The Thought Garden

I wanted to share a counseling technique I came up with and used a couple of weeks ago.  This technique is appropriate for school-age kids and adolescence--maybe even some adults that need a creative outlet.  Use your judgement on who is developmentally able to grasp the concept and benefit from this technique.  The goal of the thought garden is to promote self-awareness, assist in identifying thoughts/feelings/behaviors, help with self-talk concepts, and can be used to promote self-esteem.  The thought garden allows the client to get outside of his/her head in a creative way in order to work through thoughts and feelings.
Overall analogy: What are you feeding your garden?  What are you feeding you mind?

The Thought Garden

Materials:

A paper egg carton
Green paint
Pipe cleaners
Paper flower print outs- example: flowers
Construction paper
Scissors
Scotch tape  
Markers and crayons
Different colored marbles/gems, rocks- river or pebbles, and dry beans.
Print-outs from therapistaid.com: list of emotions OR positive traits

Preparation:

Cut the top off the egg carton

Paint the inside green

Have some flowers already cut out- this technique takes the full session time. So, having some cut out helps with time management.  If the client would benefit from cutting the flowers out himself/herself, then do so.  I plan to go to a craft store and find some punch-out flowers.

Have all print-outs printed and ready.  Even though I cut flowers out, I had more sheets available for the client to do if desired.

Gather the materials listed and have them set out as options for the client to choose from.

Instructions:

The italicized portion is an example of what to say to direct the technique.. However, tailor it to your client.  I gave instructions with choices, but continued to reflect my client's feelings or content, track actions, broaden meaning, return responsibility, and build self-esteem.

Allow the client to choose the materials he or she wants to use.

Present the client with the materials. 

1) This is your thought garden.  Our thoughts and feelings influence our choices and actions. 

If you are working on identifying thoughts and feelings... Provide the client with the list of emotions worksheet...

2) On this sheet circle all the feelings you have had this week.

The different colored marbles/gems, rocks- river or pebbles, and dry beans represent thoughts and feelings.  Let the client choose which represent different types of thoughts and feelings.

3) Now choose what materials you want to represent your thoughts and put them in any way you want on this side of the garden.

Once the thoughts are placed in the garden, move on to the feeling side.

4) Now chose what materials you want to represent your feelings and put them in any way you want on this side of the garden.

The next step is for the client to make flowers to represent his/her thoughts and feelings shared.

5) You have fed your garden all your thoughts and feelings. Now, it's time to make flowers that represent all you thoughts and feelings.. Color in any way you want to show all of your feelings.. You can choose to color these flowers or make your own with construction paper.  

Once the client has completed the flowers, it is time to tape them on the pipe cleaners.

As the client tapes the flowers on the pipe cleaners, discuss what each flower represents.. discuss colors, patterns, feelings, and continue to use the prompt to explore choices we make when we are feeling certain ways.

6) I'm wondering about your flowers.. I noticed this one has a lot of yellow.. etc etc.. 
While you are discussing the flowers, broaden the meaning.  Discuss examples of a time the client felt [insert feeling].. Let the conversation flow to what the client feels like sharing..

When the process is over, the client can choose to keep his/her flowers.
The other materials are for staying in the play room.

If you are wanting to do this technique to build self-esteem, utilize the positive traits print-out.  Have the client circle all the positive traits he/she has.  Then allow the client to fill the garden with all the things that represent those traits.. Let it be a prompt for discussing the strengths of those traits or sharing a time they felt proud or were generous etc.

If you are wanting to focus more on self-talk, follow the instructions above, but incorporate the difference between positive and negative thoughts.. how thoughts influence your feelings and actions.. Instruct the client to choose a material for postive thoughts and a material for negative thoughts to fill his/her garden with.


** I do not have a picture of a completed thought garden due to keeping confidentiality with my clients.  Hopefully, my instructions were clear enough to visualize :) I hope another counselor finds this helpful.