Draw a place where you feel safe, peaceful, and secure and use it to calm your mind.
What you’ll need: Paper, coloured pens and paper.
What’s it for?
Thinking about a safe place could be a good calming strategy during times of distress.
Check In:
Notice how you’re feeling right now. Close your eyes and notice what’s going on inside your mind and body.
How are you feeling?
What are you thinking?
How does your body feel?
Method:
Spend a moment thinking about a place where you feel very safe and peaceful. If it is hard to think of somewhere, just think of a place where you felt even a little bit more relaxed and safe than you are feeling right now.
Draw a picture of this place where you feel safe and peaceful.
At the end of the activity answer the following questions:
What makes us feel unsafe sometimes?
Where is your safe place?
Is anyone there with you?
What does your safe place look like?
What colours can you see?
What sounds can you hear?
How does it feel to be there?
What makes it so peaceful?
Conclusion:
When you feel distressed, try bringing this picture into your mind. Think of your mind working like a little magic telescope helping you see the colours, sense the smells, hear the sounds and hold the feelings that go with your picture. Keep practicing imagining up your picture until you can bring it up in your mind even when you are very stressed.
Take a moment to notice how you are feeling at the end of this activity. Did you discover anything surprising?
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Created by Karolina Koman © March 2020
Creative Art: Art
Psychological Area: Emotional Wellbeing, Self-Exploration, Anxiety
References:
This activity was taken and adapted from:
Kagan, Richard. “Mind Power.” Real life heroes life storybook, Routledge, 2017, pp. 92–93.
These activities could be done by children of all ages, but some may need the support of their parent or carer to read the instructions or complete the activity safely.
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