end first wins the game.
The teacher will make a deck of cards listing real scenarios that any student may
encounter. The student must identify whether the scenario is a major or minor
problem and tell how they would solve the problem in order to move the game
piece.
Age Requirements for Game:
This game can be played by all ages. The adult facilitating the game needs to be
creative and use age appropriate materials for all ages. And make sure to modify it
for children with special needs. For example: smaller kids and children with special
needs may respond better with pictures which show the problem acted out
Find pictures showing a child kicking or making a mean face at another child.
Method for Monitoring Progress:
The winner of the game will be given an option to pick a prize from the treasure
chest. All students will be given a small prize like an eraser or a sticker for
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participation in the game and answering their questions. By earning an incentive,
the children may be motivated to participate. At the end of the game the teacher
will give a review on minor and major problems giving each participant an
opportunity to answer questions.
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My Artistic Point of View
Jenika Buckhalter
This intervention is designed to help tell a story, describe a point of view, or express
feelings. Clients will use their artistic abilities to create a picture that relates to a
specific topic or event to help convey their point of view. The purpose of the
intervention is to empower the client to effectively express their thoughts.
Materials Needed:
● Paper ● Paper Towels

● Markers ● Crayons
● Paint ● Pencils
● Paint Brushes ● Stickers
● Water ● Stencils
For this intervention the client will be given a scenario, a topic,
or an emotion. The client will then be told to draw or paint what
comes to mind when they think of the topic or event. After the
client has finished their art, they will be asked to describe their
painting and how it relates to the subject. In doing so, the client
will be able to express their thoughts in a safe environment and
gain confidence in their way of thinking.
Adaptive Techniques:
This intervention may also be used in a group setting. A topic can still be given, but
clients may be placed in groups and have to create an image that represents the
group. This would be a great way to build relationships and point out similarities
within strained relationships. The group will then be asked to explain how the
image was created and why.
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This intervention can also be adapted to include music. A client can choose from a
list of songs and draw or paint their thoughts about how the song makes them feel.
This may be a great adaptation for clients who connect to music more than art. A cd
player, computer, or phone will need to be added to the material list for this
adaptation.
Progress can be monitored by reviewing the same topics after 6 weeks of
intervention to see if feelings or point of view has improved.
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Paint Club
Kiera Lanier
The intervention is for clients within the ages 13-17 to express themselves by
processing their feelings and thoughts through art. Through painting, it allows the
clients to make art by expressing the traumatic events that they are going through
in their life.
Materials Needed:
● Paint
● Brushes
● Canvas
● Easel
For this intervention, the client will identify a current issue that they are dealing
with in their life. Once the current issue is identified, the client will then paint a
picture to describe the issue that is currently going on in their life. Once the
painting is done, then the client will describe the group the painting they painted
and explain the problem. All clients in the group will go in a circle and show their
painting and speak on what they painted. If the client feels comfortable, we will
hang the paintings up. Doing the paintings symbolized them taking one step
towards expressing their feelings.
This could be adapted in a manner that every individual client brings in their
painting. The collective groups come up with if they want to put their paintings up
to show what they have created. If the groups decide on putting their paintings up,
they will be put up to show the first step of expressing their feelings through art
instead of an inappropriate way.
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M-Modeling A-And I-Identifying N-Needs
MAIN-Reading Intervention
Bianca Weatherspoon
This reading intervention will help students with comprehending what was read,
how to reread for understanding and how to use details to identify the main idea of
a text.
Materials Needed:
● Textbook of Subject Area
Steps to Complete:
First the educator will model how a main idea can grow
out of one or two paragraphs. Secondly, the educator
should describe how the overall main idea of the text
read can be captured by looking for details around the
main idea. Ex. Pics or Bold words. Finally, the educator will ask the students to
identify what they think the main idea is and what text features support their
answer.
If a student is having difficulty working independently, the educator should work
with that student one on one. Educators should also try different texts to see if
that approach would be of assistance to the student getting the concept then
moving back to the original text.
This intervention can be monitored by the Educator keeping a tally of the number
of main ideas each student was able to identify. The educator could also provide an
incentive for the student(s) who has the most tallies by the end of the month.
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Heroes in Crisis
Neil Boggan
Description:
This trauma-focused activity for high school students uses DC Comics’ nine-part
miniseries entitled Heroes in Crisis (2018-2019, written by Tom King,
https://www.readdc.com/Heroes-in-Crisis-2018/comics-series/121796?ref=c2Vhc
mNoL2luZGV4L2Rlc2t0b3Avc2xpZGVyTGlzdC9zZXJpZXNTbGlkZXI) to discuss how
we cope with harmful life events. The comic centers around events at Sanctuary,
which is a secret and confidential superhero mental health hospital created by
Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman. It is a safe place where heroes can be
vulnerable. This activity employs a digital copy of this story arc as well as activities,
such as, a “connection booth” where students leave written messages for
themselves to connect with their emotions, a “create your own comic” where
students can create their own stories, and “behind the mask” where students can
create their own mask and explain what it is meant to hide.
Materials Needed:
● A Digital Copy of Heroes in Crisis
● A Laptop/Tablet
● A projector and Projector Screen
● Colored Pencils/Pens
● Blank White Paper
● Scissors
● Stickers
● String
● Pre-drawn Masks for Cutting Out
How to Do the Technique:
The comic is rated 15+ and does contain violent imagery, so the school social
worker (SSW) should be very selective about which panels are displayed to
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students. The SSW will show various panels of the comic and then give some
examples of harmful life events that one might encounter, especially from a
student’s current situation in life. Then, the SSW invites students to respond
through their choices of activities such as those listed in the “Description” section
at the top of this page. Next, the SSW asks the students to share what they have
written or created. Lastly, the SSW emphasizes the need for regularly finding safe
outlets for the emotions that come with harmful life events and making his/her
availability as a safe outlet known.
For those students who may have difficulty expressing their emotions verbally or
through writing, a worksheet with feeling words/feeling expression faces
(https://do2learn.com/activities/SocialSkills/EmotionCheckIn-Checkout/index.ht
ml) may be utilized by the student who may point to or circle words/faces in order
to communicate his/her feelings. For those who might have dexterity issues with
their hands, the SSW may pre-cut out masks and utilize pre-cut out figures for the
student to create his/her own comic book. Allowing students to choose among
various activities potentially allows them to choose those activities that they are
able to accomplish most independently with minimal adult intervention.
Additional Resources:
The SSW could distribute to the students emotional check-in sheets, such as those
found at
https://do2learn.com/activities/SocialSkills/EmotionCheckIn-Checkout/index.ht
ml, which include pictures of facial expressions with descriptive words as well as
differentiated lists of emotional words depending on the reading level of the
student. The SSW could use these check-in sheets as daily data points for tracking
students’ emotional states. In addition, the SSW could have parents and teachers
fill them out as it pertains to the student as other sources of data. Furthermore,
the ssw could distribute lined-paper journal pages
(https://www.printablepaper.net/preview/journal) that students can write on and
return the entries to the ssw as often as they see the ssw. Lastly, the SSW can also
utilize school data, such as, unexcused absences, disciplinary measures, grades, and
tardies to get a more holistic picture of the student’s well-being.
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Student Investigation Team (SIT)
Latonia Edwards
The intervention targets cyber bullying and can be implemented during bully
prevention month (October). Through student lead interviews, mediation and
reconciliation students will increase awareness of the harm and consequences of
cyberbullying.
Materials Needed:
● Interview Form
● Voice Recorder
● Badges
● Paper
● Pens/Pencils
● Cyber Bullying Resource Manual
● FBA/BIP Checklist
How to Use Intervention:
● SSW & SC will disseminate information schoolwide on cyber bullying and
provide 30-minute videos to be shown during specific classes.
● SSW & SC will recruit student investigators to be trained on interview
questions/techniques and facilitating group mediation/student
reconciliation. SIT will review cyber bullying resources.
● SSW and/or SC will assign screened cyberbullying reports to SIT to begin
investigation.
● SIT will conduct interviews with all participants using interview form (based
on Functional Behavioral Assessment/ABC format).
● After completing interviews of incidents with all participants, at least three
SIT members will review interview documents and recordings and work with
SSW/SC to determine interventions.
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● SIs will lead mediation/reconciliation with all parties (SSW or SC present)
and finalize intervention plans. After all participants have signed
intervention plans the SSW and/or SC will monitor compliance using a
modified version of the FBA/BIP checklist.
Suggestion for Adapting the Technique:
● SIT will roll play conducting the interview and practice completing interview
form as part of the initial training.
● SSW/SC can provide SIT with document templates illustrating how to
complete the interview form.
● SSW/SC can assign teams (two students) matching skill levels and breaking
down tasks.
● The mediation/reconciliation is a three-team process, SSW/SC can assign
team members according to strengths/needs.
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Student Investigation Team Interview Form
Student Name:
Date of Interview:
SIT Interviewer:
Description of Behavior:
Date and Activity (what was Antecedent (what Behavior (what did Consequences
Time (the going on when the happened right the behavior look (what happened
incident behavior before to trigger like): after the behavior):
occurred): occurred): the situation):
Follow Up Questions:
1. How would you describe yourself in the incident, victim or offender?
2. What would you like to see happen to resolve the matter?
3. What are you willing to do to resolve the matter?
4. Are you willing to participate in group mediation with the SIT facilitating?
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Movement Connections
Eslie Djemmal
Movement Connections is an intervention that allows for any age group of children
to use movement as a form of expression. The idea of expression focuses on the
release of feelings and emotions that may be difficult for a child to express verbally.
This intervention values the mind-body connection which is helpful when working
on non-verbal expression.
Materials Needed:
● Safe Place With Lots of Space
● Closed-Toed Shoes
● Comfortable Clothing
● Twinkly Lights
● Scarves
● Music
This intervention can be done in both a client-centered or group approach, the
steps are the same. First the client will be asked to close their eyes while lying in
supine position on the floor and examine their body through each major muscle
group. This process is done through contracting and releasing each of these
muscles. Once the “examination” is complete the client will be asked to imagine
that they are in their “happy place” throughout the rest of this process. Music will
then start to increase in volume and vary in genre. With the eyes either closed or
opened the facilitator will suggest different speeds and intensities of the movement
from the client. This activity creates a sense of release for the client. Towards the
end of the session the client will move through a “cool down” (lights go off and
twinkly lights turn on) and go back to their starting position on the ground with
eyes closed and the facilitator will begin a short guided meditation to accept and
process what the body went through.
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For other populations of students who are participating in this event such as
students with special needs, the structure of the intervention can be modified to
create more freedom or structure depending on the population. More freedom
would include more improvisation as the main activity while more structure
includes creating time for the student to choreograph a solo based on structured
motifs.
Before the intervention the facilitator or specialist would need to take some notes
for themselves as each session will include a different movement-based activity
determined by the client’s needs. The assessment tools I would provide would be a
Life Events Checklist as well as the behavioral assessment BASC-2. Throughout the
intervention it is good to observe the client’s behaviors and a possible shift in
expression. There are no specific ways to take notes while monitoring the progress.
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Attitude of Gratitude Tree
Rachel Palermo
This intervention is an excellent visual way to show students how being grateful for
what you have can change your attitude. If children and families focus on the
positive things in their life instead of the negative, overall sadness levels go down
and happiness levels go up. This activity should instill hope, promote positive
thinking, and decrease negative thoughts and feelings of anxiety.
Population of Students to Use This Intervention: Depression, Anxiety, Grief
Ideal Number of Students Involved: 15-30
Materials Needed:
● Bulletin Board
● Markers
● Colored Leaves Cut Out of Paper
● Laminated Bare Tree Trunk and Branches
● Tape
● Composition Books
Descriptions of How to Do the Technique:
For this intervention the group of students will be given a paper cut out of a leaf.
The students will be asked to take a moment to write on their leaf one to three
things for which they are grateful. Once the students have completed this task, the
social worker will point out the bare tree trunk and branches on the bulletin board
and ask the students to raise their hands and describe the tree. Typically answers:
sad, bare, cold, winter, etc. The social worker will then ask the students to paste
their “gratitude” leaves on the bare tree with tape provided. After students have
finished doing this task, the social worker will ask again for the students to describe
the tree. Typical answers: full, colorful, happy, big. The social worker will connect
how the gratitude leaves enhanced the tree and made it full, just how when we are
thankful for what we have in our lives and notice them, our lives are full. If we do
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not practice this on a regular basis, our lives will start to look like the bare tree.
However, if we get in the habit of noticing what we are grateful for, our lives will
look like the full tree. The social worker will then ask the students which tree they
would rather be. Typical answer: tree with the gratitude leaves. Social Worker
should leave this bulletin board up for several weeks so students can be reminded
of the message.
Take Away/Skill Set:
Teach students about gratitude journals and provide a small composition notebook
to each child to use for this purpose. Encourage students to write down 5 things
you are thankful for each day Ex- food, clothes, friends, family, teachers.
To conclude the activity, the social worker will ask: How are you going to show
those around you that you are thankful for them? Discuss the importance of that.
This could be adapted in a manner that each student receives a blank coloring sheet
with a bare tree trunk and branches. The social worker will instruct the students to
describe the blank tree. Then, students will draw their own leaves for the tree and
write things they are thankful for in the leaves. The social worker will instruct the
students to describe the new tree decorated with leaves and words of gratitude to
convey the message.
Ideal Number of Students Involved: 5-10
Measuring Technique:
Have students use a self-monitoring technique through their composition
notebooks. After every week of writing down 3 things they are thankful for per day,
the students will rate their happiness level form 1-10. 1= very sad 10= very happy.
The social worker will use this data to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention.
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What Would You Do?
Jermellody Seaton
This intervention is a great way to assist clients
(7-10-year olds) with describing and processing
their feelings and emotions in a less
threatening manner. Through drawings and
talking it out, clients are able to come up with
effective ways and ideas to solve problems in
life that may be causing them stress.
Materials Needed:
● Colored Pencils
● Colored Markers
● Crayons
● A List of Problems That 7-10 Year Old Children May Face at School
● Music
For this intervention the client will be asked to identify a pressing issue in their
current life. Once the issue is identified the client will be asked to draw or write
about a problem in each individual life on the construction paper. When all are
finished, their drawings will be collected. Taking turns, each client will pick a
drawing (not their own) and describe the picture drawn on the paper. The group
will work together and come up with “what would you do” ways to solve the
problem. The client will explain how they may have solved problems similar to this
in their personal lives. This way the client knows that they are not alone. The client
who picks out a drawing will draw or write possible solutions on the back of the
construction paper. If they choose, they can take the drawings with them for
reference in the future.
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a video. The collective group comes up with different ways to solve problems.
There is no right or wrong way. The most important thing is that there is more
than one way to solve problems in a less threatening way and they are not alone in
finding positive solutions to understanding their feelings and dealing with
emotions. The first scenario will consist of the “bad” way to handle a problem. The
second scenario will consist of the “good” way to handle a problem. Each client will
have the opportunity to complete both scenarios. The end result is looking at both
scenarios, recognizing the problem and coming up with a solution to the problem.
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Write and Rhyme Program
Arielle F. Brown
The ‘Write and Rhyme Program” is a short-time program to be implemented in a
group therapy setting, to assist clients with describing and processing their
emotions in a fun, healthy manner. Students are given the opportunity to process
their feelings and perceptions of life that may trigger negative emotions or
behaviors through creating poetry, painting, or a new song. This intervention has a
primary goal of decreasing negative behaviors in students while increasing their
creative expression; self-awareness; and communication skills.
Materials Needed:
● Paper
● 12x12 or 16x16 Canvases
● Pens
● Music
● Computer
Description of Implementation:
Since the music is instrumental, this intervention is more abstract and uses
imagination and close listening. Students are provided with coloring/writing
utensils and informed that there are no “correct” ways to go about this exercise.
Students are asked to be quiet and respectful throughout the exercise. This
intervention is to be implemented in a group therapy setting. The timeframe that
should be allotted to this is 60-90 minutes per day, once per week. The
intervention will be administered for the duration of a school semester to allot for
appropriate time for data collection.
The “Write and Rhyme Program” is to be administered to a group of 10-15 students
per program administrator. This would assure that students would have the
appropriate amount of support as needed to process whatever emotions present
themselves during creation/ processing time.
Each session should follow a similar structure and timeline, to assure that enough
time is provided for starting exercises, the prompt, creation time, and de-briefing
at the conclusion. Consider choosing instrumental songs that have a variety of
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mainstream/popular music and more subtle, calming music that capture patients’
attention. Students are provided with coloring/writing utensils and informed that
there are no “correct” ways to go about this exercise. Students are asked to be quiet
and respectful throughout the exercise. Time should be allotted towards the end of
each session for processing and any questions. The steps will be implemented as
follows:
1. Starting exercises, opening with 5-10 minutes of activities aiming to
de-stress. Take into consideration the adolescent’s ability to concentrate
when determining the length of the relaxation exercise (examples listed
below):
a. Deep breathing exercises
b. Meditative sitting and silence
c. Brief verbal check-ins
2. Introduce the experience by preparing the adolescent physically and
emotionally about what is going to happen. A prompt will be administered
for the students, as a theme or point of thought/inspiration. Recommended
prompts can be based on the facilitator or administrator of the intervention.
It is best to provide an open-prompt: a statement or work without much
structure which will allow students to take their own interpretation.
3. A suggested allotted time that students should be allowed to paint, write, or
create would be 40-45 minutes. The students have the opportunity to
explore their issues, express feelings, and improve and display verbal skills
through a write-your-own-lyrics painting, or poetry exercise.
4. Students will be provided a notification through the last 15 minutes to start
the process to conclude the creation time.
5. Debrief session (10 minutes- 15 minutes): The students will have an
opportunity to share the products of their work in group therapy or with the
school social worker in a solo session. Students will have the opportunity to
deal with difficulties in a way that acknowledges where they are and how
they process things.
6. Over the next few weeks, students will be asked to select a different medium
to use each session. This will allow the students to explore various modes of
creativity and processing their feelings. It will also provide more exposure to
them with mediums and methods of communication.
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Adaptations for the intervention exist within the music that is selected to be played
during the “creation time”. The selection of the music should take into
consideration the students developmental or sensory needs (e.g. special needs
students may require minimal or low sounds to mitigate existing sensory concerns).
If music is removed, it may require a more extensive prompt for guidance.
Intervention effectiveness should be evaluated by recording or tracking the amount
of behavioral reports of students in each group. Behavioral reports will be collected
from the student’s instructors on a weekly basis. By the end of the school semester,
results should be compared to the baseline number of behavioral reports of these
groups of students in the prior semester.
Song/Youtube Links:
Blues Instrumental: https://youtu.be/vVjWs3fPajk
Blues Instrumental 2: https://youtu.be/F7QCDAiSoms
George Gershwin, “Rhapsody in Blue”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFHdRkeEnpM
Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars (Piano/Cello Cover):
https://youtu.be/rIBRcQdzWQs
Monica, “So Gone”: https://youtu.be/JrYAczlAqwU
Erykah Badu, “Next Lifetime”: https://youtu.be/HAPr6iUBAsw
Thomas Newman, “Define Dancing":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aL5SxX58lM
Erykah Badu, On & On (Instrumental):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cfjj9t8BTQI
Childish Gambino - Redbone (Instrumental): https://youtu.be/xiCZcqbxiqM
Ed Sheeran - Photograph (Piano/Cello Cover): https://youtu.be/DpjO44jJ4Mc
Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve - Stringspace String Quartet:
https://youtu.be/Ktl3dpO4GaY
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“Write and Rhyme” Evaluations Report
Date/Week#:
Student Name: #DR Student Name: #DR
Total Student Report For Week #:
Weekly Observations Summary:
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Therapeutic Painting
Arlishia Irby
This intervention is a great way for clients to cope with their current situation and
the things that they have going on in their lives. Through therapeutic painting the
client can become in tune with their feelings and describe them through paint.
Oftentimes it may be difficult for clients to verbally describe their stressors.
Painting is a way that they can draw out their feelings to be later described versus
them having to verbally describe them without feeling like no one understands
where they're coming from.
Materials Needed:
● Paint
● Paint Brushes
● Canvas or Paper Plates
Descriptions of How to Do the
Technique:
For this intervention the client would
be asked to describe the most
current stressor that they feel is
hindering them from achieving their current goals. The client will paint images and
describe the feelings, emotions, and triggers that they feel while developing the
image. The client will also describe how the image makes them feel... happy, sad,
scared, alone, etc. This intervention will be used as a technique to encourage the
client to begin comfortably expressing their feelings in an untraditional way versus
meeting in an office setting and stretching out on the couch. It may be difficult for
clients to start talking and describing their feelings. Therefore, painting out their
feelings will help decrease the anxiety that a client may be feeling in order to make
their session more effective.
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Clients will be asked to begin drawing on the canvas to describe what they' re
currently feeling. During each session they may pick up where they left off or add a
new image if a new stressor arises. The main purpose would be for the client to try
and focus on completing the first image before creating a new one because it may
be overwhelming and difficult for a client to try and tackle more than one trigger at
a time. Each time that the client adds on to the image, a complete canvas will
reflect how the client was able to battle their unwanted stressors and successfully
work through them. A completed canvas at the end of the session results in
successful progress of identifying and working through a stressor.
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Life Panorama
April Welch
Adapted From: Narrative Exposure Therapy and Trauma-Focused Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy
The Life Panorama is a visual representation of an individual’s life
experiences. Utilizing a long piece of paper, or several papers taped or glued
together, the client will draw a timeline of their life including relevant photographs,
drawings, newspaper clippings, or other items that can be attached to the paper.
This activity is intended to allow the individual to see each experience, including
both the highs and lows, as one event, place in time, or piece in the whole
panorama of their life. The Life Panorama also instills hope by creating goals and
planning for the future. Additionally, the Life Panorama provides the opportunity
for individuals to share their stories with others and learn to identify and label
emotions as they learn that each person experiences life events that produce a
wide range of emotions.
The idea of the Life Panorama is a combination of adaptations of the Lifeline
created in Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) and the Trauma Narrative created in
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). Both NET and TF-CBT
are effective interventions for individuals experiencing symptoms of
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or other distress resulting from exposure to
traumatic events. NET is particularly effective with refugee populations or others
who have experienced violence due to war or societal unrest and has been studied
more extensively overseas than in the United States (American Psychological
Association, 2017; Fazel et al., 2020; Peltonen & Kangaslampi, 2019; Robjant & Fazel,
2010). During this intervention, clients create a Lifeline using a rope stretched into
a line with rocks, flowers, candles, and other objects used to signify important life
events thus telling the client’s life story. After the completion of the Lifeline
activity, the Lifeline is disassembled. In TF-CBT, clients complete a Trauma
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Narrative, often in the form of a book, to tell the story of a personal traumatic event
within the context of their life (Deblinger et al, 1999; Deblinger et al., 2011; Rivera,
2012).
The Life Panorama differs from the NET Lifeline in that the individual
chooses the image or visual representation of each life event and is a tangible
object the client can keep. The Life Panorama also differs from the Trauma
Narrative in that the Life Panorama allows for exploration of a wide range of life
events including multiple traumatic events if desired. The Life Panorama would be
a useful tool for clients who do not have access to or meet the screening criteria for
NET or TF-CBT. The Life Panorama could be utilized to help individuals process a
wide array of life experiences from moving, changing schools, or the loss of a pet to
Adverse Childhood Experiences such as community violence, abuse, or neglect. By
addressing these traumatic or distressing events and allowing the client to process
the impact of these events on their lives, clients should experience an improved
quality of life and may experience improved relationships with family members,
classmates, and teachers.
Materials Needed:
● Roll of Paper
● Glue/Tape
● Markers/Paint/Crayons/Colored Pencils
● Stencils/Stickers/Photographs/Newspaper Clippings (optional)
Creation of Life Panorama:
Step 1: Explain the rationale for creating the Life Panorama. Discuss how, over the
course of one’s life, many events transpire. Some of these events are positive and
create pleasant emotions, some events are neutral, and some experiences are
negative resulting in unpleasant emotions. Show images of photographs explaining
how a photograph captures an image of a particular person, place, or thing while
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panoramas provide an even larger, wider view of the whole allowing one to see the
“big picture.”
Step 2: Either collaboratively or individually, have the student create an overview of
the events that should be included on their Panorama beginning with their birth.
List out these events as well as ideas of how to represent the event on the
Panorama. This may require the individual to gather items such as photographs,
newspaper clippings, etc. to add to the Panorama.
Additionally, create several future goals for different points in time (examples
include graduate high school, graduate from college, buy a car, become an
astronaut, travel the world, have a house on the beach, win the Nobel Peace Prize,
etc.). These goals may be easily accomplished or require much work and
dedication.
Step 3: Provide the client with a long piece of paper (or several papers that can be
taped together to create a long piece of paper). Allow the client to plan out where
each life event should occur on the Panorama and fill in the details of the Panorama
using provided supplies (markers, crayons, paint, die-cuts, stickers, etc.) as well as
any personal items they have provided. Ensure that the individual leaves a dotted
line at the end of their timeline to signify that some parts of our future are
unknown. The Panorama may take several sessions to complete.
Step 4: Allow time for each person to share their Panorama in the group or with the
therapist or parent. After sharing, each client may take their Life Panorama home.
This step should be optional according to the comfort level of the individual.
The developmental stage of the child will inform how much assistance will be
required to complete the Life Panorama. Younger children or students with
disabilities will benefit from the use of stickers, paper die-cuts, or photographs to
represent or enhance their drawings of life experiences and will likely need
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assistance labeling each event. Older students may wish to draw or paint their Life
Panorama in addition to utilizing provided or personal items.
Additionally, the therapist should understand the cultural context of the client and
operate from a trauma-informed perspective. A basic understanding of trauma
theory may be beneficial as well as the understanding that each person processes
traumatic events differently. Clients that show a high level of distress may benefit
from a referral to more intensive therapeutic interventions and may not benefit
from completing the activity. Furthermore, clients should not be discouraged from
adding traumatic events to their Life Panorama, but should not go into great detail
of these events when sharing their Life Panorama with the group (i.e. stating that
abuse occurred vs. sharing specific details of the abuse).
Data Collection Methods:
To determine the effectiveness of this activity, each client completed a depression
inventory before beginning the intervention and upon completion of the
intervention. The assessment utilized should be tailored to the developmental age
of the client. For elementary students, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies
Depression Scale (CES-D) can be administered and the Beck Depression Inventory
(BDI) can be administered for middle and high school students. Additionally, when
measuring outcomes, consider the presenting problem of the client or the focus of
the group. Other measurements such as the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7
(GAD-7) scale can be used to collect data and measure outcomes.
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Art/Drawing Club
Ethel L. Brown
Oftentimes it is difficult to get children to talk, especially younger children. In
using this intervention children will have a space to speak freely without being
judged or coached on what to say. Furthermore, a child will be free to express their
emotions without feeling like they have to suppress them. According to Stuckey
and Nobel (2010) “art helps people express experiences that are too difficult to put
into words” (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010). The pictures that the children draw will help
the social worker understand what a child is experiencing when they cannot bring
themselves to say it. Art/drawing therapy has been used in a number of settings.
Materials Needed:
● Paper
● Markers/Crayons/Pens/Pencils/Finger Paint
● Canvases
Descriptions of How to Do the Technique:
For this intervention the client will be asked to draw a picture to try to explain a
traumatic event they have experienced.
STEP 1: The client will be instructed to express their fear or issue by free drawing or
painting.
STEP 2: Once the drawing or painting is finished the client will be asked to describe
their painting or drawing (if comfortable).
STEP 3: The social worker will listen and help the client process their drawing.
STEP 4: If warranted the social worker will refer clients to outside agencies.
This technique can be used individually or in a group setting. Each client would be
asked to express their feelings through drawing or painting. If the trauma is too
severe, then an individual session is suggested. We do not want to cause more
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trauma to our clients. If the client feels better being in a group of people who have
experienced the same trauma, then they may be able to express their feelings
better. Clients who share the same trauma process things differently and can learn
from each other. Age appropriate groups would be formed with special attention to
be given to clients with special needs. Be careful not to give ideas letting them draw
from their own feelings.
Data Collection Process:
For data collection, I would provide students with a questionnaire over several
subsequent sessions with different students. The scores would then be tallied up to
ensure that the intervention is working with individual clients. If the intervention is
proven to be successful, it can then be implemented into the therapy sessions.
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Art Therapy Questionnaire
1. Did you feel safe when you entered your session?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
2. Did the surroundings make you feel safe?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
3. Did you feel safe discussing your drawing?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
4. Did you feel forced to discuss your drawing?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
5. Did your counselor make you feel safe?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
6. Would you recommend this club to a friend?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
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Visual Journaling
Janequa Jackson
The expressive arts took-it intervention is a technique called visual journaling.
Visual journaling can be simply compared to the saying of having an art diary that
contains drawings, words, or even magazine pictures. The intentions of this
intervention are to assist clients with giving them a way to express their feelings
and experiences from their past and to make light to the ones in the future. Many
people tend to struggle with putting their emotions out on the table, especially
children and adolescents. This intervention is a way of putting those feelings and
thoughts out on paper through imagery. The practice of visual journaling has been
utilized in therapy for helping with self-care, self-regulation, stress reduction,
trauma, depression, and more. This intervention can be used either individually or
used as group work.
Materials Needed:
● Journal/Sketchbook/Notebook
● Pens/Markers/Crayons/Pencils
● Magazines
● Safety Scissors
● Tape
● Glue Sticks
For this intervention the client will be asked about instances that are either a
present issue or a past issue that is affecting them in their current life.
Step 1: Clients will need to identify the problem in their life, such as stressors or
pressing instances that are hindering their development.
Step 2: Once the issue is identified, the client will be asked to open their journal and
put the images of the stressor on paper using drawings, paintings, or magazine cut
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outs. At this step, the client will be in complete control of putting their emotions
out in their journal.
Step 3: The client will then share the imagery of their feelings for the day and
discuss in detail what the images are reading as it relates to their issue.
Step 4: After sharing, the group will then provide feedback before the therapist
input his/her thoughts on the visual that is presented. This is meant to show the
client that others have similar stories and to show them that they are not alone. It
helps to build social interactions and it helps with developing healthy coping skills
to help learn new ways of communicating.
This intervention can be adapted to any child of any age. It can also be designed to
help children who suffer from disabilities and mental health issues. This
intervention is built for a group and can be used individually if needed. It will work
great with either setting. Individually, the client will still take the required steps and
instead of feedback from the group, the client will only get feedback from the
therapist. The end result will always present the effectiveness of building character,
interpersonal skills, and learning to manage stressors. Children with disabilities and
mental health diagnoses, the intervention can be adapted by including their parents
and showing them the ins and outs of how clients feel or how they communicate
best.
Data Collection Processes:
The visual journal will be tracked through a pre- and post-test to determine what
level of stress or depression the client is dealing with. It is meant to show us the
changes in their artistic expressions from week to week and month to month. To
track this process, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire will be used
for rating the client’s depression level before the start of treatment, as well as at the
end or treatment. Additional assessments can be used as it relates to the client’s
presenting issues.
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Photo Justice
Anna Crutcher
Intervention:
Photo Justice is an intervention that was developed
from the PEAR Institute with Harvard University. It is
an intervention designed for middle and high
schoolers to be able to process their feelings,
particularly in areas in which they felt like they have
been faced with injustices. This intervention allows
for students to give their feelings a voice, and it
encourages them to be creative and think outside of
the box. The goal of the intervention is to work with
students who are struggling with anxiety, sadness,
attention problems, etc. and provide them with targeted
activities that will support and encourage them to learn and
grow. It is a strength-based intervention, so it works to focus
on the resiliency of each student and nurturing positive
relationships both with peers and adults.
In each session, the group will begin by looking through a
series of photos that will be provided from the leaders of the
group. These photos can be anything from someone swinging on a swing, to
someone in a jail cell, to someone that is sitting on a bench. Then the group will
freely discuss what they think is the context of this photo. After, the group leaders
will provide the students with a list of specific tasks. For example, one task might be
“take a picture of something that makes you happy.” Then, the group allows some
time for the students to walk around and take pictures of what they think best fits
each task. At the end, the group will come back together and discuss their photos.
As the group continues, group members will decide a topic that they would like to
make a project on. For the final few sessions, the group will work together to come
up with what they want their project to look like, for example, an art gallery. Once
they have decided what they will do for their project, they will each select their own
photos that they would like to use and talk about the way that it expresses
whatever topic the group has chosen.
Materials Needed:
● Camera
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● Instructions/Task Sheet
● Pre-Test
● Post Test
● Classroom/Meeting Space
● Paper
● Pen
Step-by-Step Method:
Step 1: Meet with the group, get proper consent forms, have members complete
Photo Justice Pre-Test, and discuss with group members what they hope to get out
of the group. The group should go over confidentiality, and then allow members to
share what they think the norms/rules of the group should be.
Step 2: Once there is a group of students that have expressed interest in the
intervention, group leaders should discuss with the group when is the best time
and day to meet in order to ensure regular attendance from each member.
Step 3: Group leaders will present the group with 10 photos. They will allow the
group members to discuss what they think the context of the photo was or ways
that they can apply what is happening in the photos to what is going on in their
lives.
Step 4: Group leaders will provide each student with a Task List. The group leaders
will come up with the amount of time that students are allowed to go take the
photos for each task on the list. Group leaders will ensure that each student is back
in the meeting space by the agreed upon time.
Step 5: Group leaders will facilitate a discussion between group members about the
photos that they have taken and why the students believe the photo they have
taken matches the task.
Step 6: Group leaders will encourage group members to come up with a topic for
the final group presentation. Group members will decide on a topic and what they
want the final presentation to look like. Encourage members to be creative!
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Step 7: Group members will work on the Final Presentation and present it to the
school, or whatever organization is running this intervention!
One way to adapt the group to be more inclusive to students with special needs is
to restrict the tasks to be only taken of items that are in the classroom. This way
students who are not able to move around as freely are still able to participate in
the group. Another way is to have each student within the group come up with a
different role for what they will be doing to work on the Final Presentation. This
way, the role can be catered to the needs of the student, and each student is able to
easily complete what they need to do.
The data from this intervention will be collected through a series of pre and
post-tests. Each student will complete the same survey before and after the
intervention. Example tests are included below.
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Pre-Test and Post Test
Name: Date:
Age: Gender:
0 = Never
1 = Almost Never
2 = Sometimes
3 = Fairly Often
4 = Very Often
1. I have someone in
my life that I can
2
turn to when I am 0 1 3 4
feeling
upset/angry.
2. I get frustrated
when something 0 1 2 3 4
does not go my
way.
3. I have one or more

