Re: reality therapy

[Guest guest]

first, Coreen, does the girl want to change? We cannot decide her her. And, if she wants to change, what is it she wants to change? DOn't put the cart before the horse.Subject: reality therapyTo: NYCCAT Date: Monday, May 10, 2010, 5:56 PM

Hello,

I am doing a presentation on Reality therapy and Choice theory about a 16 year old girl who has anger issues with her mother. In therapy the 16 year old talks about her mother not paying attention to her at home after a long day of work. There are other anger issues of breaking up with a boyfriend, which the mother does not know about. In what ways would the therapist talk to the 16 year old? I understand the client would have to understand her anger, why she is angery, what ways she can change. Does anyone have any suggestion?

Thank you.

Korrine Ward

[Guest guest]

Korrine - this is my anger experiential I had recently posted if you should find it helpful - great for teens:

"Ball of Anger Experiential". First let me say that I find when clients are allowed to physically express their anger non-verbally, they become much more open to talk therapy. I have found simple tactile acts to work as a nice beginning, i.e. crinkling paper, ripping up tissue paper, tearing pages from phonebooks, shredding newspapers with hands, using tape creatively (perhaps colored cut tape), pounding clay, hammering wood and nails, etc. That being said, I start an anger exercise by asking my clients to write down any three things they are angry about on a piece of paper. They are made aware that no one will see what they write down and it is up to them if they want to share it with the group. Then I have them turn the paper over and imagine they can express that anger in colors with markers or colored pencils, tempera paint if it will dry fast enough. The point is to completely cover the paper in angry colors. Then, to their surprise, I tell them to take their sheet of paper and crinkle it into a ball. I guide them through this exercise by asking them to feel the texture of the paper and keep wrinkling it over and over. This allows physical repetitive contact that is understood on a symbolic level. In addition to the wrinkling, I tell them to open up the paper and start ripping it into pieces. My clients loved the freedom of doing this (you mean we are "allowed" to rip up our artwork?)Yes! I declare - get the anger out, don't stop ripping. I do tell them to hang onto the pieces of ripped paper for the next part of the project, although I have had clients stand up and throw their ripped pieces of paper into the air because it felt so freeing. Finally, I offer them a sheet of construction paper (they choose the color) and ask them to glue the ripped pieces of paper in a mosaic like fashion on the paper. It creates varying abstract designs. The point here becomes the "transformation" of anger into something new, something productive, something expressive or even aesthetic. It is colorful, lively, real, tangible. And no words were needed! Discussion afterward can be about revealing their source of anger to the group if trust has been established. Feedback can be given. Or it can be about converting anger into something else (without hurting anyone or themselves)or simply the physical act of releasing. This experiential can also be modified into a group project if you use mural paper and have everyone glue their ripped pieces of paper on the same paper. Here the discussion can involve things like tolerating others' anger, diversity or identification, validation or approval - point being everyone is accepted as part of a group where it is safe to express anger. Marney Schorr

Creative Arts Therapist, Limited Permit

To: NYCCAT From: snaval2@...Date: Mon, 10 May 2010 18:34:00 -0700Subject: Re: reality therapy

first, Coreen, does the girl want to change? We cannot decide her her. And, if she wants to change, what is it she wants to change? DOn't put the cart before the horse.

From: korri89 <korri89>Subject: reality therapyTo: NYCCAT Date: Monday, May 10, 2010, 5:56 PM

Hello,I am doing a presentation on Reality therapy and Choice theory about a 16 year old girl who has anger issues with her mother. In therapy the 16 year old talks about her mother not paying attention to her at home after a long day of work. There are other anger issues of breaking up with a boyfriend, which the mother does not know about. In what ways would the therapist talk to the 16 year old? I understand the client would have to understand her anger, why she is angery, what ways she can change. Does anyone have any suggestion?Thank you.Korrine Ward

The New Busy is not the old busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox. Get started.

[Guest guest]

This is wonderful! Thanks for sharing.

 

 

Korrine - this is my anger experiential I had recently posted if you should find it helpful - great for teens:  " Ball of Anger Experiential " . First let me say that I find when clients are allowed to physically express their anger non-verbally, they become much more open to talk therapy. I have found simple tactile acts to work as a nice beginning, i.e. crinkling paper, ripping up tissue paper, tearing pages from phonebooks, shredding newspapers with hands, using tape creatively (perhaps colored cut tape), pounding clay, hammering wood and nails, etc. That being said, I start an anger exercise by asking my clients to write down any three things they are angry about on a piece of paper. They are made aware that no one will see what they write down and it is up to them if they want to share it with the group. Then I have them turn the paper over and imagine they can express that anger in colors with markers or colored pencils, tempera paint if it will dry fast enough. The point is to completely cover the paper in angry colors. Then, to their surprise, I tell them to take their sheet of paper and crinkle it into a ball. I guide them through this exercise by asking them to feel the texture of the paper and keep wrinkling it over and over. This allows physical repetitive contact that is understood on a symbolic level. In addition to the wrinkling, I tell them to open up the paper and start ripping it into pieces. My clients loved the freedom of doing this (you mean we are " allowed " to rip up our artwork?)Yes! I declare - get the anger out, don't stop ripping. I do tell them to hang onto the pieces of ripped paper for the next part of the project, although I have had clients stand up and throw their ripped pieces of paper into the air because it felt so freeing. Finally, I offer them a sheet of construction paper (they choose the color) and ask them to glue the ripped pieces of paper in a mosaic like fashion on the paper. It creates varying abstract designs. The point here becomes the " transformation " of anger into something new, something productive, something expressive or even aesthetic. It is colorful, lively, real, tangible. And no words were needed! Discussion afterward can be about revealing their source of anger to the group if trust has been established. Feedback can be given. Or it can be about converting anger into something else (without hurting anyone or themselves)or simply the physical act of releasing. This experiential can also be modified into a group project if you use mural paper and have everyone glue their ripped pieces of paper on the same paper. Here the discussion can involve things like tolerating others' anger, diversity or identification, validation or approval - point being everyone is accepted as part of a group where it is safe to express anger. 

