Heart Art Facilitator Guide
Heart Art Facilitator Guide
Processing Emotions & Building Self-Esteem through Creative Expression
60-90 Minutes
Session Goals
- Identify and express complex "inner weather" emotions.
- Build tactile grounding through watercolor textures.
- Highlight personal strengths and resilience.
- Provide a safe, non-verbal outlet for family-related stress.
Required Supplies
- Watercolor paint set (paints, brushes, water cups).
- Thick watercolor paper (300gsm recommended).
- Fine-liner pens and soft graphite pencils.
- Paper towels or sponges for texture.
- "Soul Sketchbook" and "Power Petals" printouts.
ADHD-Friendly Facilitation
Sensory Focus: Encourage focus on the "wetness" of the paint, the smell of the paper, and the rhythmic motion of the brush to ground her attention.
Low Stakes: Emphasize that there is no "right" way to do art. Mistakes are just "happy accidents" or layers of a story.
Pacing: Allow for "standing up and painting" or fidgeting. Use short instructions with visual aids (the slide deck).
Executive Function: Help prep the space together to reduce overwhelm. One task at a time.
Session Flow
1
Arrival & Checking the Weather (10 min)
Goal: Identify current emotional state without needing to explain "why".
Ask: "If your feelings right now were a type of weather, what would they be? Is it a misty morning, a stormy afternoon, or maybe a hazy sunset?" Use the first page of the Soul Sketchbook.
2
Watercolor Play: Texture & Emotion (20 min)
Goal: Non-verbal emotional release through sensory play.
Demonstrate wet-on-wet (gentle, flowing) and dry brush (sharp, scratchy). Encourage her to pick colors that "feel" like her family situation or her current mood. Don't push for conversation yet; let the paint talk.
3
The Soul Sketchbook: Journaling (20 min)
Goal: Translate visual feelings into words.
While the paint dries, move to the journaling prompts. If writing feels hard, suggest "bullet points" or "word maps." Prompt: "What is one thing your heart wants to say today that your mouth hasn't said yet?"
4
Power Petals: Strengths Garden (20 min)
Goal: Self-esteem building and positive focus.
Use the Power Petals cutout sheet. Ask her to identify 5 things she likes about herself or things she is good at (even small things like 'being a good pet owner' or 'having cool hair'). Assemble the flower as a physical reminder of her strengths.
5
Gentle Closing (5-10 min)
Goal: Transitioning back to daily life.
Acknowledge her bravery for sharing and creating. Ask one thing she will do for "self-care" tonight (e.g., a warm bath, reading a book, listening to music).
Gentle Conversation Starters
"I noticed you chose a very dark blue for that corner. If that color had a voice, what would it be saying?"
"Sometimes colors bleed together, just like feelings do. Does it ever feel like [SADNESS] and [ANGER] are mixing together for you?"
"Look at these strengths you wrote down. Which one of these helps you the most when things at home feel hard?"
Important Note
If the child discloses abuse, neglect, or intent to harm self/others during the journaling or art process, follow your local mandatory reporting protocols immediately. This art session is a tool for expression, not a substitute for intensive clinical therapy when safety is at risk.
Inner Landscape Slides
Inner Landscape Art
Finding calm and color within yourself.
Welcome to Your Space
This is a place where there are no mistakes.
Whatever you feel is okay. Whatever you paint is exactly right.
"Art is a way to say things that words can't always reach."
Your Inner Weather
Close your eyes for a moment. If your feelings right now were weather, what would they look like?
Bright & Warm
Mist or Rain
A Big Storm
Activity: Paint your weather on page 1 of your Soul Sketchbook.
Your Power Petals
Even when things are hard, you have strengths that help you keep going.
Think of things like:
- Being kind to animals
- Drawing or creating
- Being a good listener
- Facing scary things bravely
- Making people laugh
Activity: Paint and write your strengths on your Power Petals sheet.
You are Braver than you feel.
Thank you for sharing your heart and your art today. Take your Strength Flower home as a reminder of how powerful you are.
Keep shining!