friends that I know 0 1 2 3 4
that I can trust.
4. I talk about my
problems when I 0 1 2 3 4
am feeling
angry/upset.
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Past, Present, and Future Self Portraits Intervention
Brendan Hanover
The Past, Present, and Future Self Portraits Intervention should be used to assist
the client in separating their self-identity from their previous trauma and to
improve their self-esteem and overall well-being. This intervention should be
implemented after a child has been seen by the school counselor or school social
worker for a minimum of three weeks. The intervention is done individually and
takes four sessions. During the first session, the child will draw themselves in the
past with a focus on their past trauma (that was discussed in the previous sessions).
During the second session, the child will draw a standard self portrait with a focus
on their current emotions and self-identity. During the third session, the child will
draw a transformational self portrait focusing who they want to be and how they
want to be seen. In the fourth and last session, the child will view all three self
portraits together for the first time. This will allow them to see their own evolution
as well as what is possible for their future.
Materials Needed:
● Paper
● Pencils
● Erasers
● Sharpener
● Colored Pencils/Crayons/Markers
How to Implement the Intervention:
For this intervention the child will be asked to reflect on past trauma or negative
experiences, their current mental state, and how they want to be in the future.
They will then be asked to draw themselves in each phase (past, present, & future).
STEP 1: Have the child reflect on past trauma or negative experiences, and then
have them draw a self portrait based on those experiences.
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STEP 2: Have the child reflect on their current mental state and coping, and then
have them draw a self portrait based on their current state.
STEP 3: Have the child reflect on where and how they want to be in the future, and
then have them draw a self portrait based on their hopes and dreams for
themselves.
STEP 4: Line up the three self portraits, and discuss with the child how they evolved
from the past to the future. Help them realize that their current state is not
permanent, and brainstorm with them on ways to get them to this imagined future
self.
For younger children that have trouble understanding the past, present, and future
concept, one could have the client draw self portraits of themselves expressing
different emotions or doing different activities that they do and do not enjoy. This
will change the discussion around the portraits, but it should still allow for a
discussion about past trauma, self-esteem, and ways to improve self-identity.
To make sure the activity is inclusive, it is also important to make sure the children
have access to a large spectrum of colors and coloring tools (crayons, colored
pencils, markers etc.). This will ensure that the child can create portraits that they
can truly identify with, and it will help them feel safer and more represented.
To assess if the Past, Present, and Future Self Portrait Intervention invokes an
increase in self-esteem and/or decrease in depression in the child, a pre and post
assessment can be given before and after the intervention. Depending on the age
and presenting problem, either assessment may be useful in identifying if the
intervention was successful. The 6-ITEM Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale:
KADS is intended for high school age students, while the Rosenberg Self-Esteem
Scale could be used at all ages.
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Feelings Postcard
Kameron Bullard
This expressive intervention provides clients an outlet to processing and expressing
their feelings and emotions in a manner that allows creativity to flow. The feelings
postcard allows the client to illustrate their feelings through art depictions on one
side and on the other side allows the client to express their feelings in words if they
choose to do so. This intervention employs the development of emotional literacy
through expressive arts therapy.
Materials Needed:
● Postcards
● Crayons
● Markers
● Colored Pencils
For this intervention the client will be asked to identify a stressor in their current
life.
STEP 1: Clients will need to identify a current stressor, a need, or something that is
hindering them.
STEP 2: Once the stressor is identified the client will then be presented with the
postcard and given the instructions of drawing how they feel on the blank side of
the postcard.
STEP 3: Once the client has depicted their stressor through drawing on the blank
side of the postcard, then instruct the client to express their feelings through
words on the lined side of the postcard. This can be done by the client just writing
words that come to mind or writing out the explanation of the drawing.
STEP 4: Give the client the safe space to explain what their drawing is and the
expression they wrote.
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This technique could be adapted to be used in a group setting. The group would be
provided with a postcard and collectively describe a stressor they are all
experiencing. The group would then each contribute to the drawing on the blank
side and come up with words or a description of what the drawing expresses for
them.
This technique could also be adapted to be used with different population groups,
such as clients who have specific sensory needs and would prefer to paint, glue
different objects onto the postcard, or apply stickers.
Data Collection Purposes:
For this technique, a Session Evaluation Questionnaire (SEQ) will be administered
following the conclusion of the session. The SEQ can be used for both individual
and group sessions. It is used to determine the mood and emotions associated with
the session. This particular questionnaire was created and developed by William B.
Stiles of the Psychology Department at Miami University (Ohio).
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Session Evaluation Questionnaire
Name: Date:
Please circle the appropriate number to show how you feel about this session.
This session was:
Bad 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Good
Difficult 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Easy
Valuable 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Worthless
Shallow 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Deep
Relaxed 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Tense
Unpleasant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pleasant
Full 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Empty
Weak 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Powerful
Special 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ordinary
Rough 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Smooth
Comfortable 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Uncomfortable
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Shake It Out
Kristy L. Pedrero
This intervention is a great way for children to learn to regulate their emotions and
express themselves in a healthier way. Through created dance movements, this
approach offers body-based, clinical interventions for kids who present with
symptoms of emotional dysregulation, struggle with emotional experience, and/or
find it difficult to self-regulate emotionally. Dance therapy help children accomplish
positive body image, improve self- concept and self-esteem, reduce stress, anxiety,
depression, decrease chronic pain, increase communication skills and encourage a
sense of well-being.
Materials Needed:
● Positive Music
● An Open, Safe Area
● Dance Scarves
● Dance Parachute
● Musical Instrument
For this intervention the client will be asked to process their feelings, thoughts and
emotions through dance expression.
STEP 1: Put on positive music. Please make sure that you are in a safe open
environment.
STEP 2: Start with a warmup.
STEP 3: Encourage your client to explore new forms of movement to encourage
growth.
STEP 4: Encourage your client to dance with expression and emotion of what they
are feeling.
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STEP 5: As the social worker, I encourage you to mirror the client’s movements, to
express to the client you are understanding how they are feeling. Ask questions, use
MI and CBT if needed.
STEP 6: Assist the client in developing a better awareness of the client’s body
through movement.
STEP 7: Close with a cool down, discuss what occurred, experience or feelings
expressed. Help the client connect their nonverbal expression experience with
words.
This intervention is not meant to look the same, within each session. The
intervention does need to be structured and a non-directive approach needs to be
taken. This intervention can be used individually or with a group.
Youth will be administered a pre and post assessment. The Perceived Stress Scale
for Children (PSS-C) is an assessment in which identifies a child’s stress-related
anxiety disorders. With the completion of the assessment, decreased stress related
anxiety disorders should be expected. Additional measures can be used based on
clients needs.
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Art Club
Bailey Dempsey
This intervention is a great way to help clients, mainly children and adolescents, in
a school setting with expressing and discussing their feelings and emotions in a safe
and creative way. Through drawing, painting, pottery, and photography, the child
will be able to create a piece of art that expresses their specific situation and
feeling. This intervention is based on expressive arts programming that uses
specific art works at the child’s choice. Many children who experience trauma are
unable to voice or even know themselves what is happening and what they are
feeling. The child can choose their medium to use and express themselves. Then,
with guided help from a counselor or clinician, the child can begin to understand
their emotions, behaviors, and life events in a more vulnerable and open way. Art
can also bring out themes of one’s life into the open. This is also a way for the child
to make decisions and choices and have control over those decisions and choices. It
will teach them good self-reflection and coping skills, while also boosting positive
morale and self-understanding.
Materials Needed:
● Colored Pencils
● Paint
● Paint Brushes
● Paper
● Clay
● Potter’s Wheel
● Pottery Tools
● Camera
● Printer
● Music Player/Speaker
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For this intervention the client will be asked to identify a pressing issue and/or
feeling they are currently undergoing.
STEP 1: Clients must identify a need, event, feeling, or stressor in their life at the
moment for the focus.
STEP 2: Once the specific issue or feeling is identified the client will be asked
which art form they would like to utilize. The client is asked to choose colors and
shapes they feel most accurately expresses their feelings. The client has the power
to choose where they would like to go from here. The only direction is to express
the situation or feeling as they perceive it.
STEP 3: Once the client has completed the artwork, it will be reviewed by the
clinician. The client will talk through each person or object in their artwork and
they chose that specific piece or color.
STEP 4: When the client feels comfortable and the clinician has talked over the
piece with the client, the client can choose to display this piece for the rest of those
in the art club to see. Positive comments can be left by other students in the art
club.
This could be adapted to a group project instead of an individual assignment-The
group can be instructed to work on one project together with each person having a
specific role. There may be a theme presented to the group. The group must work
together in unison to bring each of their experiences and feelings together as one.
Another adaptation could be forming a more specific group with a number of
kiddos who want to participate. This could be a drawing group or dance group, for
example.
For this assignment, a pre and post questionnaire assessing the students’ levels of
stress should be utilized. This means the same assessment should be used before
beginning an art club and after being in an art club. The questions should not
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change or be altered in any way for accurate measurements and tracking. A good
tool to use would be the PSS, or perceived stress scale by Sheldon Cohen. There has
been proven validity with this scale. It has also been regularly used with children
and adolescents. The questions are easy to read, understand, and answer. In order
to know if the intervention is beneficial, there should be a decrease in the child’s
stress levels after the intervention as compared to before the intervention. Other
measures can be chosen and utilized based on the specific clients’ needs. Needs
may include school issues, bullying, depression, anxiety, social anxiety, and things of
this sort.change or be altered in any way for accurate measurements and tracking.
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Cartoon/Comic Creations
Tiana Vos
The Cartoon/Comic Creations intervention is an innovative approach using
externalization to support clients who have a difficult time discussing situations in
their life. This intervention targets youth between 6 and 18 years of age with
anxiety, depression, or trauma. The client’s experiences can be overwhelming and
can be mentally consuming. Externalizing experiences and creating cartoons or
comics can physically put a box around those experiences to put them on a shelf
and separate from the person. Aside from externalization, this intervention also
uses narrative therapy. Narrative therapy concentrates on the client’s stories – the
internalized beliefs based on their interactions with familial, societal, and cultural
influences throughout their lifetime. The current intervention focuses on
expressive arts programming that applies drawing and illustration in a
non-threatening behavior. The purpose of Cartoon/Comic Creations is for clients
to illustrate traumas or convey information. Sometimes it can be difficult for
children to be open about personal matters. When children can express
themselves, as seen in many expressive art therapies, the physical depiction of an
internal incidence can initiate conversations. Cartoons and comics provide a safe
environment, and there are no consequences from the client’s actions.
Through the integration of art and cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) can provide
clients the chance to convey and learn abilities through linguistic, visual, and tactile
patterns to reduce maladaptive cognitions. Combining CBT with art incorporates
imagery and creative representation to formulate thoughts. When creating
cartoons or comic strips as art therapy, it becomes a method of artistic expression
of one’s inner view. It also allows children to intensely examine their abstract and
complex encounters, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
Materials Needed:
● Paper with defined boxes
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● Pens
● Pencils
● Markers
● Crayons
● Colored pencils
For this intervention, the client will be asked to establish a difficult situation in their
life.
STEP 1: Clients must identify existing distress, struggling with mental health, or
battling success in life.
STEP 2: Ensure a continuous safe environment for the client.
STEP 3: Ask the client to reflect on a specific event or time they faced an obstacle.
This could refer to a general point in time, for example, their childhood or a
traumatic event. After the obstacle is identified, ask the client to construct a
cartoon or comic strip that is based on that experience. Ask the client to illustrate
all the emotions, transcript, and the environment for that incident. The main
character should be a representation of the client or the client themself. The client
should not be expected to complete this activity in one session.
STEP 4: Once the cartoon or comic is complete, the client will explain each frame to
the clinician. Following the explanation, the clinician will determine if the client
needs additional support or interventions.
STEP 5: The client can decide to take home their cartoon or comic or keep it in
their file.
The Cartoon/Comic Creation could utilize story prompts to initiate the process for
a quiet or shy client. However, it is crucial clients can implement freedom and
self-control throughout the process. Another accommodation for clients with
significant anxiety to draw outside with sidewalk chalk. Sidewalks have lines that
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section off each block, like in a cartoon and comic strip. Once the client is done
drawing their experience and explaining their emotions and thought process, they
can throw water balloons or splash water on each block to wash away the negative
feeling.
The Cartoon/Comic Creation intends to provide a safe environment for the client.
The client should be leading the art therapy experience, and the client and clinician
relationship should be natural. If a client is tactilely sensitive, do not force or
physically make the client use new material. Pressuring a client into an unfamiliar
material could communicate they have no control over their environment, and it is
not a safe space.
The room the intervention takes place in should be a space where the client
understands they are free to express themselves. Intervention sessions should be in
the same room to create consistency. From art supplies to furniture, even the
smells should remain the same for each session. Applying room consistency for a
client with disabilities will provide security in the environment and a sense of
control. If a client uses a wheelchair, give adequate space for them to move around
with ease.
Clinicians should understand the fundamentals of art therapy, like color psychology
and line quality. It is crucial to distinguish that colors represent something
different. For example, red may express anger, extreme feelings, or passion. Line
quality can demonstrate various emotions. For instance, jagged lines may relate to a
lot of energy, rage, or irritation.
Be aware of ethics regarding client art. For instance, it is common for individuals
who are not trained art therapists to put client’s art on the wall, while art therapists
consider it to be a private clinical discussion and the client either takes the artwork
home or keeps it in the client's file. It should not be up for public view. Another
example could be if a client enters a room full of art, they may have the expectation
their art will be on display, which may be problematic. Displaying client art could
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generate a misleading standard of the Cartoon and Comic Intervention. It may
make clients reluctant to try because of an art ability insecurity.
The pre and post scales will depend on each client’s situation and reason for the
intervention. One suggestion for a client seeking assistance for anxiety, Vos
Children’s Anxiety Scale is a new scale to measure child anxiety. The clinician
should see a decrease in anxiety proceeding with the intervention. A suggested pre
and post scale for depression is Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children to assess
depressive symptoms. In comparison to the pre and post scale, there should be a
decrease of symptoms seen following the intervention.
The Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS) – Youth Report is a two-part
self-assessment for measuring trauma. Completion of part one only needs to be
done before the intervention, while part two is a pre and post-evaluation.
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Rainbow Stones
Tara Mills Deer
Intervention Details:
Students on the Autism Spectrum can experience an array of challenges
throughout the course of a school day. One of the more stressful situations for
children may be the need to transition between classroom, activities, or instructors.
Autistic children often have a difficult time shifting their focus from one area of
instruction to another and may not
respond to nonverbal prompts or indirect
language. In addition, some autistic
children can easily become overwhelmed
by a shift in activity or environment, and
their resulting behaviors may be difficult
for educators and aids to manage.
A transition item, such as a rainbow stone,
can help students navigate their distress by serving as a familiar source of comfort.
Children can be encouraged to keep their rainbow stone in their pocket, backpack,
or desk and rely on it when needed. Artistic interventions can be a creative way to
equip students with a strategy for emotional regulation. The concept of an
emotional anchor stems from practices found in Mindfulness Based Stress
Reduction, which focuses on techniques for managing attention, stress, mood and
anxiety. A rainbow stone is beneficial because its creation serves as a therapeutic
outlet and its ongoing presence can be an emotional support during times of stress
or situations in which children may be forced to make necessary transitions. A
rainbow stone activity is flexible and can take many forms in order to meet
individual student needs.
Materials Needed:
● Stones
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● Acrylic Paint
● Paintbrushes
Step 1: Allow each student to choose their own stone in an unrushed manner.
Children may want to consider/touch the stones before making their selection. It is
important to be patient during the selection process and provide recognition or
praise for their selection.
Step 2: Direct students to select their own paint color and brush size.
Step 3: Allow the children to paint their stones with the colors and designs of their
choice. There is no right or wrong way to make a rainbow stone, this is the
student’s opportunity to create a stone to serve an individual purpose.
Step 4: Give students the option of showing their rainbow stones to the class. Some
students may want to explain their stones to the class while others may not. If
students are interested in sharing, give them the opportunity to explain their
projects.
Fortunately, the rainbow stones intervention can be adapted to fit a variety of age
groups, capabilities, and settings. Children of all ages can create rainbow stones.
Small children may need larger brushes and more supervision than older students.
Older children will be able to make more complex designs so having a variety of
brush sizes may be helpful. In working with students who struggle with manual
dexterity, sponges may be easier to hold than brushes. In addition, this intervention
can take place outdoors, on the floor, or at a table if a child is unable to sit on the
floor. Autistic children may be very focused on their activity, so ensuring that they
are not rushed will create a more meaningful experience. Finally, the rainbow
stones project can take place in a traditional classroom setting or can be offered to
students who are homeschooled.
Data Collections & Methods for Monitoring Progress:
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School staff should track data and monitor student progress in order to ensure that
interventions are effective. The first step is to identify the behaviors that the team
wishes to modify. For a student struggling with transitions within the school day,
these behaviors can include hitting teachers, hitting students, kicking, yelling,
spitting, crying, elopement, biting, scratching and other self-injurious or disruptive
behaviors. The Behavioral Data Sheet allows staff to specify the behavior, indicate
the number of incidents, outline which interventions, if any, are being implemented,
and track the pre and post intervention data for a period of ten days. The student’s
support team can then review this data to make modifications to the intervention
as needed.
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Expressive Journal
Emily Franks
This intervention allows clients to express how they feel and what is on their mind
through journaling. Throughout this journaling intervention, the client will be able
to work through and cope with some of their stress, anxiety, depression,
aggression, trauma and build resilience while becoming more comfortable with
self-reflection, becoming more self-aware, and being able to express themselves
creatively. This intervention is based on visual journaling and expressive writing in
therapy practice combined.
Materials needed:
● Sketchbook or composition notebook
● Pencil or pen
● Markers
● Paint
● Colored paper
● Various art supplies
How To Use This Intervention:
For this intervention the client will have issues that they may have problems
discussing verbally.
STEP 1: The therapist will have a discussion with the client and determine if they
need a different outlet of expressing how they feel than verbally.
STEP 2: Once the client has expressed that they would like to try a different method
of expression, the client will complete a pretest.
STEP 3: The therapist will then provide the client with a sketchbook or notebook to
use as their expression journal.
STEP 3: The therapist will discuss and create a goal with the client of how often
that they will be adding entries to this journal, frequency can vary based upon the
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client (example: 5 days of the week with 10 minutes of free writing/creating
without stopping or worrying about mistakes, could vary each week).
STEP 4: The therapist will allow the client to personalize the front of their journal
using whatever art medium they would like i.e. markers, paint, colored pencils,
magazine clippings, stickers, etc.
STEP 4: The client will create entries in the journal regarding what is going through
their head at the time and to reflect upon skills they are learning in therapy. The
client will attempt to create these entries in the frequency and manner that was
agreed upon with the therapist, using their choice of writing or art expression.
When creating entries, the client can create an expressive writing entry, or they
can use whatever art medium they choose in their entries to express their thoughts
and feelings. Incorporating words into those visual arts entries is also encouraged.
STEP 5: Each therapy session, the client will share their previous week’s entries
with the therapist, if they are comfortable, discuss if they met their goal of
frequency and free writing/creating time, and talk about their goal (or topic, if
desired) for entries for the next week.
STEP 6: At the end of the time working on this intervention, the therapist and client
can discuss the experience and the client can complete the post-test.
Suggested Adaptations:
This intervention could be altered in a few ways. It could be altered for younger
individuals so that only the visual arts component is included, without the
expressive writing. In addition, for individuals with disabilities who may have
difficulty writing, use of technology could be implemented to do a digital journal.
Monitoring Process:
For this intervention, a pre and posttest monitors the student’s anxiety and
depression, however, other measures can be used based upon the specific issues
that the student may be facing. With the implementation of this intervention we
would hope to see lower scores throughout this assessment.
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Friends on Hand
Katie Zelaya
This intervention is a great way to guide clients with past childhood trauma, with
processing their feelings and emotions in a positive manner. Through a guided
script, two puppets (one on each hand), and imagination, the client can use the
puppets as a reflection of their past. This reflection will help guide the conversation
between puppets and address any issues that arise and need to be discussed and
worked through further. This intervention is based on expressive arts programming
that uses puppetry in practice.
Materials:
● Pens/pencils
● Paper
● Set of puppets (3 sets in total, so child has
options to select from)
● Background prop for, “puppet show”
● Chairs
● Session room
Intervention Procedural Steps:
For this intervention, the client will be asked to identify an on-going issue in their
life. Since the client is a child, a simple
the reflection question could go as follows, “What is something that makes you very
sad”.
Step 1: Clients should identify something that makes them sad/uncomfortable.
Step 2: Once the issue is identified, the “puppet show” will be explained. Explaining
that the puppets will be used to represent the people in the client’s life. One puppet
being the client and the other puppet being someone else.
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Step 3: The client will be asked to use the puppets to act out a time when he/she
felt sad/uncomfortable. The client will think about the feelings that he/she felt and
to try to portray those feelings/emotions throughout the “puppet show”
Step 4: Once the client is finished. The client will then be asked to do the same
thing with the puppets but instead of acting out the same situation that made
him/her sad, the client will be asked to act out how he/she would like the situation
to change to make him/her happy.
Step 5: At the end of the session, the client and therapist will have the opportunity
to discuss the sad/uncomfortable show vs. the happy show and specify the
important details for both.
Intervention Adaptations:
This intervention could easily be adapted: instead of puppets, the client can draw a
picture of the events. First, by drawing the situation that occurred that made
him/her sad and then on that same drawing, revising it however necessary to make
the client happy about the situation. This could be adapted for a younger child. This
could also be adapted for a child with disabilities impacting their speech or mobile