 Marney SchorrCreative Arts Therapist, Limited Permit 

To: NYCCAT From: snaval2@...Date: Mon, 10 May 2010 18:34:00 -0700Subject: Re: reality therapy

 

first, Coreen, does the girl want to change?  We cannot decide her her.  And, if she wants to change, what is it she wants to change?  DOn't put the cart before the horse.

Subject: reality therapyTo: NYCCAT

Date: Monday, May 10, 2010, 5:56 PM

  Hello,I am doing a presentation on Reality therapy and Choice theory about a 16 year old girl who has anger issues with her mother. In therapy the 16 year old talks about her mother not paying attention to her at home after a long day of work. There are other anger issues of breaking up with a boyfriend, which the mother does not know about. In what ways would the therapist talk to the 16 year old? I understand the client would have to understand her anger, why she is angery, what ways she can change. Does anyone have any suggestion?

Thank you.Korrine Ward

The New Busy is not the old busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox. Get started.

-- t Bruce, Ph.D.Writer - Narrative Counselor - Story CoachLiving Storyhttp://livingstory-ny.blogspot.com

julietbrucephd@...19 West 34th Street, PenthouseNew York, NY 10001, ext. 341 " There's no greater agony than carrying around an untold story inside yourself. " -- Maya Angelou

[Guest guest]

Thanks Marney - I love this

 

Korrine - this is my anger experiential I had recently posted if you should find it helpful - great for teens:  " Ball of Anger Experiential " . First let me say that I find when clients are allowed to physically express their anger non-verbally, they become much more open to talk therapy. I have found simple tactile acts to work as a nice beginning, i.e. crinkling paper, ripping up tissue paper, tearing pages from phonebooks, shredding newspapers with hands, using tape creatively (perhaps colored cut tape), pounding clay, hammering wood and nails, etc. That being said, I start an anger exercise by asking my clients to write down any three things they are angry about on a piece of paper. They are made aware that no one will see what they write down and it is up to them if they want to share it with the group. Then I have them turn the paper over and imagine they can express that anger in colors with markers or colored pencils, tempera paint if it will dry fast enough. The point is to completely cover the paper in angry colors. Then, to their surprise, I tell them to take their sheet of paper and crinkle it into a ball. I guide them through this exercise by asking them to feel the texture of the paper and keep wrinkling it over and over. This allows physical repetitive contact that is understood on a symbolic level. In addition to the wrinkling, I tell them to open up the paper and start ripping it into pieces. My clients loved the freedom of doing this (you mean we are " allowed " to rip up our artwork?)Yes! I declare - get the anger out, don't stop ripping. I do tell them to hang onto the pieces of ripped paper for the next part of the project, although I have had clients stand up and throw their ripped pieces of paper into the air because it felt so freeing. Finally, I offer them a sheet of construction paper (they choose the color) and ask them to glue the ripped pieces of paper in a mosaic like fashion on the paper. It creates varying abstract designs. The point here becomes the " transformation " of anger into something new, something productive, something expressive or even aesthetic. It is colorful, lively, real, tangible. And no words were needed! Discussion afterward can be about revealing their source of anger to the group if trust has been established. Feedback can be given. Or it can be about converting anger into something else (without hurting anyone or themselves)or simply the physical act of releasing. This experiential can also be modified into a group project if you use mural paper and have everyone glue their ripped pieces of paper on the same paper. Here the discussion can involve things like tolerating others' anger, diversity or identification, validation or approval - point being everyone is accepted as part of a group where it is safe to express anger. 

 Marney SchorrCreative Arts Therapist, Limited Permit 

To: NYCCAT From: snaval2@...Date: Mon, 10 May 2010 18:34:00 -0700Subject: Re: reality therapy

 

first, Coreen, does the girl want to change?  We cannot decide her her.  And, if she wants to change, what is it she wants to change?  DOn't put the cart before the horse.

Subject: reality therapyTo: NYCCAT

Date: Monday, May 10, 2010, 5:56 PM

  Hello,I am doing a presentation on Reality therapy and Choice theory about a 16 year old girl who has anger issues with her mother. In therapy the 16 year old talks about her mother not paying attention to her at home after a long day of work. There are other anger issues of breaking up with a boyfriend, which the mother does not know about. In what ways would the therapist talk to the 16 year old? I understand the client would have to understand her anger, why she is angery, what ways she can change. Does anyone have any suggestion?

Thank you.Korrine Ward

The New Busy is not the old busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox. Get started.

-- Mia de Bethune