Building Bridges: Biblical Counseling Activities for Children and Teens

by Julie Lowe

Overview

Knowing how to approach children and teens in counseling can be a challenge, but this practical workbook of expressive exercises will help counselors and other caring adults to build meaningful connections. Building Bridges allows counselors to enter a young person's world by engaging them in biblically wise and creative activities and includes reproducible resources.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781645070504
Publisher:	New Growth Press
Publication date:	09/28/2020
Series:	Helping the Helper
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Julie Lowe, MA, is a faculty member at CCEF and a licensed professional counselor with nearly twenty years of counseling experience. Julie is also a registered play therapist and has developed a play therapy office at CCEF to better serve families, teens, and children. Julie is the author of Child Proof and Building Bridges, as well as the minibooks Helping Your Anxious Child and Teens and Suicide. Julie and her husband, Greg, have six children and serve as foster and adoptive parents.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Working with Children and Teens Requires a Different Approach 1

Chapter 2 Ages and Stages: Understanding the Impact of Development 13

Chapter 3 The Importance of Involving Parents 23

Chapter 4 Expressive Activities: A Biblical Rationale 31

Chapter 5 Principles and Application 43

Chapter 6 Methods for Drawing Out Children and Teens 51

Sample Art Activities 68

Picture of a Tree 68

Bridge Activity 70

Boat and Refuge Activity 71

Door Activity 73

Chapter 7 Activities for Drawing Out Children and Teens 75

Understanding Children 75

Understanding Their Identity 76

Get to Know Me 76

Colored Candy Activity 79

If I Were a Superhero 81

My Timeline 83

Questions for Teens 86

If I Were a 89

Understanding Their Emotions 91

What Are You Feeling? 91

Measure Your Feelings 98

What's Bugging You? 101

Butterflies in My Belly 103

Understanding Their Heart 105

What's Going On in Your Heart? 105

Heart Puzzle 107

Stars and Dots 109

Understanding Their Relationships 111

Relational Assessment 111

Care Tag 115

Walk in My Shoes 118

Understanding Their Challenges 120

How Big Is My Struggle? 120

What Pushes Your Buttons? 122

What Gives Me Anxiety? 125

Alien Activity 128

What's under the Surface? 131

Life at My House 135

Mom's House, Dad's House 138

Brainstorming 140

Chapter 8 Expressive Activities That Speak into Children's Hearts and Challenges 143

Think About It 145

My Problem Says/God Says 149

The Fruit Tree 151

Mirror Activity 155

Anxiety Activity 160

Who Is King? 163

Emotions Highway 169

Building Up or Tearing Down 172

Taking Thoughts Captive 174

Seeking God 178

Conclusion - Unleashing Your Own Creativity 183

Appendix A Sample Developmental Charts 185

Notes 197