Videos to Illustrate Therapy Activities With Kids

Medium

Topic

Date of Publication
November, 2014

Sometimes a video is worth a thousand words! Some of these videos are intended to demonstrate techniques for therapists, and some can be shown directly to child clients. If you like a particular video, do a search to see if it is part of a series by the same person or group, as several of these are. The duration of the video is in parentheses after the name.

Helpful Thoughts: CBT Activity (6:35)
Liana Lowenstein
This is a demonstration of a technique to help children understand the cognitive triangle (thoughts, feelings, and behaviors) and how to replace troublesome thoughts with more helpful ones.
Play Therapy Technique: Feelings Go Fish (6:30)
Liana Lowenstein
Liana Lowenstein demonstrates how to play the "Feelings Go Fish" game with a child (ages 5-12) to help identify and express feelings in individual, group, or family therapy sessions.
Art Therapy Demonstration: Wish Doll (8:58)
University of Michigan Health System
A Wish Doll can be used to express hopes for the future. The client uses fabric and other materials to create a doll, and writes a wish that goes into the doll's head. This technique was designed for cancer patients, but would be helpful for trauma survivors as well. This video is intended for therapists.
Play Therapy Techniques: The Gingerbread Man Feelings Activity (2:59)
Amy Wickstrom
This is a simple activity for young children to learn about and express feelings.
ASD CBT Video for Children 1 (5:57)
Autism Teaching Strategies
This video is intended to be shown to children. While it was developed for kids with autism, it would be useful for other children struggling with depression, anger, or worry. It explains how "antidote thoughts" fight "poison thoughts" to help you feel better.
Mindfulness Exercises for Kids: Still Quiet Place (3:06)
GoZen!
This animated video demonstrates how to create a still, quiet place in your mind and go there. It is engaging for kids and would be a good adjunct to teaching relaxation.