abilities.
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Our Glass
Cody Keller
This intervention focuses on imaginative play in a therapeutic fashion, as well as
utilizes the sensory benefit of sand and organization to determine different coping
techniques that can help solve past hurt barriers. The stimulation of imaginative
play helps a child actively come up with potential solutions for their trauma while
utilizing sand as a tool for the play and a deterrent from overstimulation from
reliving past trauma. This is not to be used until past trauma has been identified and
rapport has been built between the therapist and client. This intervention is also to
be utilized in elementary school aged children.
Materials Needed:
● Glass bowl (alternatively plastic for safety)
● Bag of reusable soft sand
● 6 differently colored figurines
For this intervention, there should be rapport built with the therapist as well as
previous trauma identified.
STEP 1: Have the child assign a form of trauma to a specific colored figure (at least
one, but more than one if preferred)
STEP 2: Have the child place the colored figure into the bowl after determining
which is the most problematic in their eyes.
STEP 3: Pour bag of clean, soft sand in the child’s hands while they are placed over
the figure in the bowl.
STEP 4: Encourage the child to think of a coping strategy or hobby, either learned
or an idea of one, that would help with the trauma selected. Every time the child
selects a strategy, have them open their fingers for 5 seconds to let some sand fall
onto the figurine and allow brief reflection on the identified strategy.
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STEP 5: Once the figurine is buried in the sand, reflect upon which coping
strategies would benefit the child most.
Suggestions for adapting this technique:
As stated previously, this session should be conducted with a client once enough
rapport has been gained, and a specific trauma history is completed, as this is to
focus upon the trauma that the client has barriers built against.
In this intervention, a glass bowl full of basic figurines of different colors are
presented to the child along with a bag of soft sand. The child is tasked firstly with
assigning an instance of trauma to each color figurine. This would be a good time to
discuss object relations and why the child would choose a specific color to
correlate with the past trauma.
After assigning colors, have the child decide which instance of trauma they would
like to focus on, and place the corresponding figure in the bowl. The child will pour
a bag of sand into one hand and hold it over the figurine, but you can encourage
some play with the sand prior to focusing on the coping strategies. The child will
then list a beneficial coping strategy or hobby that helps combat any triggered
trauma from their past. For every strategy listed, the child is to slightly open their
fingers to allow sand to pass through and on to the figure for 5 seconds (similar to
an Hourglass, hence the name) and continue this process until the figurine
representing the trauma is covered entirely in the sand, which stands for their
coping techniques combatting their trauma.
Lead discussions over which technique or hobby would be utilized in a role play
session if desired, but a simple review and summarization of the selected strategies
would suffice. At the end of the discussion, another optional activity would be
assigning the client to act upon the coping strategies between sessions to better
evaluate their effectiveness.
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This addition to the trauma tool kit does not have a specific scale for assessment
due to the rapid variability between the client’s case details, coping strategies as
well as the client’s own formulated goals to reach self-efficacy. Due to this, a simple
review of the child’s feelings of fulfillment in each session when this activity is
utilized in comparison to sessions that do not include this activity would be
sufficient. To fulfill this, the Session Rating Scale (or SRS) will be utilized to gauge
the effectiveness of resolving past trauma.
The SRS was developed by Dr. Scott D. Miller to work as a brief assessment to
determine a client’s feelings towards the session in efforts to identify working
components in a person-by-person case. To enact this, a copy of an SRS will be
given in each session while gathering rapport with the client. The same action will
be taken when the activity is utilized and again when the following sessions take
place. After gathering enough to enact an ABA design data chart, the efficiency of
this assessment will be analyzed. Attached is a brief SRS tool for reference to
showcase the simplistic questions and offering a spectrum of ratings for the client
to choose from.
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Clay Feelings Intervention
Lillie Redpath
Description:
This intervention is a great way to assist students with understanding their
emotions better and helping the thoughts to not seem so daunting. Through clay as
an intervention art therapy tool, students are able to use creativity and shape and
show intrusive and unhealthy thoughts, and in turn, deal with them in a tangible
way. The purpose of this intervention is to help students feel less helpless with
intrusive and repeating thoughts. The goal of this intervention is to give students
good coping skills that they can use on their own when dealing with unhealthy
thought patterns. Objectives include the student having required materials, the
student understanding the activity, and the student being able to replicate the
activity on their own. This intervention is based on research done on the success of
art therapy with students along with the research on cognitive behavioral therapy
and the addressing of automatic thoughts.
Materials Needed:
● Clay or Play-doh
● Paper
● Pens
STEP 1: Give students required materials and allow them to free play with the
play-doh for a few minutes (5 or 10).
STEP 2: Allow the student to take time to write down negative or reoccurring
thoughts they have on a piece of paper. These could include fears, self-beliefs, past
hurt.
STEP 3: Ask the student to create with the play-doh what they feel like these
thoughts may look like to them, no rules or grading.
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STEP 4: Discuss with the student the power of thoughts and how we have the
control to acknowledge our thoughts and dismiss them as well.
STEP 5: The student will then be allowed to crush and play-doh and dismiss the
negative thought.
STEP 6: The student will then take 5 or 10 more minutes of free play to make
something new, fun, or funny out of what was previously a negative one.
The intervention could be adapted to continue along with the progress the student
is making week to week. The first week could include the discussion of the
acknowledgment and discussion of thoughts. The next week could dive into a
deeper discussion of how our thoughts affect our feelings, and the following week
could be the connection between our feelings and our actions. The intervention
could progress as the student may feel compelled to create different things with
the clay as the weeks go on. The goal would then grow as the student’s capability to
grasp the concept grows. For students with special needs, the intervention could be
simplified to feelings as opposed to thoughts. As one student may want to
create a house because that is where he feels unsafe, students with specific needs
may want to create simple shapes that make them feel happy, sad, etc. The
intervention in and of itself is pretty basic and can work for many different
populations and across differences.
Data Collection Handouts and Processes:
One handout that will be included is a simple explanation of the connection
between our thoughts and feelings that is explained in cognitive behavioral therapy.
The pre and post-test data that will be collected is the Beck Inventory Scale. This is
a scale that will help to see if the intervention is appropriate to help the student
deal with feelings of anxiety.
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Trauma Jar
Regan Murray
Introduction:
This trauma jar intervention is heavily based in Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)
and Art Therapy frameworks. This intervention utilizes a creative approach to
better allow the client to process the traumatic event(s) and visualize both positive
and negative changes the client has experienced. The trauma jar is similar to the
LifeLine used in Narrative Exposure Therapy. The jar will be utilized after the client
has completed a trauma narrative. After completing the narrative, the therapist and
client will utilize the jar to create a tangible representation of the client’s
experiences, emotions, and progress. The purpose of this intervention is to serve
as a way to facilitate a conversation with the client about their trauma and aid them
in processing the experience by utilizing NET techniques in a creative format. The
goals and objectives include assisting the client in reframing the traumatic
experience, visualizing the client’s increased awareness of coping skills, and
providing a tangible object to remind the client of their progress and the
experiences they have overcome.
Materials Needed:
● Empty jar
● Ribbons (several colors)
● Marbles (several colors)
● Beads (several colors)
● Rocks or stones
Method:
Step 1: The therapist will provide psychoeducation about Narrative Exposure
Therapy, Art Therapy, and the impacts trauma has on the body and brain. The
therapist will explain the trauma jar intervention and obtain consent. The therapist
should also discuss avoidance as a factor that maintains PTSD symptoms. The
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therapist should also conduct an assessment of PTSD symptoms for monitoring
purposes.
Step 2: This step may take several sessions. The main objective of the therapist in
this step is to aid the client in creating a trauma narrative surrounding events the
client has experienced. Throughout this process, the therapist should aid the client
in identifying hot (sensory information, emotions, cognitions, physiological feeling)
and cold (facts, context) memories. The therapist must also work to confront
avoidance during the creation of the trauma narrative. The therapist may also work
with the client to develop coping skills and grounding techniques.
Step 3: In this step, the therapist and client should review the completed trauma
narrative. The therapist should be prepared with all necessary materials, including
pieces of pre-cut ribbon in each color. This narrative should be used as a template
for the trauma jar.
Step 3A: The client will place rocks in the jar to represent the traumatic experiences
discussed in the trauma narrative.
Step 3B: The therapist will work with the client to identify key emotions related to
the traumatic event as well as emotions the client is currently experiencing such as
shame, guilt, fear, sadness, acceptance, peace, happiness, etc. and associate these
feelings with a specific color of ribbon. The client will place various amounts of
each color of ribbon depending on how strongly the emotion is felt.
Step 3C: The therapist will facilitate a conversation about coping strategies the
client has developed and associate these with different colored marbles to be
placed in the jar.
Step 3D: The therapist will facilitate a conversation with the client about any
positive changes the client has experienced as well as their hopes for the future.
The client will associate these experiences with beads and place them into the jar.
The client and therapist should discuss any progress or aspirations in detail as the
client is filling the jar.
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Step 4: The therapist will administer an assessment of PTSD symptoms to monitor
progress. The therapist and client will discuss continuation of services or discharge.
Adaptations:
For therapists who provide services in areas with less resources, adaptations can be
made to make the intervention more affordable. Instead of using ribbons, the
therapist can cut pieces of computer paper and use markers, crayons, or colored
pencils to represent different emotions. The therapist can also recycle jars from
their home or office to avoid having to purchase a jar. The therapist could also
create a box out of paper if a jar is not readily available. The therapist can choose to
simplify the steps by cutting out certain items such as items that represent hot and
cold memories, or make the jar more complex by adding additional items to
represent positive experiences since the traumatic event depending on the client’s
age and intellectual ability. If the therapist does not have access to any of the
required materials, the client and therapist could create a computer simulated
version of the trauma jar on Microsoft Word or a similar program. This intervention
can also be adjusted to focus on symptoms such as depression or anxiety even if a
client does not have a trauma history.
Monitoring Client Progress:
As previously stated, a pre- and post-assessment to measure the client’s PTSD
symptoms should be completed using the Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS).
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Promoting Self-Care
Amanda Summey
Self-care has long been pushed aside in a society that is known for rewarding the
busy and exhaustion is seen as a status sign. Research continues to show that
self-care and mindfulness are beneficial for children, adolescents, and adults alike.
The goal of this intervention is to complete a self-care goal once a day. Research
shows that once a person starts with self-care, they can focus more, have better
grades, and feel better overall. Meeting one goal a day for 30 days sets the pace.
Materials Needed:
● Construction paper
● Glue
● Markers/crayons
● Printable calendars
● Scissors
● Computer and/or
smartphone
Description of How To Do
Technique:
Step 1: Give
students/clients the paper, glue, markers, etc. For younger children, give
pre-printed items. Ask them to fill in what they consider self-care items on each
day. Allow them to come up with their own ideas or lead by some examples to get
them started. Challenge them to use things they have not used before.
Step 2: Use the calendar over the next month to lead group/individual therapy as a
guide.
Step 3: Ask students/clients to complete a survey through their phone or
computer.
Step 4: Review data and adjust accordingly.
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For younger children, use pre-printed self-care items and let students cut and glue
onto pre-printed calendars. Older children could use an app on their phone, hand
write, or type on calendars. This could be a short session before class, an
after-school club, or even an intervention for students in disciplinary outs, like ISS
or detention. The same examples could be printed in different languages as well, in
order to include children whose first language is not English.
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SuperMask
Ashlie Seibers
Adapted From:
This intervention is adapted from the TF-CBT model and introduces the addition
of masks into the therapeutic process. This small addition is a great way for
children process feelings and emotions and are grounded in trauma theory.
Utilizing masks allows the child to process trauma narratives in a less
threatening way by having control over how
they tell the story and who is telling
the story.
Materials Needed:
● Crayons/Colored Pencils
● Paper/Construction Paper
● String
● Scissors
● Hole Punch
For this intervention the child/clinician will need to identify a trauma memory
for the child to process.
STEP 1: The child will take two sheets of paper and draw a self-portrait on one
piece of paper and their favorite superhero on the other piece of paper. The child
will make a mask out of each piece of paper by cutting out eye holes, a nose
hole, mouth hole, and added string around each side.
STEP 2: At the beginning of each session, the child will be asked which mask
they would like to wear it to process their trauma memory.
STEP 3: The child will utilize the self-portrait mask to tell their trauma
memories in first person and their superhero mask to tell their trauma memories in
third person.
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STEP 4: While wearing their superhero mask the clinician is able to help guide the
child into reframing their thought processes. The clinician can help guide the
child through this intervention by verbally prompting them to switch masks if
one or the other seems to be overwhelming the child’s ability to process.
This technique could be adapted for older children by replacing a superhero with
the “strongest person” they know. It could be adapted for children with
disabilities by having the clinician assist with drawing/assembling the masks.
For children with sensory processing disorders it could be adapted by having the
children point to the mask without placing it over their face.
This intervention will be tracked by utilizing a trauma symptom scoring scale to be
completed monthly to determine if the intervention is effective. We should see a
decrease in trauma symptom scoring at the resolution of the intervention.
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Create Your Own Balance Scale
Morgan Scott
This intervention can serve as a way for students to become more self-aware by
identifying causes of their distress versus contentment in a simple, creative way.
Through the creation of their own balance scale, students will practice motivational
enhancement by weighing out pros and cons, as well as communicating to
themselves and their partners the way they scale aspects of their life. Creative art
therapy can be practiced through a plethora of mediums. The objective of art
therapy in school is to facilitate alternative ways for students to express and
understand their emotions. As Art Therapist Marygrace Berberian, LCSW shares
“Art therapy can help students organize the chaos of their internal worlds and their
often less than favorable realities. The symbolic images that are generated allow
students a capacity to express feelings and ideas regarding psychological conflicts
and life experiences that are too emotionally loaded for verbal communication.”
Materials Needed:
● Coat hangers (wire or plastic)
● 2 plastic cups
● 5 small and 5 medium/large (10 total) of one of the
following: Stones (small and medium) or marbles
(regular and shooters) or dimes and quarters
● String
● Tape
● Pens/Markers
Step one: Have students break up into small groups of 2-5 students.
Step two: Have students draw a two-column space on their paper with the left
column representing things distress, cons, unhappiness and the right-side column
representing contentment, happiness, pros.
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Step three: Ask students to wait to share any info written down and begin to create
their balance scale by taking one hanger, tying one string on both the left and right
sides, label cups with pro and con (or whatever verbiage student chooses) attach an
open cup to each side.
Step four: Ask the students to take turns hanging and demonstrating their list to
their small group by choosing one item represented by one stone (small or medium)
depending on how big the factor is in their life. Go through the whole list and see
how their scale balances.
Example: I might choose a med/large stone to represent a con/distress of losing a
loved one and a medium stone to represent excitement about a new friend as a
pro/contentment.
This practice of creating your own balance scale helps teach purposeful action,
self-awareness of distress vs. contentment/happiness and motivational
enhancement.
This could be adapted by making it a class creation which would require less
individual instruction and less materials. Having this be a group project led by the
teacher might be a better option for students with special needs. All students could
contribute, verbally, written or selected from options, one pro and one con on
scrap paper, noting how they scale the importance (small-med-large) and the
instructor could gather all input place into a bowl and randomly withdraw and then
proceed to discuss the feedback while adding the representing stone to the
designated cup on the scales.
For art therapy in schools, including this project of creative art therapy, the use of
the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) provides a theoretical model for
art-based assessment for art therapy. There are three levels involved in ETC:
Kinesthetic/Sensory, Perceptual/Affective, and Cognitive/Symbolic. These three
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levels are intended to reflect various functions and structures of the brain. Using
this the ETC can help an art therapist determine how a student is processing
information through the different levels of ETC.
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Social Stories
Victoria Sumrell
This intervention is helpful in teaching social skills to children that lack it. A social
story is a description of different social situations that include the social cues and
different appropriate responses. This intervention is based on different social
situations that students can find themselves in.
Materials Needed:
● Markers
● Pens
● Color Pencils
● Large flash cards
STEP 1: The child will make social stories specific to the social skills that they need
to work on. The child will work with their teacher in order to make these.
STEP 2: The child will use direct instruction; following the social stories that were
made.
STEP 3: Once step 2 is accomplished, the child will move onto using a role play
scenario with their teacher using what they learned from the previous step.
STEP 4: Once step 3 is accomplished, the child will be observed using what they had
learned previously. The teacher will observe the child in a social environment to see
if they will use the social skills they have learned.
This can be adapted to each individual child depending on the social situations they
find themselves in more. This can also be adapted depending on the age of the child
when using these cards. The individual students will help their teacher in making
these cards. The end result would be the teacher using these cards with each
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individual student and helping them to understand social cues and how to act in
social situations.
For this assignment, an assessment of progression will be used in order to
determine where the student began and ends using social stories. We should see an
increase in students using social skills that they learned from using social stories. A
student would first use direct instruction such as looking at the pictures and
reading the story. Once a student gets a hold of that it would move towards role
playing with the teacher. The teacher would use guided practice and then move
onto observation. The teacher would observe the student interacting with a peer
using the skill.
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Self-Affirmation Collage
Allison Larsen
Self-affirmations can be described as positive, influencing awareness of one’s self.
Studies below can confirm that using self-affirmations can not only decrease stress
and anxiety, but they can also increase self-awareness and confidence.
Purpose: Using the self-affirmation theory, this intervention can be used to
increase positivity as a coping skill and transform a student's baseline from negative
to positive.
Goal: To increase self-awareness, self-confidence, and positivity.
Objective: Use positive affirmations to increase self-awareness, self-confidence,
and positivity.
Materials Needed:
● Poster board
● Multi-color construction paper
● Magazines
● Scissors
● Markers
● Glue
Description:
STEP 1: Students should be asked to describe themselves in 5 words.
STEP 2: Each student will need a poster board and access to the rest of the
materials.
STEP 3: Students should use the magazines and scissors to cut out positive words
that describe themselves, future goals, or pictures of things that make them happy.
STEP 4: Students will then decorate their poster board by gluing the images they
cut out.
STEP 5: Students will then share their collages and explain what the words or
pictures mean to them.
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Suggestions for adaptations:
Instructor could bring in pre-cut words/ phrases/ images.
If magazines and scissors are not attainable, students could write words/ phrases
on the poster board and draw things that make them happy.
I have included the Perceived Stress Scale to calculate a current baseline of the
student’s stress level. Upon completion of the program, the PSS score would ideally
decrease.
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New Growth
Kandra Preston
My intervention is an art therapy activity. The purpose of this intervention is to
allow the client to reflect on his or her problems and possibilities in an alternative
way because some clients are more productive through art than traditional talk
therapy. The goal of the intervention is to explore and celebrate strengths and
invite the idea of ability to change. The objectives of the intervention are to explore
life's purpose and meaning, allow the client to recognize what they actually feel
compared to what they share with others to open up healthy communication and
boundaries, and to allow the client to realize how they truly feel and that these
feelings are always acceptable. This intervention is grounded in the PERMA theory.
This theory has the building blocks of Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships,
Meaning, and Accomplishment. PERMA is a type of Positive Psychology. The goal of
this theory is to understand happiness and it was designed by Martin Seligman.
Needed materials:
● Small, plastic flower pots
● Potting soil
● Spade
● Easy, fast growing seeds
● School glue
● Magazine/newspaper clippings
● Sharpies
● Pretty decorations to glue on (jewels, glitter glue, etc.)
● Scissors
Step-by-Step Directions:
Step 1: Set up a table with flowerpots, school glue, decorations,
magazines/newspaper clippings, scissors, and sharpies before the clients enter the
room.
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Step 2: Have a discussion with the clients about self-view and world view. Talk
about how everyone shows the world what they want them to see and that there
are certain things people keep to themselves. Ask why people hide things from the
world and get the clients responses.
Step 3: Tell the clients they are going to do an activity based on the discussion and
ask each client to get a flowerpot from the table.
Step 4: Explain to the clients that you want them to use the rest of the supplies on
the table to decorate their flowerpots. Explain that they are to decorate the outside
of the pot with how they think the world sees them. They are to decorate the inside
of the pot with how they see themselves (inner self). Tell the clients to go pick out
what they want to use to decorate their flowerpot.
Step 5: Give the clients time to decorate their pots. This normally takes 20-30
minutes.
Step 6: Give clients an opportunity to explain what their flowerpot means to them.
Ask them what is on the outside and then what is on the inside. Ask them what this
means to them.
Step 7: Get out the soil and seeds. Ask each client to come up one at a time to
receive soil and seeds. Fill each client’s flowerpot with soil and give them 3-5 seeds
to stick into the soil. Ask the client to go water their soil if water is available.
Step 8: Talk to the clients about how new growth will grow out of the inside of the
pot if it is watered and put in sunlight. Relate this to the client’s life. Discuss how
the clients can have new growth in their lives if they take care of themselves, work
their program, process through their trauma in therapy, etc. You can pick one of
these options or discuss more than one if it applies. Inform them that they can
change any of the views they put on the pot that they do not like.
Step 9: Ask the client to place their flowerpot in their window and water it
whenever the soil gets dry.
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If you implement this intervention in a residential facility, you can help the clients
transplant their flowers into the ground outside in an allocated spot when they
become too big for their pots.
If you implement this project with special needs and/or small children, you may
want to add or replace the newspaper clippings, scissors, and magazines with paint
and paintbrushes. If you use paint you will also need cups, water, and paper towels.
You may also want to simplify the language when explaining how to decorate the
pot. Ask them to use words and/or paintings/drawings to describe what they think
about themselves inside the pot. Have a discussion about what this means and help
them come up with examples. They can even just paint themselves inside the pot if
they want. Ask them to decorate the outside of the pot with paintings, drawings, or
words of how other people see them. Again, help them come up with examples (i.e.
sister, brother, little big, a reader, a hunter, youtuber, video gamer, etc.). Also
simplify the initial discussion and explain that sometimes how we see ourselves and
how others see us can be different and explain how we want to talk about that
today. At the end, explain how if they take care of themselves and do what they are
supposed to do (bathe, do their homework, follow the rules, clean up after
themselves, etc.) they can grow up to be anything they want, just like the flower
grows from the seeds to become a flower because it is watered and taken care of.
After completing this intervention, it is important to hand out a reflective writing

