Moodiness in teens Two possible art-based interventions (Taken from Expressive Therapies Continuum book) 1.

Painting to music could be an age-appropriate and fun-activity that would allow a client to express emotions and memories that are overflowing in this time of intense moodiness. Would allow an outlet. Then could follow with a finger painting activity, which is supposed to match an internal state with an external sensation, causing a soothing sensation for less intense expression after intense (and probably needed) expression. The last part of the activity would be having the adolescent client explore/trace the completed finger paint paper with their hand/finger(s). This is supposed to create self-awareness of emotions (of which the client is experiencing regularly) and a sort of matching of internal sensations and rhythms until a still point is reached. At this point a moody client might leave a session feeling a little more peaceful, with a greater appreciation for the depth and display of their emotions (at least temporarily). POWERPOINT: AIM: MOOD EXPRESSION AS OUTLET, FOLLOWED BY CALM AND SELFAWARENESS 1. PAINTING WITH MUSIC 2. FINGER PAINTING 3. TRACING FINGER PAINTING WITH HAND/FINGERS

2. Mood states/mind states experience. Without an emotional vocabulary/ability to recognize label emotions, teenagers may find their moodiness even more overwhelming, and may not be able to understand whats going on. If they establish a strong emotional vocabulary in therapy, they can step outside of their emotional experiences to talk and learn about them. There may also be a need to contain these intense emotions, so this activity has some limitations on total expression to shy away from the overwhelm sensation. -Client and therapist generate a list of basic mood states/mind states client experiences. Clients asked to draw/paint 8-12 paintings on 6 by 9 inch paper. Paper is small to contain affect expression. Label emotions on backside of paper. - later or in next session, clients asked to sort pictures into piles according to formal elements of visual expression. Find similarities/confusions in expression and suppressive qualities. -next session, separate FOUR primary emotion pictures. Guiding the client into remembering a time where they were sure each emotion was being experienced, they can then re-experience that feeling by creating images that uniquely show their experience of those emotions. -helps clients distance from emotions and understand their occurrence better. - could also substitute this last part with collage making activity (very suitable for adolescents). Taking pictures of faces from magazine images, they could create a collage of various emotional

expressions. Afterwards, they can write on the collage what they think caused these emotional expressions, and what the consequences would be of expression. -This shows adolescents how emotions can be viewed as signals, and how responding to them is a choice. POWERPOINT: AIM: ESTABLISHING EMOTIONAL VOCABULARY, UNDERSTANDING AND DISTANCE 1. CREATE 8-12 SMALL EMOTIONAL STATE PICTURES 2. SORT PICTURES INTO GROUPS ----------------------------------------------------------------------3. CHOOSE FOUR PRIMARY EMOTION PICTURES 4. REMEMBER ASSOCIATED EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE 5. CREATE NEW SERIES OF EXPERIENCE PICTURES OR (INSTEAD OF 3,4,5)

-CREATED BY MELISSA LEE NILLES, LESLEY UNIVERSITY