Kid strategy of the week:

Acts of Kindness Art Activity: A way to support kids and teens with building healthy peer and family relationships is exploring the idea of kindness. Coming up with ways that kids can show kindness to others, and themselves, can foster greater connections in their life, higher self-esteem through building a positive self-image, increased feelings of gratitude, and better understanding of empathy and compassion.

• Create a kindness Sunflower by drawing or using construction paper.
  • In the middle of the flower, the client can write “Growing with Kindness” or Random acts of Kindness” or “Kindness matters”
  • On the petals (5-10 total), the client can write different ways to show kindness

Source: Paper Sunflower Craft (Grow with Kindness) | Crafting Jeannie

Sample Progress Note: The focus of the session was (tailor based on treatment plan). The therapist engaged the client in developing an acts of kindness sunflower to support building healthy relationship patterns. The client responded to the art activity by (fill in the blank).

Couples strategy of the week:

Kindness Gestures: Strong relationships are often built with small moments of kindness and connection that accumulate over time. Intentionally incorporating kindness gestures into a relationship can foster feelings of emotional closeness and relationship satisfaction, and many kindness gestures can take less than five minutes.

Some ideas include:

• Leaving a loving note. It can even be as simple as “I love you” written on a sticky note.
• Doing a task that helps your partner feel less stressed, for example moving laundry from the washer to the dryer
• Giving a shoulder massage
• Actively listening to your partner when they share about their day, without any distractions
• Giving your partner a small gift “just because.” For example, picking up their favorite snack while you’re shopping.

Source: https://www.gottman.com/blog/5-ways-make-small-gestures-count-marriage/

Sample Progress Note: The focus of this session was… The therapist helped the couple reflect on ways to kindness does and can be present in their relationship. The couple was (engaged/receptive/disengaged/etc) while participating in the kindness themed activity, and they (were able/struggled/somewhat able) to identify ways of showing kindness to each other.

Adult strategy of the week:

Showing Kindness to Others: Acts of kindness not only nurture relationships; they also foster positive feelings in the person who is showing kindness. Oftentimes showing kindness to others can be done in small ways that are easily incorporated into daily life.

Some examples include:

• Sending a text to someone to let them know that you appreciate them
• Writing thank-you notes
• Holding the door for someone
• Sharing videos or pictures that remind you of someone
• Helping someone clean up
• Acknowledging important dates in someone’s life (e.g., birthdays, anniversaries)

Sample Progress Note: The focus of this session was… The therapist helped the client explore the benefits of showing kindness to others. The client reported that exploring the benefits of showing kindness to others was (helpful/not helpful/boring/etc), and the client expressed that they are (likely/not likely) to engage in acts of kindness (e.g., [list examples]).

Mindfulness/Meditation of the week:

Loving-Kindness Meditation: Bringing the focus of mediation practice to kindness can foster feelings of meaningful connection to those around us. The loving-kindness meditation may be directed towards others, as well as inward. Begin the mindfulness meditation with directing to another and as the client becomes acclimated to the practice, introduce the notion of directing to themselves (see source for alternative scripts of sending more neutral messages out/inward as well).

Sample Progress Note: The focus of this session was… The therapist led Ct. in a loving-kindness guided meditation to foster and build helpful healthy relationships. Ct. (engaged/did not engage in the activity), and they reported that the meditation as (helpful/difficult/not helpful)

Script: Sending Loving-Kindness to Loved Ones

• Now bring your awareness back to the person standing on your right side. Begin to send the love that you feel back to that person. You and this person are similar. Just like you, this person wishes to be happy. Send all your love and warm wishes to that person.
• Repeat the following phrases, silently:
  • May you live with ease, may you be happy, may you be free from pain.
  • May you live with ease, may you be happy, may you be free from pain.
  • May you live with ease, may you be happy, may you be free from pain.
  • Now focus your awareness on the person standing on your left side. Begin to direct the love within you to that person. Send all your love and warmth to that person. That person and you are alike. Just like you, that person wishes to have a good life.
• Repeat the following phrases, silently:
  • Just as I wish to, may you be safe, may you be healthy, may you live with ease and happiness.
  • Just as I wish to, may you be safe, may you be healthy, may you live with ease and happiness.
  • Just as I wish to, may you be safe, may you be healthy, may you live with ease and happiness.
• Now picture another person that you love, perhaps a relative or a friend. This person, like you, wishes to have a happy life. Send warm wishes to that person.
• Repeat the following phrases, silently:
  • May your life be filled with happiness, health, and well-being.
  • May your life be filled with happiness, health, and well-being.
  • May your life be filled with happiness, health, and well-being.

Source: Loving-Kindness Meditation | Practice | Greater Good in Action (berkeley.edu)