post-test handout for the client to fill out and return before leaving asking these
questions:
1. Describe the inside and outside of your flowerpot. How are they similar?
How are they different?
2. How does the outside and the inside of the flowerpot relate to each other?
3. What have you learned about yourself from this project?
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Painted Through Feelings
Katherine Barber
Intervention:
This intervention is meant to allow students to express or release unwanted
feelings they may have bottled up through expressive art. Students will be able to
choose colors that they feel represent their current unwanted feeling and put them
on a canvas anyway they want. Students will then cover up the unwanted colors
they placed on a canvas with colors they also picked that represent happiness and
calming and will paint that over the colors already on the canvas. By the end of the
intervention students should feel better after letting go of their feelings and visibly
see the art they created.
Materials Needed:
● Paint
● Canvas
● Portable speaker or a way to play music
● Paint Brushes
● Room for painting
● Cleaning up materials
● Paint Aprons
● Music from different genres and decade that is age appropriate for children
Steps for Intervention:
Step 1: The student will pick four colors out of all the paint that is in a bin. The
student will pick two colors that represent unwanted feelings (anger, depression,
anxiety, etc.), and then two colors that represent happiness or calm.
Step 2: The student will pick out music that has been preapproved that they would
like to listen to while they paint.
Step 3: Students will then get set up with their canvas and paint brushes and get
ready to start the intervention.
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Step 4: The student will close their eyes as the music is playing and will be asked to
spend 2 – 5 minutes painting the canvas anyway he wants (still eyes closed) with the
unwanted feeling colors. The students will be asked to think about things
happening in their life they are not happy about or feel unsafe about.
Step 5: The students will then open their eyes and begin to paint over the paint on
the canvas already from the unwanted feelings. While the students are painting,
they are asked to think about things that make them happy and they can paint
anyway they want.
Step 6: The students will then be asked to clean up their paint and brushes and have
a talk out session about what they painted and how they felt. Students will be asked
to share what they want to share about what they were thinking about their
unwanted feelings. Students will then share what they thought about when they
painted with their happy colors.
Once the canvas is dried students can take the painting home to have or they will
be asked if they can hang in the school somewhere. Also, the music that the
students pick will play throughout the whole time of painting.
If students are unable to hear the music that is supposed to be playing during the
intervention, a calming video or possibly a wind machine that can represent some
type of calming setting for the student to ensure that there is a calming area for
them to paint. Also, if paint is not an option students can use crayons, stickers, or
even markers. The key is to have the student put their feelings on the canvas and
cover them up with good things that make a beautiful piece of work. Also, if music is
not available playing white noise and or calming sounds from YouTube or a phone
could be another option to create a calming area.
To collect data on this intervention the students will have a pretest and a posttest
after their session to analyze the effect of the intervention on their emotions. I have
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created the following assessment that would gather the data. The goal is to show
children a way to work through unwanted emotions and that they are in a better
state after the class than they were before.
Painted Through Feelings Pretest

