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“Experience is the only teacher.”
MILTON H. ERICKSON
Story of Your Name
Location: Indoors
Time: 45 minutes
Materials: Blank name tags
Plastic sleeves for tags
Markers
Construction paper or craft paper
Stationery
Optional: envelopes, stamps
Objectives
• To strengthen one’s sense of self-identity in a positive way.
Directions
1. Have participants decorate a wearable name tag.
2. Direct participants to write a letter of appreciation to someone who was involved in naming them. This could be their mother, whomever they were named after, or perhaps someone who has made them feel good about their name in the past.
3. Ask participants to address the group with a short presentation about his or her name. In the presentation, participants should describe if they were named after someone or have a nickname and reflect on the suitability of the given name.
Observations
This activity was done in a group of thirty-seven. Most replaced the plain standard issue name tags with brightly decorated, cheerful tags. Writing letters was an optional activity but turned out to be the most appreciated segment of the session. These letters may be mailed or not, as appropriate for each group member. In the presentation segment, many read the letters of appreciation they had written. Contents of the letters ranged from, “I never told you before about how proud I am to be named after you” to “Thank you for choosing my name even though I go by my nickname.” Several people noted they had never let their aunts, who they were named after, know the kinship they felt. One woman was named after a stranger whom her mother met in the hospital and spoke good-naturedly about how unprepared for motherhood her mother must have felt at the time. Many told family tales about combining names to come up with just the right sound. Several knew nothing about their name and were then encouraged to reflect on their own feelings. None of the women had negative comments about their names.
Inspired by: The women in treatment talking about the history of their own names.
“Start with who you are today and go from there.”
ROXANNA ERICKSON-KLEIN
Timelines
Location: Indoors (the area needs to have tables)
Time: 90 minutes
Materials: Rolls of newsprint paper (cut into approximately 60 inches per person)
Pens, markers, or colored pencils
Collage paper
Decorative materials
Magazines
Rulers
Scissors
Timelines Handout
Objectives
• To encourage participants to reflect on significant moments in their lives and begin to make connections or observe patterns.
• To identify cause and effect.
• To put life events (including substance abuse and mental health issues) into context and perspective.
Directions
1. Distribute Timelines Handout. Instruct participants to include positive or negative events. They should try to identify at least five or six life events that stand out to them. If participants have blank spots in their memory, reassure them this is fine and have them note what comes to mind.
2. Have volunteers pass out newsprint. Place art supplies on the tables.
3. Direct participants to draw a large timeline on their newsprint and transfer the events on their handout to the newsprint. Encourage them to decorate the events—using pictures instead of words is acceptable. Assure everyone there is no right or wrong way to do the activity.
4. Give positive feedback as participants work. From time to time, alert them to how much time they have left.
5. When everyone is done, have participants share their timeline with the group, explaining their life story as much as they are comfortable. Promote a discussion about what was thought of while each person was creating the timeline and if connections were made.
Observations
This activity was done over a dozen times. While a few participants may finish quickly, most will need sixty to ninety minutes. Some may keep the timelines and add to them in their free time. Each time, there were several people who spontaneously discovered repeating patterns of behavior. It was common for those who had significant traumas in their lives to have periods of memory loss. The facilitator should be prepared to normalize this experience and encourage them to leave a small blank space and move on. Participants who suffer from more severe mental illness or cognitive impairments may not be able to follow the chronological pattern, but they can be encouraged to draw or collage what they remember. Most enjoyed sharing their finished timelines and often displayed them in their rooms. For the facilitator, it was helpful to see an illustrated story of a client’s life. The timelines were often used productively in subsequent individual sessions. This activity increased reality orientation and prompted self-reflection. Many times significant details emerged through this activity that did not come up in traditional talk therapy.
Inspired by: Similar activities seen at other treatment centers.
Timelines HANDOUT
TIMELINES
Think of your life story as a timeline. What are the important or meaningful events that have happened in your life? These can include events that are happy, sad, or painful to remember. You might include moving, births, deaths, other losses, school, work, pets, friends, first use of alcohol or other drugs, or anything large or small that stands out.
On the left, start with when and where you were born. On the right, at the end, list today’s date and location. What happened in between? How did you get here? Include as many events as you wish.
“Allow yourself to see what you don’t allow yourself to see.”
MILTON H. ERICKSON
Walk the Line
Location: Outdoors (an area where people can spread out)
Time: 30 minutes
Materials: