Aloha and Hau'oli Makahiki Hou! Happy New Year!
This is a very simple, yet powerful activity that you can do with keiki (children), whole families, staff members, students and clients to help them processes the COVID stress associated with the Omnicron strain. This may also be helpful for those who are experiencing "COVID fatigue," secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue.
Simply take a sheet of paper and fold, "hamburger style" and write "COVID" in the middle of the sheet. One one end of the fold, list all of the negative thoughts, emotions and feelings associated with COVID. This is a "brain dump" activity, so encourage participants to just "let it fly." Symbols (or magazine cut outs), emojis, drawings, etc. can be used to have participants express their inner thoughts and feelings. Images can also assure the participants that their thoughts can also be confidential and something that they can choose to share or not share with the group. For our early learners, educators and caregivers can dictate what the child shares, or as mentioned, pictures and drawings can be the young child's way of communicating.
On the other end of the sheet, encourage positive thoughts, lessons learned and new traditions that have been created during the COVID years. As mentioned on the "negative-side" participants should be encouraged to use words, pictures, emojis and art to express their inner most thoughts.
I highly encourage group sharing with a facilitator. This can be a very healing activity that promotes resilience and hope.
Please feel free to share your "COVID Reflection Sheet" and if you did use this in a group how it went.
Mahalo,
Danny
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