![]() In this activity, the teen is instructed to be their own paparazzi, taking pictures of the important people and places in their lives. Paparazzi - Many teens follow celebrity news, and one of the primary ways celebrity lives are documented is with paparazzi photos. This time, no explosion! Brainstorm coping strategies they can use to release anger in healthy ways.Ħ. Prompt them to talk through their angry feelings around the situation, instructing them to release a little bit of air as they talk, until the balloon is empty. Then, hand them a second balloon and instruct them to blow it up in the same way, stopping short of the exploding point. Have them repeat the process until the balloon explodes. Instruct them to blow a breath into the balloon. Ask them to think about a situation that made them angry when they weren’t able to talk through how the situation made them feel. Have the teen start by donning a pair of safety goggles and hand them a deflated balloon. Exploding Balloons - This engaging activity spurs some deep thinking about the importance of releasing pent-up anger in a healthy way. This activity provides a less-intrusive means of gaining insights into the client’s early life history as well as their goals for the future.ĥ. Invite the teen to share about important life events, and complete the future section of the timeline based on their hopes and dreams for what lies ahead. Working with collage or by drawing, the teen will fill in the timeline up to the present day. Lifeline - In this activity, you ask the teen to create a timeline of their lives. This activity can provide valuable insights as you observe and gently ask questions about their choices in artwork, song titles, etc.Ĥ. Ask them to design a vinyl cover for their own music album complete with album title, playlist, and album artwork. Start off this activity by inviting the teen to share their musical tastes, favorite artists, and albums. “It’s My Life” Music Album - Music is something most teens enjoy talking about. Have the teen write down the different possibilities on the inside of the menu.ģ. ![]() ![]() Brainstorm together on different options for expressing anger appropriately. Create a folded menu titled Anger Menu on the outside with Menu Options written on the inside. ![]() Anger Menu - Menus are a convenient way to display available choices when dining out, and they work just as well in therapy. This activity gives you an opportunity to better understand the teen’s concept of themselves.Ģ. The first pile is for attributes the teen knows they have, the second is for attributes they think they have, and the last one is for attributes they know they don’t have. I Am, I Think I Am, I Don’t Think I Am - Using a stack of cards that feature different character attributes, ask the teen to sort them into three piles. These ideas come courtesy of Lina Lowenstein and the American Counseling Association. We’ve curated a list of our top ten favorite teen therapy activities that you can use in your sessions with teenage clients. Scott Miller’s Session Rating Scale is simple and easy-to-use. Especially when you’re starting off with a new client, ask them to provide frequent feedback. At the end of each session, ask them to rate their experience. The same holds true for clients, especially teenage ones. Rate Their Experience - If a retail business asks you to rate your experience shopping with them, you feel a sense of empowerment and that your opinion actually matters.Teens are likely to welcome lectronic assessments and rating scales, and they often feel more comfortable being open and honest when using technology to express themselves. Most have never known a world without wifi, apps, and smartphones. See Technology as an Ally - Young people today are growing up with technology as a fully-integrated part of their lives.Giving a teen real choices provides a sense of ownership and engagement that can transform a therapy skeptic into an active participant. Present them with several treatment options and then invite them to offer their input on the options they feel would be most beneficial to them. Capitalize on that desire by involving them in planning their treatment. Share Decision-Making Power - Most teenagers prefer to make their own decisions.For even more ideas, take a look at this helpful guide published by the Australian Psychological Society. Here are a few easy ways to engage teens in meaningful ways as you begin working together. Step one in any successful client-therapist relationship is to establish mutual trust.
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