Outside/Inside Masks
Materials:
There are a multitude of ways clients can make masks. The simple way is
to use regular paper and markers or colored pencils. You can also have the
client make a mask out of paper Mache, or buy a mask at Hobby Lobby and have
the client decorate it.
Instructions:
First – Explain the nature of “masks”
to the client. Have the client identify some of the “masks” she wears and why.
Second – Draw an oval shape on a piece
of paper, taking up the whole sheet. Put eyes, nose and mouth in a general
shape on the paper, inside the oval. Put the word “Outside” at the bottom of
the sheet to identify that this drawing will be the mask that the client shows
to others.
Third – Ask the client to draw what comes to mind when she is showing others a (general) “mask”.
Third – Ask the client to draw what comes to mind when she is showing others a (general) “mask”.
Fourth – After the client finishes the
drawing for the “Outside” mask, take a second piece of paper and draw the oval,
eyes, nose and mouth in the same way you drew the first mask features. At the
bottom of the paper write “Inside” to identify that this drawing will be what
is really going on inside the person, how she is feeling inside. Ask the client
to decorate it however she would like.
Fifth – When the client is done
drawing both the Outside and Inside faces, ask her to tell you about the
drawings. Have a discussion about what she sees in her drawings. Write down what the client says about each image they created and color they chose. (Ask permission before you write or mark on the picture, and then I suggest you do it in pencil.) Make an arrow and then write down each meaning indicated by the client. This will enter in words (which will activate the left side of the brain) and the images (which has already activated the right side of the brain).
It will also give you a clear guide to the image later when you go over these images at the end of the time with the client, for the review of the artwork created and therapy completed.
It will also give you a clear guide to the image later when you go over these images at the end of the time with the client, for the review of the artwork created and therapy completed.
Follow-up
Questions:
1)
Tell me
about the drawings you created. How did it go?
2)
How are the drawings different?
How are they the same?
3)
What do the colors mean to you?
4)
What did she see about herself in
the overall process?
Objective
for this Directive:
1)
Allowing the
client to have a safe space to begin
to get in touch with her feelings is imperative. Each client has different ways
of looking at this directive. Some will catch on quickly and be able to express
how they are feeling. Others will need more guidance. It is always important to
make sure to emphasize to the client that this is a “safe space” where the
client can express herself and experience acceptance in the process. Also, by
creating a “safe space” the client is beginning to learn who may be a “safe”
person to open up to and who is not, trusting
herself to know the difference.
2)
Increasing
the client’s self-awareness and self-acceptance. By encouraging that
the client is in a safe space the client is also receiving the message that it
is OK to feel what she is feeling, and that it is acceptable. This promotes
self-acceptance in general and can increase the client’s willingness to deal
with negative emotions, especially when her confidence increases through the
use of healthy ways to express and communicate those emotions that may be more uncomfortable.
3)
Identifying
the difference between what the client communicates with others versus what she
is actually feeling can stimulate conversations for healthy communication and increase the client’s sense of self-control. This exercise naturally
opens conversation that highlights healthy
boundaries and how they work. It is not always appropriate to share
everything one is feeling with others. Conversely, it is not always healthy to
keep everything inside, not sharing anything. Finding that balance is key to
being mentally healthy. It is important for the client to learn when it is
appropriate to share and when it is not.
NOTE: This mask directive can be applied to any masks you want to create with your client. Have fun with it and allow the client to explore the metaphors in masks. You can add sequence, feathers, beads, and anything else the client would like to utilize. You can pick up basic white masks at Hobby Lobby, which make great canvases to make some amazing masks. There are a myriad of ways to create masks. Explore and have fun with it!
http://thefineartofdisaster.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteVery nice one...thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteMask making projects are a great way to give insights to others about who you are. It's also a great way to take an honest look at the face we put on when we are interacting with others. Check out the article on making masks as an art project at a mental health community center https://thepaintedbrain.wordpress.com/2017/04/07/mask-making-for-mental-health/
ReplyDelete