Campfires are always a intimate place to share personal stories with friends. I created this intervention based on the elements of a campfire as a metaphor for depression or anxiety. I use it in groups, but my colleagues have successfully used it with individual clients.
Before doing this, you'll need to have some shapes already cut from construction paper as well as a large black piece of construction paper for a background (I tape two pieces together.)
The pieces of the campfire are:
- Fuel - various sized rectangles in orange or brown (I prefer orange because the clients will be writing on these and it's easier to read words on orange than on brown.)
- Fire - various flames in red or yellow. You can even mix these.
- Smoke - puffs or cloud shapes in gray or white.
- Rain - drops of water in blue.
- Water pail - a purple water pail. This will be added by the therapist at the end.
- TEMPLATES for FIRE, WATER, SMOKE, and PAIL
Most of the processing in this activity happens as the activity progresses. I usually begin by talking about campfires and inviting the clients to join me around the campfire as we build it together.
- Have the clients begin with the fuel. Ask "What fuels (e.g. triggers or brings on) your depression/anxiety?" Any answer is good as long it's true for that person. Have them write their ideas on rectangles and then paste them at the bottom of the page. It's ok if they overlap and you can't read all the words.
- Once the fuel is done, ask "What does anxiety/depression feel like inside for you?" These will be the flames. They will again write on and paste the flames on top of the fuel.
- The third part is to ask "What do other people notice or what are the signs that you are depressed/anxious?" You might also say these are smoke signals they send up for help. These are pasted above the fire with their ideas.
- Stop and process what it's like to look at the creation and how it feels to know others have similar experiences. Then move on to coping skills ...
- The rain or drops of water represent coping skills. It's a good idea to have different sizes of water drops as some skills work better than others. Start by asking what usually helps them and have these added to the picture. They can be pasted directly on the fire if desired. Usually, depending on when this activity is done during treatment, these ideas might not be very helpful or healthy.
- Once the group has finished with their ideas, ask if they feel it's enough to put out the fire. This is a lead in to introducing other coping methods that will be taught by the therapist. The therapist can then add the purple fire pail beside the campfire. The therapist can then add some water drops to the pail with coping methods that will be taught. Before pasting them down, find out if the clients feel they might be helpful or if they've tried them before and their experience.
- The therapist should also ask the clients if there are people other than the therapist who can help out. List these people on the outside of the pail.