Please answer the following questions using the following scale:
1 = No, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Yes
1. I have feelings (depression, anxiety, anger, etc.) that I do not know how to
handle.
2. I can tell when I am starting to feel upset.
3. I have activities or coping skills that I know to use when I get upset.
Painted Through Feelings Posttest

Please answer the following questions using the following scale:
1 = No, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Yes
1. I felt like I was able to let go of unwanted feelings when I painted.
2. I feel I can use this class as a way to work through my unwanted feelings.
3. I feel better after class than I did before.
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Play Therapy
Samantha DiPeri
This intervention is a great way to assist clients with describing and processing
their feelings and emotions in a playful way. Play therapy allows children to express
their feelings better, gain new skills, and reduce certain behavior. Through a variety
of play therapy activities, the client can express their feelings and emotions with
the social worker. Play therapy is meant to help someone solve problems, work with
their emotions/feelings, relationships, etc. Some of the most challenging problems
a child faces are worked on through play therapy. Children can develop coping skills
to help them with the specific difficulties they are facing. All ages benefit from play
therapy, but more targeted for ages 3-12. Although the child works on play therapy
with the social worker, it can also be worked on at home. When families work
together it allows one to heal faster, which creates a better
relationship. The social worker will communicate with the
parent regularly to evaluate the progress.
Materials NeededL
● Paper
● 2 figurines
● Dice
● Music
For this intervention, the client will be asked to share when they felt a certain
feeling and explain the situation.
STEP 1: Client will roll the dice and move their figure to the spot, and then read
what the spot says.
STEP 2: Once the statement has been read, the client will respond and explain the
answer in more detail.
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STEP 3: After the client responds with their answer, the clinician will discuss that all
feelings are okay and talk with the client about coping skills.
STEP 4: The client and clinician will work together to create a list of helpful coping
skills that the client can use.
This could be adapted for students with special needs by changing the
questions/statements if they are having a difficult time responding to the
feelings/emotions. Additionally, this could be adapted into a group discussion and
allow the students to discuss among themselves. Once they talk in groups, the
clinician can have a whole group discussion to discuss different ways to deal with
big emotions or feelings.
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Music For All: Music Therapy Sessions
Destiny Rae Riggins
Intervention:
The CBT-Music Therapy group will be a 12-week design, once weekly intervention.
The purpose of this intervention is to aid in alleviation of symptoms of anxiety,
aggression, and depression in students in an educational setting, utilizing a
trauma-informed lens. The goal of this intervention is to provide cognitive
behavioral education and techniques to students who are experiencing symptoms
of depression, anxiety, or aggressive behaviors. There are three primary objectives
of this intervention in order to achieve the goal and purpose of the intervention.
The first objective is for students/group members to be able to identify the
emotions that they are feeling and to understand what each emotion means. The
second objective is for students/group members to be able to identify and list their
triggers for the negative emotions that they are feeling. The third objective is for
students/group members to be able to utilize self-identified coping mechanisms to
use in times where their symptoms are occurring.
Materials Needed:
● iPad or tablet device
● Apps for iPad/tablet: Apple music, spa music, insight timer, garage band,
iSequences, etc.
● Bluetooth speaker
● Visual and/or written schedule
● Instruments (piano, drumsticks, guitar, etc)
● Pens
● Paper
● Whiteboard
● Markers
How To Use The Intervention:
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For this intervention, students will be required to identify their emotions, triggers
to their emotions, and coping strategies. The group will last 45 minutes and will
alternate between CBT education and music therapy. Group members will be able
to identify their emotions and process what triggers these emotions. Group
members will be able to identify a coping skill that would be useful to them.
Step 1: Students will be asked to identify the emotion they are feeling in one to two
(1-2) words and write it down on the white board. (5 minutes)
Step 2: The facilitator will utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to explain thought
patterns or situations that cause a certain emotion. (5 minutes)
Step 3: As a group, the students will sing two (2) songs that are relevant to the
emotion that is most prevalent on said day. Facilitator may play instruments or
music to go along with songs. (10 minutes)
Step 4: Facilitator will discuss coping strategies for emotions and will have students
write down one (1) coping strategy of their choosing on the white board that they
would be able/willing to use. (10 minutes)
Step 5: Alternating each week, the group will now spend 10 minutes practicing
mindfulness by closing their eyes and focusing on their breathing with meditative
music playing (or) the group will now spend 10 minutes creating their own rhythm
using drumsticks or other hand instruments. The facilitator will begin, and each
student/group member will join in along with their own beat until all members are
playing (drumsticks can be used on the floor or on the ground if outside).
Step 6: Wrap-up will include having each student write their current emotion on
the white board and giving a ‘homework assignment’ of having each member write a
verse about their emotions before the next group or give specific handouts of
coping skills or other relevant skills to practice. (5 minutes)
Suggested Adaptations to Meet All Needs:
Adaptations for this group would include different age ranges in separate groups,
such as ages 6-12 and ages 13-18 being in different groups. Specifically, students
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that have developmental or cognitive difficulties may be adapted into a different
age group to better assist their developmental level. In severe scenarios, the
facilitator may utilize a student aid or co-facilitator to better assist severe
behaviors or needs of a student(s).
Adaptations for this group in context of culture would be incorporating
music/songs from various cultures and origin each week. Specifically, the students
will have a variety of genres, meditations, etc. throughout the music therapy
sessions.
In the music therapy intervention, a pre and post assessment on student/group
members’ levels of depression and anxiety will be conducted utilizing the PHQ-9
depression scale and the GAD-7 anxiety scale. The PHQ-9 Depression Scale and
GAD-7 Scale that is to be used is attached below.
In the initial and discharge of treatment, assignments will be issued to evaluate
objectives being met, such as the ability to identify emotions, triggers/stressors,
and coping skills. There is an attached example of a handout given below.
Students/group members progress will be monitored throughout the sessions by
implementing students to identify their emotions at the beginning and finishing of
each treatment group.
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Trauma Collage
Megan Cochran
Description:
Using art to process trauma can help the client to feel relaxed and provides a
different outlet for the client to express their emotions they may struggle to
verbalize. Art allows them to express these emotions in a different way which can
make them easier to process. In this activity, the client will be choosing items to
place in their collage that represent their emotions related to their trauma. For
this, social workers can use this activity as an ice-breaker to gauge where the client
is emotionally and mentally regarding their traumatic experiences.
There is still a need for research regarding trauma treatment using art therapy, but
from the research that has been completed, the results are positive. Art therapy has
also shown positive outcomes when used for depression, anxiety, and other mental
disorders as well. According to one source, 30% of those suffering with PTSD do
not show positive results from evidence-based treatment such as Trauma-Focused
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
This means alternative treatments should continue to be researched and tested for
outcome and feasibility.
Materials Needed:
● Old magazines, newspapers, and/or books
● Card stock (multiple colors)
● Glue sticks
● Scissors (safety and adult)
● Markers/Pens
Step 1: Discuss the meaning of trauma and the emotions that can be involved
related to trauma. Explain that it’s important for the client to feel as if they are in a
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safe place when processing trauma. If at any point, the activity becomes too much,
it can be stopped.
Step 2: Have the client select a piece of card stock based on color.
Step 3: Provide the client with markers/pens, scissors, glue stick, and
magazines/newspaper/books.
Step 4: Encourage the client to choose at least 10 items from the available
magazines, newspapers, or books provided to add to their collage.
Step 5: While the client is working on the collage, the provider can carry on
conversation, play music, etc. Read the situation.
Step 6: Ask the client to write a word or short phrase they relate to each item on
the collage.
Step 7: Once the collage is complete, have the client explain what each item
represents regarding their trauma.
Step 8: When finished, ask the client how they feel at that moment. This helps
gauge the client’s emotional state when discussing the trauma.
Step 9: Be sure to ask if the client has any questions, thoughts, or concerns
regarding the activity.
Adaptations:
● Use appropriate scissors (safety or adult) depending on the age group you are
working with
● Adapt the activity for other issues or problems not trauma related
(depression, anxiety, anger, etc.)
● Allow the client to draw items for the collage
● For clients who cannot read or write, the provider will assist.
● Adjust the number of items chosen for the collage according to time,
development level, etc.
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Let’s Take a Road Trip (Projective Storytelling Technique)
Cameisha Mallory
This projective storytelling technique has been used to assist clients with feelings
of grief, loss, abandonment and will also, “evoke the unresolved issues and feelings
that these children bear as a heavy load each day of their lives,” (Crenshaw, 2005).
When children suffer the loss of a loved one, or other forms of grief, it can be hard,
in the beginning, for some to express their thoughts and feelings by simply
speaking with a clinician. Therefore, through expressive arts therapy, such as
storytelling, the child is able to articulate their feelings in a way that is “normal” for
them. Research has shown that, “A significant portion of young children will find
this very hard to do in words, but can make use of the clinical tools described
herein to express their feelings in ways that are natural for them,” (Crenshaw, 2005).
For instance, with this intervention, the client could express themselves by drawing
a car (or whatever form of transportation the client and clinician chooses to take
the journey in), creating a story, and making a story book. In this intervention, the
“road trip” is a metaphor for the journey through life. The client will be in charge of
all details of the road trip. For instance, the client decides what the car looks like,
who will drive the car, who they want to bring with them, where the trip leads, how
they felt the trip’s outcome was, etc.
Material Needed:
● Crayons
● Colored pencils
● Markers
● Pencils
● Magazines
● Scissors
● Glue
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● Stapler
Description of how to do technique:
Projective storytelling techniques are a great way to understand the thoughts and
feelings of children and adolescents that may be suffering from grief. This
intervention will allow the client to use the “road trip” to express their “life journey”
and important events of it. This intervention allows clients to also discuss
difficulties on the road trip. This will act as a metaphor of the difficulties they have
faced in their life. Storytelling allows clients to express their feelings of the loss of a
loved one and discuss how they feel this has impacted their life. This intervention
has been shown to help children who may have Childhood Traumatic Grief (CTG).
Step one: Clinicians will begin by asking clients to imagine they were going on a
road trip.
Step 2: The clinician will instruct client to think about the following questions:
● What type of car will you drive? ( is it small or big, does it go fast or slow, is it
expensive or more moderately priced)
● What will you bring with you on the road trip?
● How reliable is your car? (will it get you through to the end of the trip, does it
break down)
● Who will drive the car? (this will help better understand how they feel about
how much control they feel they have at this moment)
● Will your car be able to withstand bad weather? How confident are you that
your car will make it to the end?
● Who else will accompany you on the road trip?
● Who will be left behind?
● Will there be any stops along the way?
● Will there be issues that hinders the road trip?
● Where will the road trip end?
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Step 3: Once the clinician has asked the above questions, the client will then be
instructed to begin to draw the car they would like to have for their trip, along with
everything and everyone else they would like to bring with them.
Step 4: Read the following to client:
Now that you have begun to think about your road trip, I want you to pretend that
you are headed out of town, and you are packing the car getting ready to head out.
Think about what is needed for the trip, what would you bring with you? How many
people will you bring with you? Will there be anyone there that has traveled before?
What is needed to prepare for flat tires, traffic, bad weather? Now I want you to
close your eyes and take three deep breaths so you can relax. Now think about the
road trip and all the exciting things that you will be able to do with those who you
choose to come with you. Think about the difficulties of your road trip and how you
will overcome them.
Step 5: The clinician will then tell the client to create a story about the road trip.
(remind the client to give the story a beginning, middle and end)
Step 6: Client will make a story book depicting their road trip story using needed
materials discussed above and present it to the clinician.
Step 7: Follow-Up to the Story
The clinician will ask the following questions:
1. What is the name of the story?
2. How do you feel about the road trip?
3. Did the road trip make you happy or sad? Why?
4. Would you take a different route next time?
5. What is something we can learn from the road trip
6. Do you feel like your road trip friends helped you through the road trip?
Discussion:
This intervention should evoke feelings in the child that will allow the child and
clinician to begin discussing the feelings they have regarding the loss of someone
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close. While writing their story, the child makes the decision of who is left behind
and what their “life journey” looks like to them. With the loss of a loved one,
children can be scared and not know what the rest of life holds for them. The
metaphors in the storytelling technique will act as insight to their thoughts and
feelings.
Suggestions for adapting the Technique:
This projective storytelling technique could be adapted for children and
adolescents dealing with other traumatic events in their life. Clinicians can do this
by changing the type of “journey or trip” as well as by asking a different set of
questions that could help evoke the emotions, thoughts, and feelings of the child.
This intervention could also be adapted for those with different mental disorders
such as PTSD due to traumatic events that have occurred in their life. The
intervention that I adapted mine from is usually used for ages 9-12, however by
adjusting the story, and questions to make them appropriate for an older
developmental stage can occur. This technique can also be adapted for group
therapy work for children and adolescents dealing with grief.
For data collection, clients will take a pre and post Traumatic Grief inventory. This
inventory has been known to assess, “traumatic grief which involves a cluster of
symptoms, such as emotional numbing, re-experiencing and avoidance, which are
similar too but not the same as the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder –
PTSD,” (Prigerson, Shear et al. 1999). There are other measures that a clinician can
take based on the needs that are shown by the client. An example of additional
measure is: The Modified version of the Adult Inventory of Complicated Grief-
Revised.
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Kinetic Sand Therapy Activity
Meg Roberts
This intervention will help clients with posttraumatic stress disorder, by allowing
them to express their thoughts and emotions nonverbally. Clients will create a
three-dimensional picture in the sand with play toy materials. The client may use
any play material that they desire to use. The client is invited to place the play
materials into the sand, moving any of the objects and sand until they feel it is right.
This will allow the invisible to become visible. The client may be able to see their
fears and troubles from the past that have traumatized them inside and it will allow
them to look this fear straight on.
Materials Needed:
● Kinetic Sand (Different colors, amounts)
● Box or small table
● Plastic play materials (Such as animals,
houses, people, trees, flowers, etc.)
● Water
Step One: Advise clients to gather any materials that they would like.
Step Two: Instruct client to put play materials anywhere on the table/box with the
sand. They may put the play materials on the sides, in the middle, on the edges.
Step Three: Client is free to construct the scene exactly how they wish. Suggest the
client make a picture in the sand.
The idea behind this therapy is that if the therapist has created a supportive
environment, the client can use the sand play to work out and even solve issues on
their own account. For this reason, this activity could be adapted for an individual
setting or a group setting with multiple participants.
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For this assignment, a pre and post assessment on client’s level of stress using the
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for civilians (PCL-C) can be administered.
If sandplay therapy has worked, we will see a decrease in the severity score on the
PCL-C. A score of 45 to 85 is high severity, 30 to 44 is moderate to moderately high
severity, and 17 to 29 is some PTSD symptoms.
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F.I.T. Families
Allison Durham
Description:
F.I.T. Families is a whole family intervention designed to promote healthy eating
habits, prevent obesity, and foster positive family relationships. The F.I.T. acronym
stands for Fun, Intentional, and Trust. The overall goal of the program is to create
an intentional space where families can have fun exercising together, enjoy a
nutritious meal together and improve parent child relationships. The program runs
for 12 weeks with one session per week. The program can be held at a local
community center, church, school, etc. Families will meet once a week for 2 hours
in the evening. Each meeting will start with a group exercise class and conclude
with a healthy family meal. See research below for more information about the
benefits of regular family meals and working out together as a family.
Materials Needed:
● Food & Drinks
● Exercise equipment (optional)
● Chairs & Tables
● Plates, Napkins, Cups, Silverware
● Conversation Cards
● Pen & Paper (optional)
Program Description:
Step 1: Families will gather for the first meeting and the program leader will explain
the goal of the program and what families can expect each week. The goal is to
foster fun, intentional and trusting relationships between all family members by
engaging in physical activity and sharing healthy family meals together.
Step 2: Each meeting will start with a group wide exercise class that runs 30-45
mins. The exercise class can be any type of physical activity that is fun and gets
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families moving. The group leader can run the exercise portion of the meeting or
have an outside organization come in.
Step 3: After the exercise class, families will gather for family dinner. The food will
be provided by an outside agency like the Nashville Food Project or similar local
organization. The only requirement concerning the food is that it must be healthy
and nutritious. Group leaders will serve the families in a cafeteria style line. Families
are encouraged to sit together as a unit and age appropriate conversation starters
will be provided. Families are encouraged to engage in conversation as a family unit.
See examples of conversation starters below.
Step 4: After dinner, families will be given a group conversation topic to discuss.
Topics will vary depending on the group but possible examples are included below
(all examples are from thefamilydinnerproject.org/conversation):
● If you were a teacher and could teach your students anything at all, what
would you teach them?
● Name 3 things that are fun for you.
● Tell us about 2 things that you are grateful for today?
● If you could create a new tradition for our family, what would it be?
● How do you know when you can trust another person?
● What is the greatest song ever written?
● What are the qualities of a good friend?
Step 5: At the end of the group, have families pick a healthy meal that they plan to
cook together before the next group. If this is not a realistic goal for your group
members, have each family pick something that they will do together as a family
before the next group. Some examples are listed below:
● Go on a family walk
● Have 1 family meal together (does not have to be home cooked)
● Have a family game night
● Do something active together as a family
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● Attend a cultural event together or religious service (if applicable)
● Have a family movie night
Step 6: Families are encouraged to share their family goal with the entire group (if
they feel comfortable) and the group is dismissed.
Intervention Adaptations:
Culture is an extremely important part of family. Giving immigrant parents an
opportunity to share parts of their culture with their children is extremely
important. Doing research on the different cultures of your group members is
important when planning F.I.T. Families. Cultural food preferences will need to be
taken into consideration along with cultural family dynamics. You may need to
reach out to a local restaurant to provide culturally relevant food for the families.
Questions and activities will need to be specifically tailored to meet the cultural
needs of your group members.
Socioeconomic status is also important to consider when planning groups. What
are the family’s financial means? Do they struggle with food insecurity? If so, maybe
you send each family home with the ingredients to cook a culturally relevant dish.
Do they have the time and money to buy and prepare healthy meals? If not, you
need to consider what goals would be realistic and helpful to the family. Do they
know how to cook? If not, consider holding a family cooking class one week. What
hours do they work? You will need to plan a group at a time that works for the
family's schedules. The answer to these questions will help inform how you run
your group. The most important part of F.I.T. Families are designing a group that
meets the needs of your group members.
It is also important to consider the abilities of all group members when planning
the exercise portion of the group. How much physical activity are group members
able to engage in? Can you plan walking/running activities or do you need to plan
activities where someone can sit in a chair and throw a ball or do chair yoga
stretches? Once again, knowing your group members is key to planning and
running a successful group.
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Name That Feeling
Kendra Rutherford
Overview:
Music therapy is an evidence-based intervention that helps people to improve their
mental health and can help treat symptoms of depression such as anxiety and
insomnia. Some of the benefits of music therapy especially for children is that it
builds self-esteem and confidence as well as shows them other forms of
communication as well as self-expression (Craig, 2021). Music therapy comes in
various forms like singing, dancing, listening to music, writing songs, and discussing
music. (Wong, 2021). Music therapy is grounded in multiple interventions such as
behavioral therapy, humanistic therapy, and psychodynamic therapy.
In behavioral therapy, music can play a valuable role in the relaxation process which
in return helps the client to reach a relaxed state when anxiety-producing stimuli
are present (Wheeler, 1981). Another intervention that is intertwined with music
therapy, is humanistic therapy, specifically Gestalt therapy. Gestalt therapy
theorized that humans attempt to regulate themselves and we have an inherent
drive towards the need for satisfaction (Wheeler, 1981.). The Gestalt approach
increases the awareness of the presenting problem and music will facilitate this
awareness and help resolve the problems interfering with the client's ability to
experience self (Wheeler, 1981.)
With “Name that Feeling”, students will learn how to recognize the sound of music
as a prompt for different emotions.
Materials Needed:
● Music Playlist With a Sad Song, a Relaxing Song, an Upbeat Song, a Fast Song,
and an Angry Song.
● Paper
● Coloring Pencils and Crayons
● Speakers
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Instructions:
Give the students construction paper and have them retrieve their coloring
utensils.
Tell the students that they are going to draw what the music feels like.
Ask your students to come up with examples of how music makes them feel: “Does
an upbeat song make you feel happy or sad?”
This activity can be easily adapted to use in individual or group therapy sessions
since the activity itself isn’t affected by the number of participants. As for the
appropriateness of this activity for students with disabilities, the “Name That
Feeling” activity is something that those students could engage in as well. Studies
have shown that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder experience the same
benefits as students with ASD and encouraged music therapy is used as an
intervention tool for ASD children.
Additional Handouts/Information
In order to track the progress of the students, a child-friendly questionnaire was
created using pictures so that children could easily understand.
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Songwriting Club
Hallye Anglin
Songwriting Club will give clients an opportunity to create a meaningful piece of art
specific to them in order to challenge negative thoughts and assumptions, build
resilience and process emotions. This is a strengths-based, culturally responsive
intervention meant to meet clients where they are developmentally and mentally.
This intervention largely pulls from the Contextual Resilience Model that focuses on
protective factors and resources available to clients (Myers-Coffman et al, 2020 &
Fairchild & McFerran, 2019). Music plays an important role in many lives;
songwriting can give children and adolescents a different and healthy way to
express themselves and reflect on their experiences.
Materials Needed:
● Notebooks
● Pens/Pencils
● SoundTrap (free for
educators/students)
● Computers/tablets
Instructions:
Step 1: Rapport building and icebreakers; begin each session with a percussive and
breathing based grounding exercise (such as belly breathing with background
music).
Step 2: Clients will share a meaningful song and describe how it makes them feel,
what it means to them.
Step 3: Clients and facilitators will collaborate to write a song about a chosen
subject.
Step 4: Clients will identify a personal problem and goal to focus on.
Step 5: Clients will engage in psychoeducation about reframing thoughts and
challenging negative thoughts.
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Step 6: Clients will begin the songwriting process, sharing along the way to give and
receive feedback and process emotions.
Step 7: Sharing finished song and reflections.
This intervention can be adapted based on developmental stages by doing
two collaborative songs as opposed to having clients create their own songs after
the initial collaborative song. This would allow clients to work together and receive
more assistance from the facilitator if necessary. For this adaptation, the group
would determine a main idea for the song and a common goal. Clients can write
songs in their native language and utilize computer assisted language to complete a
song that is meaningful to them.
Progress Monitoring
Clients will complete the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale before the
intervention, after the fourth session of the intervention, and at the end of the
intervention to determine if the intervention has increased positive feelings and
thinking. The goal is to see an increase in their scores. Additional measures may be
included depending on client needs and goals.
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Body of Emotion
This intervention can help clients discuss and learn how our bodies react when we
have a specific emotion that is hard to cope with, so that individuals can detect the
signs and triggers, and take measures to begin to cope in a healthy way. This
activity was adapted from the book “104 Activities that build: Self esteem,
teamwork, communication, anger management, self-discovery, & coping skills.” by
Alanna Jones. The original activity is “Body of Anger” but adjusted to address all
emotions. The book discusses how different ways participating in games is
therapeutic by helping build relationships, help you feel better emotionally and
physically, and getting involved with other people (Jones, 1998). Using games and
activities as an alternative therapy tool can help clients grow emotionally into a
better person and help individuals look at their problems they’re dealing with in a
different perspective (Jones, 1998).
Materials needed:
● Markers/paint that can be used on fabric
● A life size doll/mannequin
● White t-shirt that can be written on
● Pants that can be written on
Description of How to do technique:
Step 1: Dress the mannequin in white t-shirt and pants.
Step 2: Ask clients to think of all the distinct ways their bodies react when they feel
an emotion they have trouble coping with (sad, fear, anger, worry etc.)
Step 3: Have the client write down on the mannequin the emotion triggers of the
body with markers where they apply. (For example: “rapid breathing” could be
written on the chest to represent lungs).
Step 4: after the client is finished writing on the mannequin, the client will then
discuss what they wrote with the therapist.
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Suggestions for Adapting the technique:
If the client was blind or visually impaired the activity could be adapted to them by:
verbally and thoroughly explaining the directions. If the client is visually impaired
using a magnifying glass could help. If the client is blind, then let them use their
hands to feel the different parts of the mannequin and being there to help them for
assistance. Writing/ typing out what the client wants to say and being able to stick
it on the mannequin may be able to assist them as well. This could be done in a
group activity as well as individually.
Data collection methods:
Using the discussion prompts that the book provided as pre and post assessments
would be a good way to collect data for the activity. The questions are as follows:
● How do you cope?
● Do you notice the different ways your body reacts when you have a strong
emotion?
● Why do you think our bodies react like they do?
● How can you use your body signals to help you cope with your emotions you
struggle with?
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Your Time Yoga With Interpretive Dancing
Kelsey Cardin
This intervention creates a space for clients and students to recognize they are in
control of their emotions while giving them the time to practice mindfulness within
the typical school day. By providing a time for guided and non-guided movements
and meditation prompts, students are able to recognize common emotions such as
anger, frustration, sadness, disappointment, and more that may be causing stress
resulting in poor relationships, slacking grades, and inadequate emotional response.
This intervention is based on expressive arts programming that uses theater and
acting in practice.
Materials Needed:
● Classroom or Open Space for Students
● Yoga Mats
● Music
● TV (optional)
● Music Speaker
● Computer (optional)
For this intervention the students/clients will be instructed to consider their most
difficult emotions of the week.
STEP 1: Students/clients must acknowledge their most stressful event or emotion
that has been troubling them this week with peers if desired and comfortable.
STEP 2: Once the emotion or event has been identified students/clients will take
their place on their mat for guided yoga from the social worker. This will
approximately take place for 15 minutes. Since students have identified an emotion
or event that is stressful, guided yoga will be utilized to reflect on this event or
feeling.
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STEP 3: Once guided yoga has been completed, each member of the group will have
the opportunity to perform an interpretive dance of their emotion/event chosen or
the emotion of overcoming their identified feeling. *Voluntary*
STEP 4: The social worker will provide each participant with the opportunity of up
to 2 minutes of interpretive dance.
STEP 4: After yoga and interpretive dancing is complete, the group of
students/clients will come back together to discuss how issues were overcome this
week, praise and offer support to peers, and discuss current levels of stress.
If I adapted this technique, I think I may give my group preparation considerations
for the following week, request their music interests to incorporate that into
interpretive dancing, allow for ample time to build vulnerability, and provide my
clients with emotional vocabulary before beginning deeper conversations to
enhance the discussion around feelings. Another concept may be to have a group
interpretive dance. For students with disabilities, interpretative dancing and yoga
could be replaced by art, poetry, or singing.
Like the example of the PSS, I have created a pre/post test to monitor clients’
overall feelings of their emotional regulation. This pre/post test will monitor mood
fluctuations within the time of attendance and the next session (week). *Post test
will be slightly altered.
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Assessment
The questions in this assessment will help identify stress, mood fluctuations, and
emotional regulation in the last week. In each case, you will be asked to rate how
often for the item.
Name:
Date:
0 = Never 1 = Rarely 2 = Sometimes 3 = Often 4 = Always
In the past week, how

