Balloon Metaphor
Purpose: to introduce the child to the purpose and process of therapy, and explain why it is important to directly address difficult feelings.
Instructions: take a balloon, and said to the child, "our feelings are like air inside a balloon. Like a balloon, we can hold some inside without too many problems. But when we have a lot of big feelings (blow some more air into the balloon) it can be harder and harder for us to hold them inside. You have been dealing with some difficult things that put a lot of "air" into your balloon.” If the child can name some of these things, have them do so, otherwise you might mention them briefly, after each one blowing some more air into the balloon until it is nearly full. Ask the child, "what will happen if I let go of this balloon?" Relate the balloon flailing around the room to any ways the child has "let out" their feelings in a maladaptive way. Below the balloon back up, and ask the child "what will happen if I let these feelings out slowly, a little bit at a time?" Discuss how the explosive behavior doesn't occur, and eventually the balloon doesn't carry any difficult feelings anymore.
This exercise can also be done with a soda bottle (shake up the bottle and discuss what would happen if you take off the lid).
Instructions: take a balloon, and said to the child, "our feelings are like air inside a balloon. Like a balloon, we can hold some inside without too many problems. But when we have a lot of big feelings (blow some more air into the balloon) it can be harder and harder for us to hold them inside. You have been dealing with some difficult things that put a lot of "air" into your balloon.” If the child can name some of these things, have them do so, otherwise you might mention them briefly, after each one blowing some more air into the balloon until it is nearly full. Ask the child, "what will happen if I let go of this balloon?" Relate the balloon flailing around the room to any ways the child has "let out" their feelings in a maladaptive way. Below the balloon back up, and ask the child "what will happen if I let these feelings out slowly, a little bit at a time?" Discuss how the explosive behavior doesn't occur, and eventually the balloon doesn't carry any difficult feelings anymore.
This exercise can also be done with a soda bottle (shake up the bottle and discuss what would happen if you take off the lid).