Famela Restrepo

LEI 4724
Activity File 27

Activity title: Objects like me

Source: Carrell, S. (2000). Living With Identity. In Group exercises for adolescents: A
manual for therapists (2nd ed., p. 69,70). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Equipment: carefully chosen group objects (objects that have been particularly useful include,
but not limited to, a box of matches, a sponge, a red ball, a clown doll, and old high-top tennis
shoe, a mask- Halloween or Mardi Gras- a geode (rock), a pine cone, a puzzle, an eggbeater, a
heart-shaped box, and a coachs whistle.) also we need a table for displaying objects.
Description of activity:
The objective of this activity is to increase self-awareness by describing themselves in relation to
chosen objects and by listening to feedback from others. The facilitator selects a number of
objects such as those suggested in equipment. Objects chosen should have the potential to
elicit certain responses, the facilitator arranges the objects on a table in the middle of the group
circle before the schedule session, when the group convenes, each member, in turn, chooses the
object most like himself or herself and tells why. The other group members respond to the selfperception describe by giving feedback to the member, self-perception are valid or challenged by
the feedback.
Leadership consideration: this activity can be perform in small or medium groups. The setting
will be in a room with a big table where all objects are totally perceptible for all participants.
Therapist functions as a facilitator by giving all the instruction and initiating the activity with an
example. Also the facilitator will conclude the session by pointing out that some members seem
to know themselves quite well, whereas other are not so aware of what might motivating them or
how they con across to others.
Adaptations:
Participants with Alzheimer: Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, a general
term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life.
Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number
of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose
the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment (Alzheimers disease
& dementia, n.d.). Instead of describing why the object is similar to them, you can allow
participants to share any experience or memory they can remember with that object. Also if you
feel that they feel intimidating just ask them to say a word that start with the letter of the objects
they have. For example, if they picked a sponge they can say soap. This will be easier for
participants if they cannot remember anything at the time of their turn.

Participants with specific phobia: People with specific phobias, or strong irrational fear
reactions, work hard to avoid common places, situations, or objects even though they know
there's no threat or danger. The fear may not make any sense, but they feel powerless to stop it.
(Specific phobias | anxiety and depression association of America, ADAA, n.d.). As
an alternative of the list giving above, we will used the specific objects that creates the phobia
toward participants for example, airplane toy, or a dog image. To help this participants to engage
in the activity, the therapist may use a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helping the patient
understand incorrect assumptions usually identify mistaken beliefs. Secondly comes gradually
exposes, or confronting the feared situation, such as going with a therapist and getting closer to
object, for example a picture of a dog. Therapist has to be aware that this activity require weekly
treatment with homework assignment, meaning that is more than one session require.
Adaptation references
- Alzheimers disease & dementia. (n.d.). Retrieved 6 November 2015, from
http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp
- Specific phobias | anxiety and depression association of America, ADAA. (n.d.).
Retrieved 6 November 2015, from http://www.adaa.org/understandinganxiety/specific-phobias