Free Art Therapy Activity

My Strength Tree

OBJECTIVE:

To remind clients to recognise and draw on their strengths to assist with building up their coping strategies. Thus, they can get through a difficult time by using their inner strengths, leaning on the support of others, and taking positive steps to cope with their emotions.

MATERIALS:

Large piece of plain paper (A3) sketching pencil Coloured pens or pencils, watercolour paints, paint brushes

METHOD:

1) Instruct your client to lay their non-dominant hand on the paper, fingers spread, with part of their arm on the paper as well. They are to trace around their arm, hand, and fingers in pencil. *Note. Their arm is the base of their tree, and the fingertips will be the start of the branches.

2) Ask the client to draw more branches at the end of the open fingertips. Then ask the client to draw several large leaves at the end of the branches (big enough to write in each one).

3) In each leaf the client is to write one thing that helps them get through difficult times. This can include personal strengths, coping strategies, enjoyable activities, and/or supportive people.

4) The client can then colour, paint, or decorate their tree as they wish.

Discussion Questions:

Tell me about your tree and each of the strengths that you have added?

What have you learnt from this activity?

Did you surprise yourself with some of the strengths you came up with?

What can you do next time you are experiencing a difficult situation or time?