often have you felt
stressed?
In the past week, how

often have you felt calm
and/or relaxed?
In the past week, have you

felt like you are in control
of your emotions?
In the past week, do you

think the skills you’ve
learned in yoga have
helped you to regulate
your emotions?
In the past week, have you

reflected on stressful
events or feelings?
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Circle of Relationships
Rebecca Smith
This intervention is a great way to assist a client in identifying and communicating
how relationships impact lives through drawing. This assignment has a client draw
a picture that represents different feelings they have about relationships or actions
within relationships. Drawing allows the client to process and think about how the
relationship plays a role in the client’s life. 5 questions are asked which include, In
box 1, draw a picture of the one thing you like doing the most with other people; In
box 2, draw a picture of something you dislike doing with other people, but must do
anyway; In box 3, draw something you have always wanted to do with another
person; Inbox 4, draw a picture of the most important people in your life.
Materials Needed:
● Paper/Worksheet
● Markers
● Coloring Pencils/Utensils
For this intervention the client is to answer each question by drawing a picture to
represent the relationship-based question. Words cannot be used in the drawings.
Step 1: The client is to receive the 5 questions and draw in each space provided
Step 2: Once completed the client is to present each drawing and discuss how the
drawings are represented in his or her life.
The drawings do not have to be perfect stick figures! The client will present each
question in the appropriate setting. The clinician is able to ask further questions for
clarification. If appropriate other peers can provide support or feedback once the
client has completed his presentation.
Suggestions for adaptations:
This project can be either in a group setting or one-on-one however the clinician
sees fit. Other mediums can be used like a white board, painting, and others. The
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utensils used should be age appropriate. It is important that the client has the space
to discuss the drawings.
For this assignment, a pre and post assessment would be provided to the student to
complete. The assessment asks questions to assess his willingness/ need for
support and relationships.
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Circle of Relationships
Step 1: Draw a circle and separate it into 4 sections with a smaller circle in the
middle.
Step 2: Draw a picture of the one thing you like doing the most with other people in
the first section.
Step 3: Draw a picture of something you dislike doing with other people but must
do anyway in the second section.
Step 4: Draw something you have always wanted to do with another person in the
third section.
Step 5: Draw a picture of the most important people in your life in the fourth
section.
Step 6: Draw a picture that represents your feelings towards other people right
now in the center circle.
0 = Never, 1 = Almost Never, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Fairly Often, 4 = Very Often
Please write the number that corresponds to your answer in the

