Transform Your Child’s Anger Into Art!

Posted on June 21, 2010 by admin

Do you have a child who is super angry and can’t seem to find the right words to express herself? Or she isn’t exactly sure why she is feeling the way she is? Try this simple tool:

1. On a piece of drawing paper have your child write all the things that are making her angry or frustrated.

2. On the other side, using makers, colored pencils, crayons, oil pastels (and the like) fill the paper entirely up with colors that represent the anger and frustration she is feeling.

3. Now this is the fun part! Give your child permission to take the anger and frustration out on the paper and rip it all up into pieces! Not only are they expending their anger energy onto the piece of paper but they are doing something about it and therefore feeling more in control.

4. Now, collect all the ripped pieces (color side up) and create a collage using these pieces. You can glue this collage on a colored piece of construction paper.

* The end result is a transformation of your child’s anger into a beautiful piece of art that can be displayed on the kitchen fridge!

Discussion: 13 Comments

13 Responses to “Transform Your Child’s Anger Into Art!”

1. 

   Carolyn Rogers

   - 21st Jun, 10 12:06pm

   I have used the paper & pen for a child client to express anger, but this idea will expand that.
   Thanks!

2. 

   admin (author comment)

   - 21st Jun, 10 12:06pm

   Yes, this one is a great one for individuals and a group!

3. 

   Sue Worthington Duffy

   - 22nd Jun, 10 06:06am

   Thank you! Just in the nick of time! I typically use the first two directives of this task and now what an excellent elaboration on that. Seems so complete. I am looking forward to using this!

4. 

   admin (author comment)

   - 22nd Jun, 10 06:06am

   Excellent! Isn’t it funny how that timing thing always works out? Glad you received it!

5. 

   kathyn

   - 22nd Jun, 10 07:06am

   Thanks for sharing!! This little strategy will help so many parents and children

6. 

   admin (author comment)

   - 22nd Jun, 10 07:06am

   Thanks for reading Kathyn, more strategies to come!

7. 

   Bill Murray

   - 23rd Jun, 10 01:06am

   Actually this exact technique, however simplistic it may seem, also works well for adults undergoing high-stress situations.

8. 

   Madeline Muise

   - 23rd Jun, 10 05:06am

   Great exercise! Thanks for sharing. I’m going to use this with a particularly angry clientthis week.

9. 

   Madeline Muise

   - 23rd Jun, 10 05:06am

   Great exercise! Thanks for sharing. I’m going to use this with a particularly angry client this week.

10. 

    admin (author comment)

    - 24th Jun, 10 02:06pm

    Great point Bill!

11. 

    admin (author comment)

    - 28th Jun, 10 01:06pm

    Thank you for your kind words Madeline, I’m so glad you found benefit from my post and I hope it helped your client, too.

12. 

    Mary Muir

    - 26th Jul, 10 04:07pm

    I have used this technique with cancer patients dealing with the anger of their Dx.
    After tearing up the pieces from the anger writing segment – - I invite them to use these torn pieces to fom the letters of the emotion they would like to feel –if they could let go and transform the anger.
    They then take a slow deep breath to get centered and glue the pieces to for a word on the paper wall hanging – Final product spells out their chosen word on a wall hanging visual reminder.
    Optional – they can choose to first paint background colors that represent the transformed emotion before gluing down the torn paper letters -( ex. if desired state is: “Lightened up ‘ ,Calm etc -the watercolor background represents “calm” to them.

13. 

    admin (author comment)

    - 26th Jul, 10 04:07pm

    I love this addition Mary. Thank you so much for adding your thoughts!