Page 1 of 3

Alex Lay
1. Activity Title: Creative Arts Activity with Music

2. APA Citations / Work Cited:

Brain Line - All About Brain Injury and PTSD (2021). Creative Arts Therapies. Retrieved
December 5, 2021, from https://www.brainline.org/treatment-hub/creative-arts-
therapies?gclid=CjwKCAiAhreNBhAYEiwAFGGKPD6iDK61m5gfYGAi9qh5uHmiKxKXWhs
71fWXFFQdHE_g0677sDw0uBoCJgoQAvD_BwE
Dreamy Sound (2021). Cozy Christmas Piano Music with Fireplace. YouTube. November
(2021) Retrieved December 5, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FtmhlGsRIw

3. Equipment Needed: Personal Computer with Internet Connection for the Zoom Meeting,
(1) Writing Utensil, (1) Sheet of Paper, and a Place to Sit/Relax.

4. The activity that I will be facilitating is called creative art therapy with music. Creative
art therapy can be used to treat mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), depression, anxiety, and can also be used to
enhance cognition in those suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Art
therapy helps people to process their emotions and experiences in a healthy setting, while
also providing them with an opportunity to communicate those experiences and emotions
to themselves and others. Creative art does not require prior skill or experience and can
be enjoyed by anyone willing to participate. This activity is designed to bring out your
creativity, while thinking about the positive aspects of your lives, and remembering the
things that are important to you.

A) Activity – Creative Art with Music

I have chosen some relaxing Christmas music for you to listen to from YouTube in honor of the
upcoming holiday and to set mood for this activity:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FtmhlGsRIw

1. Send the YouTube link to the chat box on Zoom and have all participants open
the link and begin playing the Christmas audio.

2. Tell participants to take out a drawing utensil and a piece of paper before
beginning the activity.
 Page 2 of 3

3. You will instruct the participants to think about what constitutes a “perfect day”
for them, and to also include the people, places, and things that make their day
“perfect.”

4. Now, tell the participants to take the next 5-8 minutes to draw their “perfect day”
on their pieces of paper.

5. Remind the participants that when they are finished drawing their pictures, they
should be prepared to explain: (1) What their perfect day is? and (2) Why they
chose to include the people, places, and things within their “perfect day” drawing?

B) Activity Debrief
1. Tell the participants to stop the Christmas audio on YouTube and return to their
Zoom screen to share and explain their drawings.

2. Instruct each of the participants to share their drawings and explain:

• What their perfect day is?
• Why they chose to include the people places, and things within their
drawings?

3. Once every participant has shared their drawing and explanations with the group,
begin the debrief.

4. Debrief Questions:

What?
• How did this activity make you feel?
• Was it relaxing?
So What?
• Did this activity help to bring out positive thoughts and emotions?
• Did this activity promote creativity?
Now What?
• Do you think anything could have been done better to improve this
activity?
• Will you consider using creative art therapy in the future?
 Page 3 of 3

C) Primary Social Interaction Pattern(s):

Shared Cooperative. The shared cooperative primary social interaction pattern is utilized in this
activity to bring participants together in sustained engagement with cognitive diffusion and
mindfulness meditation. This social interaction pattern enables the facilitator to provide
directions at the beginning of the activity to then guide the participants through this activity as a
group. I created this activity as a mix of both creative art therapy and music. The music was
designed to set a relaxing atmosphere for the participants to draw their pictures, while being
creative, and thinking about the positive aspects of their lives and creating their personal “perfect
day” in their minds. This activity forces participants to get outside of their comfort zones and
share their creative art while socializing and building bonds in a group setting. This activity
encourages the participants to open themselves up to new and heathy ways to cope with stress,
anxiety, depression, as well as offering ideas for them to help the cognition of elderly people
and/or those that may suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease in the future.
D) Adaptation:
Everyone can practice this activity anywhere at any time, whether it be individually or in a group
setting. No exclusions occur while practicing this activity. This activity can be used to improve
the cognition, hand-eye-coordination, social/emotional wellness of elderly people and/or those
that may suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease in the future.
Possible adaptations may include assistive drawing devices, or other adaptive technology that
may help participants to hear the instructions or complete the drawing itself.
E) Participant:
People in the elderly population who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and/or dementia.