box next to the question.
In the past month, have you felt safe enough to ask for help?
In the past month, have you communicated your feelings to a

friend?
In the past month, have you communicated your feelings to a family

member?
In the past month, have you communicated your feelings to a

trusted adult?
In the past month, have you done an activity that you enjoy?
In the past month, have you accomplished a task that you do not
enjoy?
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Tipping the Scale
Jon Hobbs
The Tipping the Scale intervention is an evidence-based intervention that
students of all ages can benefit from. It combines relationship building as well as
causes the student to critically think about their own feelings. It addresses
emotions in a way that is constructive and supports their autonomy, as prioritized
in the NASW Code of Ethics. This activity is also great at considering personal
privacy and reserve, while accurately identifying emotions the student is
experiencing at any given time.
The purpose of this intervention is to help
students regulate their emotions more effectively.
Another goal is for students to recognize the
responsibility they have to respond positively when
negative feelings arise. It can also provide clinicians,
parents, and teachers with information regarding
what the student may be experiencing in their life.
This intervention can be utilized at the beginning, middle, or end of the treatment
phases. The evidence-based practice that is cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is
being widely recognized as a groundbreaking intervention strategy. Self-regulation
of emotions has already been identified as a highly promising intervention strategy
(Murray, 2022). It promotes development among the students' broad wellbeing and
carries other immediate benefits of recognition (Murray, 2022). This intervention
strategy develops a student’s behavioral regulation as well as other cognitive and
emotional regulation techniques.
Index cards will have positive and negative emotions printed on them; or may
contain situational or relational cues. Some cards may bring a family member to
light in conversation, inquiring how that student feels about them. Situational cues
can range from significant dates, holidays, and other family events. Many factors
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will play into the role each interaction has between the student and social worker
as well. Trauma-focused communication is a necessity due to unexpected trauma
being potentially uncovered. Being patient and taking as much time as the student
needs can help build trust and show them that you care about their experience. If a
student identifies with a negative emotion that is over the score of five, then
additional follow-ups to define those emotions more clearly is necessary. They will
be encouraged to use their own words to describe in greater detail their
experiences surrounding the identified emotion.
Materials Needed:
● Index Cards
● Pen/Pencil
How to Use Intervention:
Step 1: On the construction paper, write a scale from 1 to 10. Communicate with the
student that this will be used to identify intensity of specific emotions.
Step 2: On the index cards, have students write emotions/situations/relationships
with family members. Anything that is affecting the student and them feel it is
necessary to write down.
Step 3: Next, have the student place the emotion on the scale. This is a crucial step
where the student has the opportunity to be vulnerable without communicating
specific details that may be uncomfortable to discuss.
Step 4: Invite the student to tell you more about each emotion, triggers, negative
coping skills, and positive coping skills. Make sure to communicate with a
trauma-informed lens at this stage due to the sensitivity of some subjects, and to
protect the vulnerability of the student.
Adaptations to Intervention:
Precautions can be taken to ensure that the student’s best interests are in mind, no
matter their status or background. For any student who has difficulty reading the
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index cards and correlating them with an emotion, we can offer a simplified
version. Identifying more basic emotions like being happy or sad and playing those
out in charade form. This can make the student feel engaged as well as provide
them with another avenue to receive aid. Other special needs can be met by this
intervention with a great amount of patience. Growth can still come from emotions
being acted out at any capacity which is why expressing emotions out loud can be
beneficial. This intervention is intended to be used with all age groups and cultural
contexts. Adaptations can also come from a group setting where multiple
individuals are engaged in expressing emotions about each other. With regulation
there can be immeasurable healing that can come from forgiveness and being
vulnerable with other students.
Data Collection Methods:
For this assignment, I have implemented a pre and post data collection assessment.
This data represents the progression of a student’s personal values materializing in
a way that motivates them to be better every day. At first, looking at the pre test
results we can see that the student is generally uninterested in answering the
questions altogether. After this intervention, however, this intervention strategy
has allowed students to see how they respond to their environment.
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“Click In, Click Out”
Amanda J. Walker
This intervention is to be used in school aged children to help with deciphering
feelings and emotions that they may not be able to articulate themselves. It is
based on the theory of expressive arts of photography mixed with the study of the
check in-check out intervention program. With this intervention, the child involved
will meet with the interventionist at the beginning of the school day. Through
taking pictures of objects in the room or outside (“clicking” in), the child will talk
about their feelings based on what they are taking pictures of. Is everything black
and dark? Red and angry? Bright and sunny? The student will then “click out” with
the interventionist at the end of the day by taking more pictures, to see how the
imagery of their feelings have changed. The hope is that focusing on their feelings
and focusing on the visual art therapy of photography, that it will give the student
something to focus on and be excited for that will deescalate the negative
classroom behaviors they are showing.
Materials Needed:
● Polaroid Camera (Preferred); Digital if
Polaroid is Unavailable.
● Weekly Feelings Chart
● Clothespins Glued on Feelings Chart
● Behavioral Check In/Out Scale
Assessment for Teachers
Description of How to Do Intervention
Technique:
For this intervention, the student will be asked to talk about their feelings at the
beginning and end of each day of school.
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STEP 1: Student meets with interventionist at the beginning of the school day and
takes 5 minutes to take instant polaroid pictures of something around the room or
outside that represents what they are feeling to the best of their ability.
STEP 2: Student hangs up picture under morning clip-chart for the day and talks
about what the picture means to them to the interventionist.
STEP 3: The student & interventionist talk about the student goals for the day.
STEP 4: When the student goes to class, the classroom teacher will be given a daily
behavioral assessment to fill out on the child throughout the day.
STEP 5: The student will bring the teacher’s behavioral assessment to the
interventionist at the end of the school day.
STEP 6: Students will take 5 minutes to take instant polaroid pictures around the
room or outside that represents what they are feeling to the best of their ability.
STEP 7: Student hangs up picture next to their morning picture on clip-chart for
the day and talks about what the picture means to them.
STEP 8: The interventionist and student will compare the pictures from the
morning and afternoon and talk about how/why they may have changed. They will
then compare with the scale that the teacher sent with the student and see how
they compare and discuss similarities/discrepancies.
Suggestions for Adjusting the Technique:
You could use a digital camera for the photos if a polaroid camera isn’t available for
the student. If the interventionist is able to print out the digital photograph, it
would be better and easier to have tangible and physical photos. The main goal is
to give the student the ability to understand their feelings through pictures and
give them an activity, such as photography, that they can grow to love and
appreciate through daily repetition. This technique can be used with students of all
ages, gaining more in depth photographs with the older students. For those who
may have a disability that affects their ability to hold the camera or move around to
objects effectively, the interventionist may take pictures for the student of what
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they are pointing out to them. They can focus on the details of the photograph and
their feelings when the polaroid is printed.
For this assignment, a daily behavior assessment will be provided by the student’s
teacher that gives their perception on the student’s behavior and emotions
throughout the day. The hope is that the daily photographs with the interventionist
will minimize negative classroom behaviors by no less than 20% at the end of the
intervention time. Intervention will be assessed at the 6 week, 10 week, and 15 week
marks to see effectiveness before continuing onto the next half of the school year.
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Behavior Clip Chart
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Morning (Place Photo (Place (Place Photo (Place (Place Photo

Photograph Here) Photo Here) Photo Here)
Here) Here)
Stated
Feelings
Afternoon (Place Photo (Place (Place Photo (Place (Place Photo

Photograph Here) Photo Here) Photo Here)
Here) Here)
Stated
Feelings
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Click In, Click Out Behavior Assessment
Name: Weekly Date:
Teacher: Week (Circle One): 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
(3 - On Target, Great Behavior; 2 - Needed to be Reminded, Average Behavior; 1 - Needs Work, Below Target)
Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Comments
Respectful to teachers
and classmates
On task and using time

appropriately
Staying in seat,
following directions
Able to express
feelings to teacher
instead of storming or
or exploding verbally
during class
Optimistic and positive

