March 2022 - Goal Visualization Therapeutic Art Making Intervention

Finding creative therapy interventions can be so difficult! That is why I have created a library of creative interventions so that any therapist can easily find interventions to do with their clients. Please keep in mind the importance of the terminology you are using with these interventions! Art Therapy interventions are done by a trained and registered Art Therapist. Luckily, all of these interventions are appropriate for any clinician to use as Therapeutic Art Making interventions! All of the interventions found in my Creative Intervention Library are art activities perfect for therapy sessions. Most of the interventions also have a telehealth modification for those of us who are still seeing clients virtually. Every month, I post a new creative intervention for you to use. Looking for more? For the price of a cup of coffee per month, you can get access to a second creative intervention as well as access to the entire library catalog of previous months.

This intervention is a great way for clients to think about and show what they would like to work on in therapy. These can be used to create therapeutic goals for treatment planning. If you try this out yourself, l would love to see photos of it!

Please note, If you do take any photos of client’s art work, make sure you have a consent form signed for this. I have a Consent to Photograph Artwork Created in Therapy Sessions Form in my products if you need one for your practice. Even with therapeutic art making, it is ethically necessary to have this consent form signed. Also make sure to remove any identifying information from any art work before photographing it, such as names or signatures.

I offer personalized intervention ideas in the clinical consultation and supervision I provide as well! When I work one on one with clinicians, I love being able to create specific interventions tailored to each client and their presenting concerns. Feel free to reach out with any questions to see if creative supervision and consultation would be a good fit for you and your practice!

Process Video:

Age range: 10+

Diagnosis: Any, works very for discussing goals and what the client would like to work on in therapy

Supplies Needed:

• A gallon sized ziploc bag or a page protector

  • You can get the printing off of a ziploc bag with nail polish remover!

• 1 piece of black paper

• I piece of white paper (sturdy paper is recommended here if you have it!)

• Permanent markers in various colors

• Scissors

Uses: A great way for clients to think about and show what they would like to work on in therapy. These can be used to create therapeutic goals for treatment planning.

Artistic skills needed: None!

Instructions:

1. Have the client draw a flashlight and light beam on the stiff white paper, color it in, and cut it out. Make sure they keep a “beam” of light.

   • If the client does not want to draw it, or if they might get frustrated by drawing it, you can print out a picture of a flashlight for them to cut out and color.

2. Using permanent markers (regular markers will just wipe off of the bag/protector and are not recommended), have the client write out and/or draw out things that they would like to “shed light” on in therapy on the outside of the ziploc bag/page protector.

   • If the client needs some ideas, you can give vague or simple examples such as different symptoms (anxiety, mood, self-esteem, etc), coping skills, past experiences.

   • Encourage them to use as much detail and color as they would like using a combination of images, words, colors, etc

   • This can also be more abstract if the client would prefer, as long as they are able to verbalize what it means to them

3. Once they are done, slip the piece of black paper inside the ziploc bag/ page protector so that what they have written/drawn is slightly less visible.

4. Use the flashlight to “shed light” and illuminate what they have created. This done by slipping the flashlight in the bag/page protector but over the black piece of paper. It creates an illusion like the flashlight is really shining light!

5. If it feels appropriate, this can then transition into goal setting and treatment planning (if you have enough time or in the next session).

6. This is great to utilize at the beginning of treatment, but also can be beneficial further on as a check in to see if there are other things that the client wants to bring up or work on in therapy.

Intervention Example

*A note about examples: Please be careful about sharing an example of the intervention with your client. When a client sees a full example, it can unintentionally influence what they are making and may skew what they are presenting in their art making.