MMHS
  • Home
  • Blog
    • The Playful Therapist Blog
  • Courses
    • Online Courses and Training
    • Speaking
    • Local Trainings
  • Supervision
    • Supervision | Consultation
    • Virtual Consultation
    • Play Therapy Consultation
    • EMDR Consultation
  • Resources
    • Downloads
    • About Play Therapy
    • Continued Growth and Learning
    • Recommended Readings
    • Online Sources for CE
    • Professional Groups
  • Shop

Catching Thoughts: Free Download

6/23/2021

2 Comments

 
Picture
​Do you ever have a gloomy thought that just won’t seem to go away? The more you try to ignore it the bigger it gets. Just sitting there, hanging around, making you feel all yucky. 
 
It’s the uninvited guest that won’t leave. 
 
Those are the worst.  Cognitive Behavioral Theory would call these maladaptive or distorted thoughts.  Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) would call these Negative Cognitions. 
 
Either way these thoughts are uncomfortable at best and deeply painful at the worst. 
 
In the book Catching Thoughts, Bonnie Clark uses the beautiful imagery of a black balloon to show just what it is like having these thoughts hang around. We go on a journey of all the ways that one might try to get rid of these thoughts like ignoring, running away, and getting mad and yelling at them. 
 
We find that when we can notice the thought and hold it at a distance we can then become aware of new thoughts, beautiful thoughts, and thoughts that are true and excellent. We learn that you can choose what thoughts to catch and can fill your life with beautiful color. 
 
This is truly a must have book for your bibliotherapy collection, especially if you do EMDR or Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT).  
 
One of the ways that I like to use this book is my free downloadable “What Thought Do You Choose” worksheet HERE!  The cool news is that you can use it as a companion to the book OR completely on its own. 
 
Here we have young people identify what thoughts are in their black balloon.  These are the thoughts they acknowledge mindfully as something that is going through their head, notice it, and then….let it go! 
 
In the colorful balloons they write the thoughts they would like to have about themselves OR the really good, beautiful, true, and excellent thoughts that they are having about themselves already that they want to really hold on to and sink deeper into. 
 
From here you can engage in a visualization of the black balloon drifting away and notice the thoughts, feelings, and sensations of holding the colorful balloons.  If you are trained in EMDR you can add bilateral stimulation to install this image as a resource.  
 
You can also get really creative and get some black balloons where you can put inside pieces of paper with the thoughts that you want to go away, blow it up, and have the child release the balloon.  You can then choose some colorful balloons and have the child write on the balloon the positive good thoughts.  They can notice how they feel in their bodies as they hold on to and say the positive words. 

Picture
So what about you?  Will you be catching thoughts in your practice?  If so, grab the FREE What Thought Do I Choose printable!
 
Is this a book you use in your practice?  If so drop a comment about the creative ways you play!

And...want to know more about trauma, EMDR, and children?  Check out my training on Playing Through Phase 2: Combining Bibliotherapy and Play Therapy for Phase 2 of EMDR. 
Picture
Let's Connect - click here to join my email list!
2 Comments
Michael
6/28/2021 08:42:07 am

Looking at the free What Thought Do I Choose printable, it looks as if the positive balloon statements read, "Thoughts that area wonderful" and "Thoughts that area true". Not sure if there was an autocorrect issue or a font issue. Thought you might like to know in case it needs corrected.

Reply
Ann Meehan
6/28/2021 02:24:58 pm

Thank you for catching that Michael! Yes definitely a typo on my end and it is all fixed now!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Hi, there!

    I'm Ann Meehan, an LPCC,
    ​RPT-S
    ™, and EMDR Consultant. I help therapists that work with kids and teens go from a place of stress and survival to inspired and thriving.  I give child therapists the resources, tools, and skills they need to be effective and confident in their practice!

    I am organization obsessed, coffee loving, playful therapist who is showing up for life in the north woods of Minnesota. 

    Picture


    Loading...

    Archives

    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019

    Categories

    All
    Bibliotherapy
    Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy
    Directive Play Therapy
    EMDR
    Emotional Regulation
    Play Therapy
    Practice Building
    Sand Tray
    Tele Play
    Tele-Play

Picture
Privacy Policies | Terms of Use  | Disclaimer
Contact

ann@meehanmentalhealth.com | ​Copyright Meehan Mental Health Services 2022
  • Home
  • Blog
    • The Playful Therapist Blog
  • Courses
    • Online Courses and Training
    • Speaking
    • Local Trainings
  • Supervision
    • Supervision | Consultation
    • Virtual Consultation
    • Play Therapy Consultation
    • EMDR Consultation
  • Resources
    • Downloads
    • About Play Therapy
    • Continued Growth and Learning
    • Recommended Readings
    • Online Sources for CE
    • Professional Groups
  • Shop