attitude observed
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Grief Ornament
Destiny Huling
This activity is a great way to assist grieving clients of all ages by helping them
describe and process their feelings and emotions in a less threatening way.
Through the steps of this activity, it invites the client to share thoughts, feelings,
and memories of someone who has passed away. This activity allows the client
space to process hard feelings while being able to be creative by creating a
memorable ornament that they can keep forever. This activity provides a safe space
for grieving children to express emotions tied to grief, allows a safe opportunity to
ask questions and explore their identity beyond grief. This intervention is inspired
by the effectiveness of creative arts therapy with
individuals experiencing grief and loss.
Materials Needed:
● 6 Different Colors of Ribbon
● Transparent Plastic Ornaments That Can
be Opened
● Strips of Colored Paper
● Paper Plates
● Shiny Supplies such as Glitter, Beads, Snowflakes, etc.
● Markers, Pens, or Colored Pencils
Step-by-Step Instructions:
For this activity, the client will need to identify who the person is that they have lost
Step 1: Choose at least 6 different colored ribbon and cut them into 5-inch
segments
Step 2: Talk with the client about different emotions they feel when
talking/thinking about the person they have lost. Make a list of the
emotions/feelings they have identified. This provides space for the client to vent
through the built-up emotions revolving around grief.
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Step 3: As you talk through the emotions, write them down on the paper plates and
assign a ribbon color to represent them. Place the assigned color ribbon segments
onto the properly labeled plates.
Step 4: Lay out the shiny supplies that were chosen on a paper plate labeled
memories.
Step 5: Allow the client space to reminisce and talk through memories.
Step 6: Allow the client to write down anything on the strips of paper. This could be
a message for the person, something they wished they would have told them, this
could be a picture drawn for the person or simply the person's name. This allows
creativity from the client to personalize this activity. This can be something they
talk through or keep to themselves. This step can be altered for each client.
Step 7: Start by putting all the colored ribbons in the ornament and acknowledging
the feelings attached to each color. Next, add the shiny materials (memories) and
the strip(s) of paper. Allow the client to share as much or as little as they are
comfortable with when adding these materials to the ornament.
Step 8: Seal the ornament closed.
This intervention can be adapted in many ways for all age groups. This activity can
be made simpler by reducing the number of colors/emotions to talk through for
younger children. This activity can be altered to explore feelings and emotions
more in depth with older children. This activity could be easily incorporated into
CBT with older kids who may be using CBT as an intervention. This activity can also
be adapted to a group project for a specific group of adolescents experiencing grief.
This activity could be adapted for foster children who may feel like they have lost
their biological parents and or family even though they are still alive. This activity
could also be used for clients who are struggling to express their emotions or
feelings as this provides a safe way for the therapist and client to talk through them
in a noninvasive way.
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For this assignment a pre and post mood and feelings questionnaire can be utilized
to gain insight on how this activity altered the student’s mood and feelings. We
should see a positive improvement in mood and or feelings after working through
this activity. This can be used to gain insight on how this grief activity affected the
client. Additional measures can be used based on client circumstances and needs
(depression scale, anxiety scales, etc). This questionnaire can be altered to best fit
the client and environment.
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Environmental Arts Club
Erin Ingram
This intervention is appropriate for all ages, is highly accessible, and can help
relieve stress, improve concentration and problem-solving skills, and increase
physical health (Oh et al., 2020). The benefits of nature-based therapies and art
therapies are well-documented and include both psychological and physiological
factors (Bessone, 2019). This type of intervention is especially beneficial to
individuals who are experiencing or have
experienced grief or trauma, as it has been
proven to ease symptoms of anxiety and
depression (Heginworth & Nash, 2019). Another
benefit of art therapy is that it allows for
non-verbal expression of memories and feelings
associated with post-traumatic stress (Schouten
et al., 2014). Using art and nature together therapeutically increases overall
well-being, while encouraging sustainability and good stewardship of the earth
through environmental education and creative reuse. This methodology is used
locally by Turnip Green Creative Reuse, a Nashville nonprofit that partners with
Metro Nashville Public Schools to provide school clubs and aftercare. This
programming includes science experiments, art projects, and education on creative
reuse (Turnip Green Creative Reuse).
Materials Needed:
Environmental art can be created with a variety of elements and is customizable to
the needs, interests, and surroundings of the participants. Here are a few examples
of materials that may be used for projects:
● Leaves, sticks, rocks, shells, flowers (anything found in nature)
● Plastic bottles, cardboard, bread ties (anything recyclable)
● Paint, pencils, paper (any art supplies available)
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Step-by-Step Process:
STEP 1: Group leader will create a calendar for weekly after-school sessions; each
session should be approximately one hour in length and include a short lesson or
reading on a topic and a related art activity, as well as space and time for
participants to regulate and process difficult emotions (this is especially important
for students who have experienced trauma or have cognitive or developmental
disabilities). Here are a few example sessions intended for the elementary age level,
which may be adapted for older or younger age groups and ability levels as needed
(Staake, 2021):
● a reading about nature accompanied by a project creating leaf-print
bookmarks
● a lesson on self-image accompanied by “self-portraits” made of tree bark,
flowers, etc.
● a field trip/reading/lesson on animal dwellings accompanied by creating
miniature houses with rocks, sticks, and other objects found in nature
● a lesson on recycling with an activity and/or art project using recycled
materials
STEP 2: Going through the proper channels within the school, the group leader
should set up the club and extend a survey to gauge interest in classes and create
separate groups for different age levels if possible.
STEP 4: Once group members are selected and the group is established, they should
administer the Perceived Stress Scale - Children (PSS-C) to participants to gauge
pre-intervention levels of various stress-related symptoms.
STEP 3: The group leader may ask participants to bring in supplies such as
recyclables or items from outside each week or gather the items beforehand and
bring them in for the group (weather and space permitting, the leader could start
the session by taking the group outside to gather the materials they will need).
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STEP 5: At the end of each session, students may bring home their project and
should be encouraged to share what they have learned with their families.
STEP 6: At the end of the program, the group leader should re-administer the
PSS-C to determine what, if any, outcomes on stress symptoms the group activities
had.
Special Needs Adaptations:
Lessons and projects can be tailored to the developmental and cognitive levels of
each group. If there is a high need for an increase in social-emotional learning,
those lessons may be incorporated into sessions as well (examples could include
mindfulness and nature-themed breathing exercises). If an after-school program is
not an option, this process would also be suitable for an art class, free community
event, or virtual series. The length and number of activities may be adjusted as
needed, and participants may use materials they find around their own yards and
houses, community centers, or other locations if activities take place outside of the
classroom.
Data Collection and Handouts:
The Perceived Stress Scale - Children (PSS-C) should be administered at the
beginning of the first session and at the conclusion of the program. Any decrease in
stress symptoms and/or increase in coping abilities are measured of success for
the intervention. Additionally, participants’ grades and behavior reports may be
assessed to gather more information and build a case for the continuation (and
potentially, funding) of the program.
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Movement Therapy Group
Evangeline Watanabe
The intervention:
This movement therapy group will take place once a week directly after school for
elementary aged children. Children will be referred from teachers and the school
counselors based on possible exposure to traumatic events. The process will mirror
that of the “Supporting Students Exposed to Trauma” program from the Center for
Resiliency, Hope, and Wellness in the way it initiates screening. Once we have
identified a specific event that the child and parent want to focus on, the child will
be invited into the group. Ideally the group will not be more than 5-7 students in
order to enable significant time for reflection and one on one work within the
group. Each week we will focus on expressing an emotion we feel through dance.
We will do that through individual dance and then choose an emotion to mirror
with partners. At the end of each session, we will play the song “Freedom” by Jon
Batiste and focus on releasing the emotions. We will do this through group
movement and deep breathing. It is through channeling their emotions in their
body and choosing how they are expressed that the children can experience
greater regulation and relief as they realize that they do not have to be controlled
by the emotion itself. The regularity of the end song and the group activity will
provide consistency and ritual for the children which in and of itself can be
reassuring and de-stressing.
Step 1: Identify with child and parent specific events or patterns of traumatic events
that are causing stress or depression. In an intake interview have the child take the
Child PTSD Symptom Scale for DSM-5. Go over the results with the participant and
parent. Identify a group of children to participate. Ideally, they will be similar in age.
Set a time to meet on a weekly basis.
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Step 2: Invite the children to participate. Ask them to find a spot in the room that
feels safe to them. Explain that whatever is said or experienced in group- stays in
group. Have everyone go around and share their name and have an “icebreaker”
question.
Step 3: Have each child identify an emotion that comes up when they think of the
traumatic event or stressors. Play background music and ask them to demonstrate
that feeling through movement.
Step 4: After doing individual dancing, then ask each child to partner up with
another. Ask one child to begin by expressing those same feelings again through
movement. Ask their partner to mirror or mimic their actions. Reverse the process.
Have them discuss what feeling they thought the other was trying to express.
Step 5: Ask each student to come back together. If they are willing, have them hold
hands or scarves to connect everyone together. Initially have them move into the
center of the circle together and back out while breathing in and out. The song
“Freedom” can then be played. Encourage the children to focus on releasing the
emotions that they focused on today by freely moving around the room.
Step 6: At the end of each session, allow if any child needs to discuss something
that came up to have a few minutes. If it is determined further counseling is
needed, set a follow up to have them meet with the school counselor or social
worker individually.
Suggestions for how to adapt technique:
This technique could be adapted for larger groups. There would be less one on one
discussion but there could still be beneficial group work through communal
movement. If someone is living with a physical disability that makes mobility
difficult they could also do any of the actions from a seated position. If someone has
been diagnosed with autism or has sensory sensitivities and the music or
movement is too overwhelming, it is possible to include the use of headphones
and/or have them facing a wall in a corner to reduce the stimuli.
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Data Collection process:
We will conduct pretests and posttests prior to treatment and after treatment. The
measurement tool that will be used is Child PTSD Symptom Scale for DSM-5
(CPSS-5). This measure was created by Edna B. Foa & Sandy Capaldi. We will use the
self-report scale.
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Moving and Grooving
Sara Fox
Moving and Grooving is an intervention developed for elementary age students who
have been identified as experiencing abuse at the hands of someone close to them.
This intervention will be a great way for young children to express their feelings
when they have found it difficult to voice their feelings. Moving and Grooving has
been adapted from Dance and Movement therapies. This intervention will allow for
students to express themselves by using body movement or/and props to express
their feelings.
Materials Needed:
● Scarves
● Music
Directions:
Step 1: Instruct children to stand up and pick a scarf from basket
Step 2: Instruct the children that when the music starts, they will start free dancing
with their scarves.
Step 3: Instruct children to stop where and how they are when the music stops.
Step 4: Bring children into a circle to dance with their scarves for the last song.
Step 5: Have a time of reflection asking questions such as:
A. Was the activity difficult, why or why not?
B. Was it hard to stop when the music stopped?
C. What was your favorite part of the activity and least favorite?
D. Anything you would change about the activity?
Suggestion for Adapting Intervention:
One adaptation that could be utilized is using different genres of music to
encompass all cultures of students participating in the group. Another adaptation
would be for children with disabilities who may not be able to reflect at the end of
the session. Instead of utilizing reflection to track progress, utilize observations of
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behaviors of these students. Dance and movement can be utilized to assist children
with disabilities emotion regulate by giving them an alternative way to express
emotions.
The following child trauma screening will be used as a pre and post questionnaire
for the intervention to determine where children are before treatment and after.
The assessment can be found by going to the link:
http://www.psid.org.au/Assets/Files/Child-Trauma-Screening-Questionnaire-for-
children.pdf
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Collage Art Therapy for LGBTQIA+ Youth
This intervention is designed to give LGBTQIA+ youth a way to explore their sexual
orientation, gender identity and gender expression in a safe and creative way. It can
open channels for discussion at the completion of the activity or during a future
session. Art therapy is an evidence-based practice used with many populations and
can be done in an individual session or in a group. If done in an individual session I
encourage the therapist or counselor to take part in the collage process as well
creating their own collage alongside the client.
Materials needed:
● Poster board or cardboard/paperboard (can be recycled cereal/product
boxes) approximately 8in x 11in (1 per client)
● Body outline template (see attached, 1 per client)
● Multiple magazines, catalogs, ads, other
media
● Scrapbook patterned and textured papers
for cutting or tearing
● Optional: Printed clip art, quotes (applicable
to age and interests of clients)
● Scissors (1 pair per client)
● Glue sticks (1 per client)
● Markers and pens
Prior to session:
Print and cut out body outline templates, 1 per client and ensure the media you
choose have a wide variety of images, words and well represent a wide range of
race, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, etc.
Description of the Process:
1. Provide the previously gathered materials for the collage process. Depending
on the size of the group one may have to have several piles of materials
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spread out across a table or room. Hand out scissors, glue sticks, backing
boards and printed body templates to each participant.
2. Explain that the participants are to create a representation of themselves
using the printed and cut out body template. Explain that they can create the
collage in any manner they wish using any of the provided materials. Remind
participants that the collage is personal to them and does not need to be
shared with anyone and that there is no right or wrong way to create the
representation.
3. Encourage the participants to spend a few moments thinking about how to
represent themselves. Ask them to think of feelings, colors, words, hobbies,
style, etc. that they feel describe themselves.
4. Depending on the age of clients one might want to show a completed
example or two of a collage using the body template.
5. Let the participants know what the time frame for the project is
(approximately 15 minutes should be provided). Let them know that they will
have an opportunity to share their collage at the end with the group if they
wish.
6. Give participants a warning as the end time is approaching approximately 5
minutes before they need to be done.
7. Offer the space for participants to share their collage with others in the
room if a group or with you if in an individual session. Remind the group
about confidentiality and any group agreements (one person talking at a
time, clapping, or snapping to acknowledge, supportive language, etc.) before
sharing begins.
Adaptations:
If working with younger children or people who may not have dexterity to use
scissors on their own one could precut a variety of images from magazines and
offer the opportunity to tear items that could be glued onto the template. In some
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circumstances one may need to sit next to a participant and have the participant
direct the therapist/counselor as to where to place the pieces on the collage.
If working with particularly traumatized individuals, you may want to have them
make an open-ended collage on blank paper and not use the body template as it
could be triggering to focus so directly on the image of the body.
Data Collection:
A variety of assessment tools could be used as pre and post-test measures
before and after this exercise depending on your client group. A self-esteem
measure is included below but one may also consider using a sense of self scale
(SOSS) or other life satisfaction scale or anxiety measure depending on the age and
issues of the clients you are working with.
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Color My World
Hilary Faulkner
This intervention is highly effective in assisting children as well as adults through
the process of self-exploration, coping with various disabilities, and management of
emotions. Through expressive coloring and using colors to express moods, you are
allowing individuals to express their inner artist, reduce stress, and bring a sense of
peace and calmness. This intervention is centered around expressing feelings
through colors.
Materials Needed:
● Large & small sheets of paper
● Colored pencils
● Crayons
● Specific coloring sheets
● Small boxes
Description of how to do technique:
For this intervention, the child will be
asked to talk about memories they have of the person that died.
STEP 1: Children will be asked to name one memory they have of the person they
lost and to draw and color a small picture of them.
STEP 2: They will then name three more memories they have of the deceased
person.
STEP 3: They will then draw and color pictures of each memory.
STEP 4: These memories will be placed in a small box, and they are asked to choose
a color they feel describes their feelings and color the box with that color.
Suggestions for adapting the technique:
This could be a group project where every child pulls out a piece of paper from
their box. They are asked to describe the memory. They could also talk about
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other’s memories and how it could relate to them. The end result should be a
compilation of all the memories they have of the person that died.
Data collection processes:
A pre and post-test measuring the child’s stress levels will be given to see how this
activity affects their stress. The child’s stress level should decrease after being able
to express themselves.
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Art Therapy
Bethany Lahmon
Intervention:
Purpose: The purpose of this intervention is
to allow participants to express and process
their thoughts and feelings through art. This
is done in a non-threatening manner.
Goal: The goal is for participants to feel safe.
Furthermore, this intervention will allow
creativity to help heal trauma. Participants
will look at what their life might look like without any stress,
negativity, problems, etc. and will be able to express their
feelings through art.
Objectives: This intervention is based on variations of art
therapy activities that are implemented frequently. When
creativity is used during trauma-care, it allows a separate part of the brain to
understand trauma. Incorporating various parts of the brain can result in less
stress, anxiety, and boost the overall mood of individuals.
Materials Needed:
● Plain white paper
● Pens
● Colorful writing utensils (crayons or colored pencils are preferred—colored
markers can be used if they are the only thing available—each participant
should receive red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, black, gray, and
brown colors)
● Computer or phone to complete surveys
● A space for participant(s) to draw (if desks or tables are not available, provide
each participant with a clipboard)
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● Optional: Calming music (classical or calm instrumental)
With adapted technique ONLY:
● Colored watercolor paint (one 8 colored case per participant)
How to Implement Intervention:
For this intervention, participants will be asked to answer the “Miracle Question”
(i.e. imagine the world and your life with no problems, trauma, issues, negativity,
etc.) through the use of art therapy.
STEP 1: Participant(s) must first take a survey
(https://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/QWCiHmw8) before the intervention begins in
order to track mood, thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc.
STEP 2: Participant(s) will be asked the “Miracle Question.” This allows them to
think of the freedom of what life might look like without their current stressors,
problems, etc.
STEP 3: Once participant(s) have a clear visual of their version of the “Miracle
Question,” they will be asked to express their thoughts and feelings through art.
STEP 4: Participant(s) will be asked to draw what they are feeling. More specifically,
they will be asked to incorporate music into their drawing. This might look like
writing down a song that they feel best describes their “Miracle” or this might look
like using a specific color to express different emotions (i.e. the color purple
represents classical music and classical music represents a sense of peace). STEP 4
is all about interpretation. Thus, participants are able to draw and incorporate
whatever colors and music into their art that they think best fits their thoughts and
feelings.
STEP 5: Participant(s) will have the opportunity to share their pieces with others if
they are in a group setting. If this is implemented in an individual setting, then the
individual may choose to share their art with the clinician.
STEP 6: Participant(s) will complete the survey
(https://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/QWCiHmw8) a second time in order to track the
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change in responses (i.e. does the participant(s) feel more positive after completing
the intervention?).
Ways to Adapt Intervention This intervention:
This intervention is age appropriate for all ages. It could be adapted depending on
the age in which it is implemented. For example, younger children will be less
detailed in their drawing. This intervention can also be implemented in a group
setting as well as an individual setting. During a group setting, there will be an
opportunity to share responses with each other. It can also be modified for those
with special needs and those who need extra help. This intervention can also be
adapted by using paint instead of crayons, colored pencils, or colored markers.
Lastly, it is optional to play music while participants are completing their art
intervention. I would recommend calming music (classical or calm instrumental).
Data Collection:
I have created a survey that participants will take both before and after the
intervention. The survey will monitor the progress and change of each individual
who participates in the intervention. There are three sections of the survey that
include:
1. Demographics
a. This section of the survey asks each participant for their basic
demographic information. Demographic information include the
following:
i. Gender Identity
ii. Age
iii. Ethnicity
iv. Education
v. Type of Employment
vi. Marital Status
2. Trauma
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a. This section of the survey addresses trauma of the participant.
Questions included are the following:
i. On a scale, how would you rate your level of trauma?
ii. What type(s) of trauma have you been affected by? (Choose all
that apply)
iii. Do you have a mental health diagnosis?
iv. How long have you been seeking treatment for your trauma?
3. Activity
a. These are scale-based questions that will be looked at to see the
change of each participant’s mood, thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc.
The goal is that through these questions, an increase of positive
feelings will be expressed by participants after doing the intervention
through the second taking of the survey. Results of the first and
second taking of the survey will be compared and noted. Results
should conclude a decrease of negative self-thoughts, etc. The
following questions are included in this section:
i. How would you rate your ability to relax?
ii. How would you rate your self-expression?
iii. How would you rate your frustration tolerance?
iv. How would you rate your feelings of grief and loss?
v. How would you rate your emotional regulation?
vi. How would you rate your trauma processing?
vii. How would you rate your connection with others?
viii. How would you rate your personal insight?
ix. How would you rate your resiliency?
x. How would you rate your quality of life?
xi. How would you rate your sense of self?
xii. How would you rate your ability to trust others?
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xiii. How would you rate your independence?
xiv. How would you rate your current mental health?
xv. Any other questions/feedback
The link to the survey is as follows:
https://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/QWCiHmw8
It should also be noted that the survey I created encompasses and was inspired by
an academic article, discussing art therapy and the importance of evaluation. The
article includes a study that provides evidence of how evaluations can serve as
foundational evidence for art therapy. Findings of the study demonstrate that art
therapy has resulted in both short term and long term positive outcomes (Kaimal et
al., 2019).
Additional Handouts and Information:
The following resource is not my own, but can be used to better understand art
therapy and the intervention that I have created:
https://docs.fntn.ca/VC12761/Handouts/Art%20therapy%20Pp.pdf (McGinnis,
n.d.)
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Situation Creation
Melia Cobbs
Materials Needed:
● Puppets
● Physical bodies (for acting)
● Private location (for
confidentiality)
Description of How to Complete
Technique:
For this intervention, the client (s)
will act out different scenarios
using themselves or puppets to
effectively express their emotions
and handle real life situations.
Step 1: Client (s) will identify or create a real-life situation that they want to discuss
and work through. This situation could be a situation causing stress, anxiety, PTSD,
relationship problems, etc.
Step 2: After the situation has been chosen the leader of the intervention will give
the client (s) a period of time to put together the skit.
Step 3: The client (s) will create their skit using themselves or puppets and present
it to the rest of the group in a private area that if personal information is shared it is
confidential.
Step 4: After presenting to the group, the other clients and leader of the
intervention can provide feedback on the skit.
This intervention can be adapted by using it in an individual therapy session or in a
group setting. The intervention could also be adapted by the materials used
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depending on age. Puppets may be more appropriate for younger ages; however,
teenagers and adults may prefer acting with their bodies.
For this assignment, a pre and posttest can be completed using the Generalized
Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) Scale to measure the client (s) level of anxiety before and
after completion of the intervention. Results following the intervention should
show decreased anxiety rates. These scales can be adapted for client (s) as needed
such as using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Perceived Stress Scale
(PSS), etc.
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Emotional Literacy and Regulation Activities
Hannah Estes
Social-emotional learning (SEL) can be broken down into five key competencies: (1)
self-awareness, (2) self-management, (3) social awareness, (4) responsible
decision-making, and (5) relationship skills (2022). This intervention activity focuses
on the first two competencies of SEL. In February and March of 2018, the
Minnesota Department of Education defined each of these
competencies. Self-awareness is “the ability to accurately
recognize one’s emotions and thoughts and their
influence on behavior (2018) Self-management is “the
ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors
effectively in different situations” (2018). By identifying
emotions and practicing regulation activities, students will
be developing their self-awareness and self-management
skills.
Materials Needed:
● Activity Printouts
● Indicators (e.g., stickers, clothespins, etc.)
● Optional teacher/adult: laminator
● Optional for older students: pencils, crayons, markers, etc.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
[Optional Step 1: Teacher/adult will print and laminate one handout for every
student. This is recommended when using stickers as indicators so that the
handouts can be reused.]
Step 1: Give each student one handout and indicator.
Step 2: Students will name their primary emotion and place their indicator on the
corresponding area within the Emotional Thermometer.
239
Step 3: Teacher/adult will demonstrate two regulation activities each time the
Emotional Thermometer is utilized. The students will repeat the activity.
Step 4: After completing two regulation activities, students will return to their
Emotional Thermometer and, if applicable, will move their indicator to their
updated emotion.
Step 5: Throughout the day, encourage students to silently check their Emotional
Thermometer. When appropriate, allow the students to use a regulation activity on
their own.
For younger students, limiting the number of regulation activities in the green box
may be more beneficial. If students have not yet learned to read proficiently,
emphasize symbols and icons in the place of words.
For older students, offer additional regulation activities. This will allow the students
to feel a greater sense of control. Additionally, older students may enjoy creating
their own Emotional Thermometer more than having the handout. Encourage
students to draw their own representation for their emotions.
This intervention has a built-in measurement through the students’ use of the
Emotional Thermometer. The pre-assessment takes place at the start of the
intervention with the students indicating their emotional state. Next, the regulation
activities take place. The post-assessment takes place at the conclusion of the
regulation activities with the students indicating their updated emotional state. We
should see most, if not all, students move their indicators closer to the green zones
labeled “calm” and “happy.”
240
Womb Drumming
Deandrea Miller
The intervention I have chosen is a very simple, but effective one. It is based on Dr.
Stephen Porges Polyvagal theory. In my trauma theory class, I learned much about
trauma response and the Vagus nerve. If we can learn to calm our Vagus nerve, we
can calm/reset our trauma response. There are several different ways to do this.
The exercise I have chosen to use and adapt for a classroom activity is drumming.
For this exercise, I have chosen to name it womb drumming as the purpose is to
recreate the sound of the mother’s heartbeat while in the womb.
This activity is set up to be used in a classroom setting but could easily be used
with either a small group or with individual students. It is also described for an
elementary or middle school setting but
could easily be adapted to use at an older age
level.
Materials Needed:
● One Small Drum Per Student
Directions:
Step 1: Give each student a drum to use.
Step 2: Instruct the student to drum to the
same beat that you drum to.
Step 3: Start drumming.
You will need to start off slow and let the students get the concept of “beating to
the same beat”. After a few tries, you will speed it up and beat to the recommended
level of 60 beats per minute. It may be a little chaotic at first, but they will catch on
to the beat and the comfort of the rhythm.
The only population that would need adaptations are the children that either do not
have limbs or do not have use of their arms/hands; the students could hit the drum
241
with their feet. If holding the drum still to do this is an issue, then the students
could tap their feet to the floor and it would basically have the same effect. Even
students who are hearing impaired can feel the sound waves and rhythm of the
beat. They would need to sit closer to the teacher to feel the correct rhythm so as
not to get confused as the students are learning.
You could also allow the students to decorate their drums if they wanted to
individualize them or let them change them up during the session to allow them to
feel the different vibrations from the different instruments. This would depend on
the age level and size of your classroom.
PRE AND POST TESTING:
A handout is attached to this to be given to students at both the beginning of each
class and then again at the end of class. This is to serve 2 purposes. Initially, one
would like to see the student’s anxiety level go down some immediately after
completing the exercise but do not expect that it will stay down. One should expect
that it will return to the higher level at the beginning of the next session. However,
after repeated sessions, one would like to see the beginning numbers start to go
down as well to show marked improvement in the student’s overall functioning.
This Pre and Post test is a simple format for elementary age children. It can easily
be added to or adjusted for older students, or even left as is and be a simple
measuring tool.
242
Pre- and Post Test
1 = Never, 2 = A Little Bit, 3 = Some/Somewhat, 4 = Yes, 5 = Very Much So
Place the number that correlates with your answer in

the box next to the question.
1. Do you feel scared?
2. Are you nervous/anxious?
3. Do you feel safe?
4. Are you worried?
5. Do you feel happy?
6. Do you feel sad?
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Expressive Arts Toolkit Manual

Collection of Toolkit Interventions for Teachers

A collaboration between the University of Memphis School of Social Work

Edited by: Dr. Susan Elswick, LCSW

Painting for Prevention 6

Trauma Diary Activities 9

“Who Am I?” Identity Workshop 14

Crazy Schedule, Sane You! 23

Beads For Healing 28

Intervention to End Student Hunger 34

Links That Make Me 39

The Emotional Popsicle 42

No Place For Bullying 44

Everybody Loves Puppets Intervention 50

Communication Rap Battle 52

Class Pass Intervention 54

I Too Can Be A Superhero 60

Let’s Talk About It 65

Tool Kit For Positive Behavior 68

Let’s Taco ‘Bout Feelings 72

Taco Tuesday Make & Tell 72

Mindfulness Art: I Am Here 83

The Collage of Many Emotions 87

Reach for the Stars Wristband 88

Alternate Outcomes (AO) Club 90

Bean Bag Feelings Toss 95

Major and Minor Problem-Solving Game 97

My Artistic Point of View 100

Paint Club 102

M-Modeling A-And I-Identifying N-Needs 103

MAIN-Reading Intervention 103

Heroes in Crisis 104

Student Investigation Team (SIT) 106

Movement Connections 109

Attitude of Gratitude Tree 111

What Would You Do? 113

Write and Rhyme Program 115

Therapeutic Painting 119

Life Panorama 121

Visual Journaling 128

Photo Justice 130

Past, Present, and Future Self Portraits Intervention 134

Feelings Postcard 136

Shake It Out 139

Art Club 141

Cartoon/Comic Creations 144

Rainbow Stones 148

Expressive Journal 151

Friends on Hand 153

Our Glass 155

Clay Feelings Intervention 158

Trauma Jar 160

Promoting Self-Care 163

Create Your Own Balance Scale 167

Social Stories 170

Self-Affirmation Collage 172

New Growth 174

Painted Through Feelings 177

Play Therapy 180

Music For All: Music Therapy Sessions 182