Here is a message from A Window Between Worlds!
In response to COVID-19, we released 16 art prompts with printable worksheets in English and Spanish over the past 8 weeks. These engaging, therapeutic, and accessible activities are an excellent resource for taking a step back to creatively process and explore experiences, feelings, and needs as we adjust to new ways of living. As we can all use a little extra help right now, we encourage you to share this free resource widely with your friends and family who might benefit from the support.
About: A Window Between Worlds collaborates with human service agencies across the country, training and supporting the staff at these partner organizations in facilitating our healing arts curriculum. These workshops provide a unique “Window of Time” for participants — a safe, non-judgmental environment where they can authentically express themselves in new ways.
There are multiple benefits to creating art in this type of environment, including improved communication and a renewed sense of possibility. As survivors of trauma make art — by drawing, sculpting, painting, collaging, writing and more — their voices are heard and future potential is seen, often for the first time. This supports individuals, families and communities in processing their experiences and moving forward to less burdened and healthier lives.
Since our founding in 1991, A Window Between Worlds’ arts programming has provided the creation of art as a tool for empowerment and healing to over a quarter million adults and children who have experienced violence and trauma.
View workshops below!
“Window Of Time” Workshop Series
We are here to support you in the face of Covid-19 and its impact on our lives and communities. We invite you, along with your families, friends, and co-workers, to participate in these self-led art workshops as a way to explore your experiences, feelings, and needs. Your creations can also be useful in communicating and connecting with others, both directly and virtually.
You can download and print the worksheets or follow the prompt and create your art on a blank sheet of paper or other material. Use whatever supplies you have available for your creation. There is no right or wrong way to create or participate!
We hope your “Window of Time” promotes wellness and resilience for you and your loved ones as we work through these unusual circumstances together.
If you’re comfortable, please share your art on social media, tagging @AWBWorg and using the hashtag #WindowOfTimeArt. You can also email photos of your creations to [email protected] so we can share with others.
WE RISE Touchstones
AWBW Founder Cathy Salser facilitated this interactive art workshop as a part of WE RISE 2020: Virtual May. In collaboration with Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, We Rise is a month-long spotlight on wellbeing and healing through art, music and creative expression, and we are so honored to be a part of it.
What are you rising from and toward? In the face of stress & trauma, it can be hard to remember our inner strength, especially when we need it most. We invite you to create “WE RISE Touchstones” as a resource to bring clarity into moments of challenge.
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Video: Experience this interactive workshop at any time on our Facebook Page
Safe Home
Being out of our routines and dealing with the constant stream of information about this ever evolving pandemic can disrupt our sense of safety and control.
What makes you feel safe at home? It is different for each of us. This workshop is designed for individuals and families to creatively explore what their safe home looks, feels, sounds, and smells like. Your safe home creation can serve as a reminder of the various things you can do to help yourself feel safe while home.
Also, sharing your creation with people you live with is a great way to spark a conversation around any conflicting needs between people in the home, giving you a way to work together to find balance while meeting everyone’s unique needs.
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resource: Creating a Safe and Open Home Environment
Community Agreements
Withthe current state of affairs, it is even more important that we care for ourselves and others. We are all dealing with this situation differently. Taking time to identify and share what you, and those you interact with, need to feel safe can help us be kind and patient with ourselves and one another.
Creating community agreements can be beneficial in setting up clear communication, boundaries, and expectations to create a safer environment for yourself and those you are in direct and virtual contact with. The agreements can be used to address any conflict and miscommunication that may arise in a gentle and productive manner. If an agreement is not followed, take the time to discuss and make adjustments as necessary.
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resource: Developing Community Agreements
Personal Needs Flower
Duing this stressful time we can be so good at taking care of other people that we forget someone who is very important — ourselves!
This workshop gives you an opportunity to creatively explore your core needs, and perhaps even discover new ones! Your flower can serve as a reminder of all your unique needs and the various ways you can meet those needs. It can also be used as a tool to communicate your needs with others so you can support one another in ensuring that they are tended to.
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resource: Self-Care Is Important: Why Is It So Hard to Practice?
