Poetry therapy is used to help individuals express thoughts and feelings in a supportive, safe environment. This activity should be done in a small group of approximately 6-10 individuals. After reading the poem, The CTRS will instruct participants to think back to any time in their life when they had a similar experience.
Poetry therapy is used to help individuals express thoughts and feelings in a supportive, safe environment. This activity should be done in a small group of approximately 6-10 individuals. After reading the poem, The CTRS will instruct participants to think back to any time in their life when they had a similar experience.
Poetry therapy is used to help individuals express thoughts and feelings in a supportive, safe environment. This activity should be done in a small group of approximately 6-10 individuals. After reading the poem, The CTRS will instruct participants to think back to any time in their life when they had a similar experience.
Source: Chapman Linthorst, J. (2008, October 27). LifeSPEAKS - Poetry Therapy Sample Poem & Exercise. Retrieved January 26, 2016, from http://www.lifespeakspoetrytherapy.com/sample-poem/ Equipment: Notebooks for all participants, pen or pencils, and a copy of the poem for each participant. The activity should take place in a private, quiet room with comfortable seating and participants should be able to easily make eye contact. There should be a few desks, tables or other surfaces for individuals to write on in case they prefer not to write in their lap. Activity Description: Poetry therapy is part of Creative Arts Therapy and is used to help individuals express thoughts and feelings in a supportive, safe environment. This activity should be done in a small group of approximately 6-10 individuals. The CTRS leading the group will make sure everyone has a copy of the poem. Instruct group members to let their mind be open to what comes up from their own life experience. The CTRS or a group member can read the poem The Journey by Mary Oliver a few times out loud also giving time for the participants to read it silently if they wish. After reading the poem, the CTRS will instruct participants to think back to any time in their life when they had a similar experience of knowing, what you had to do; when you allowed yourself to take a step, even though there were other voices shouting bad advice, and there were things blocking your road, and it was late enough, but you heard your voice and strove forward anyways. In your journal, describe this experience. This is a time when you listened to your own voice and marched through the darkness into the light. It could be as simple as a change in a job; entering or leaving a relationship, or just one of those ideas that pushed you to a new beginning, and new clarity. These are the stories of our voice. Consider these details: Where were you? How old were you? Who else was around you at that time? Were there people giving you other advice? What were the roadblocks in your way? How did it feel to honor your voice and take that step? Give participants time to write down their thoughts, feelings and reactions. Open the group up to sharing if desired. The Journey by Mary Oliver One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advicethough the whole house began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles. Mend my life! each voice cried. But you didnt stop. You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations, though their melancholy was terrible. It was already late enough, and a wild night, and the road full of fallen branches and stones. But little by little, as you left their voices behind, the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds, and there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world, determined to do the only thing you could dodetermined to save the only life you could save. (Copied for therapeutic/educational use only.) Leadership considerations: A CTRS will lead the group and make sure there is enough space and materials for all participating. It is preferable not to have tables placed between group members in order to avoid distancing members (Furman, Pepi Downey, Jackson & Bender, 2002). The leader should have good interpersonal skills and encourage sharing, as clients are comfortable. Sharing is not required. It is important to foster a safe, nonjudgmental and supportive environment. Adaptations: Participants with Intellectual Disability: According to the American Psychiatric Association (2013), individuals with intellectual disability have impairments of general mental abilities that impact adaptive functioning in three domains that determine how well an individual copes with everyday tasks. The three domains are conceptual, which includes language, reading, writing, math, reasoning, knowledge and memory; social, which refers to empathy, social judgment, interpersonal communication, ability to make and retain friendships; and the practical domain focuses on self-
management such as personal care, job responsibilities, money management, recreation,
and organizing school and work tasks. It is important to foster client voice with individuals with intellectual disability (Campbell, 2008). Helping each other in a constructive manner is also encouraged (Campbell, 2008). For a unique presentation each time, varying the color of paper, ink, or stationery is suggested (Campbell, 2008). KahnFreedman (2001) suggests repeating a phrase at the beginning or end of each line and to generate song-like rhythms or asking a repeated series of questions. Collaboration is encouraged and focusing on the senses in order to elicit responses in individuals that are nonverbal has shown to be effective (Kahn-Freedman, 2001). Participants with Substance Abuse: The American Psychiatric Association (2013) uses the term substance use disorder to describe a wide range of the disorder ranging from mild to severe which includes chronic relapse and compulsive drug taking. These disorders encompass ten separate classes of drugs that have direct activation of the brain reward system, which is involved in the reinforcement of behaviors and the production of memories (APA, 2013). In order to reduce anxiety in the session, a warm up can be included by passing out poems with phrases blocked out and asking the participants to fill in the blanks with their own words (Furman, et al., 2002). In addition, the group can be broken into pairs and they can read and discuss the poem together and come up with the answers to the questions together. This encourages empathy and acceptance and participants learn they can work together to facilitate healing and recovery (Furman, et al., 2002). Furman (2002) states this helps reinforce healthy patterns of mutual interdependence. Adaptations References: Campbell, L. (2008) Poetry Therapy with Adults with Intellectual Disabilities. NADD Bulletin: 2008, Vol. XI, No. 4. Chapman Linthorst, J. (2008, October 27). LifeSPEAKS - Poetry Therapy - Sample Poem & Exercise. Retrieved January 26, 2016, from http://www.lifespeakspoetrytherapy.com/sample-poem/ Desk reference to the diagnostic criteria from DSM-5. (2013). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing. Furman, R., Pepi Downey, E., Jackson, R.L., Bender, K. (2002). Poetry Therapy as a Tool for Strengths-Based Practice. Advances in Social Work: Fall 2002, Vol. 3, No. 2. Kahn-Freedman, E. (2001) Finding a Voice: Poetry and People With Developmental Disabilities. Mental Retardation: June 2001, Vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 195-200.