Take a Break, Self-Regulate!
Even in normal circumstances, it can be difficult to stay grounded and present in our bodies. Being regulated refers to the central nervous system being in balance, calm, and alert. There are many ways to self-regulate, and taking breaks is a great way to move toward feeling calm and grounded.
How do you like to take breaks? We all enjoy doing different things. This workshop provides an opportunity to identify various activities you like to do when taking a break. Make spinners to remind you of the ways you can calm your mind and nervous system in order to feel more in control.
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resource: 50 Ways to Take a Break Handout
Gratitude Journal
As we move through this time, things are happening that might make us feel worried, uncertain, scared, and a lot of other emotions. Keeping a journal that gives us time and space to focus on what we are grateful for can help put things in perspective and provide a much-needed sense of calm.
Being grateful takes practice, and this workshop provides you with a place to capture and remind you of the various things you are thankful for. Research has shown that directing our attention towards the things we are grateful for, both big and small, has a domino effect by helping our brain to move away from fear and anxiety and towards well-being. Sharing your journal with loved ones (virtually or in person) is a great way to spread positivity and foster connection and inspiration.
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
Treasure Boxes
With everything the world is going through, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and get stuck in negative thoughts. To counteract this we can focus on the people, places, memories, things, and anything else in our lives that we deeply value.
What do you treasure? What is important or meaningful to you that you want to keep safe and protected? This workshop provides an opportunity to identify and connect with what is close to your heart. Fill your own treasure box to serve as a tangible reminder you can use to keep you grounded in what is truly important to you. If you’d like, share your treasure box with others as a way to stay connected to what you value and help others do the same!
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resource: 10 Proactive Ways to Figure Out What’s Most Important to You
Inside/Outside
Many of us are having to hide the stress and anxiety we are feeling as a result of this world health crisis. It is not always easy to do this, and hiding emotions and other aspects of yourself can drain our energy.
In this workshop, you are invited to explore the “you” that you know on the inside and the “you” that people see on the outside. As you explore these different sides of yourself you might learn something new and connect with any thoughts or feelings you have kept hidden, particularly about COVID-19. After completing your creation, you can share the “you” on the inside with a supportive person so you don’t have to keep hiding.
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resource: The Tension Between the Inner and Outer Self
Coat of Arms
Having loved ones to lean on can be especially important for staying grounded as this pandemic unfolds. Who are the people in your life you can turn to for support? Who do you consider family?
A coat of arms symbolizes the strength and pride of a family. This workshop gives you the opportunity to represent the uniqueness of your own family, whoever it may be. You can create your coat of arms as a group or individually. Either way, it can serve as a tangible reminder of how you are getting through these challenging times together.
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resources: Some Definitions of Family | Meaning of Family
Heart Stories
Even in normal circumstances, it is easy to pay more attention to what we think than what is in our hearts. With everything going on, your head may be especially full of thoughts. Listening to our hearts can help us stay connected to who we are.
If your heart could talk about what is happening right now what would it say? What story would it tell? This workshop invites you to think about all of the different ways your heart is currently feeling and bring them out onto paper. By listening to your heart you can better understand what it needs and also talk to others who can help you meet those needs.
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resource: How To Really Listen To Your Heart
My Time
There is so much we cannot control right now, but we can control how we spend our time. Balancing what we have to do with what we want to do is especially important to our well-being.
This workshop gives you a chance to envision how you will fill your extra time through the creation of a special clock. What are some new things you can do while staying home? Talking to others about what you created on your clock will allow them to support and encourage you to spend your time doing things that bring you joy.
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resources: 100 things to do while stuck inside due to a pandemic
The Lotus Flower
Rooted firmly in the mud, the lotus flower grows in murky water. Because of this, it can be a representation of growth during difficult times — like the one we are in now.
You too can grow out of the mud! This workshop provides an opportunity to create a lotus flower to represent challenges you’ve been through and how you overcame them and blossomed. Use your finished flower to remind you of your resilience and ability to successfully navigate through this challenging time.
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resource: Being Resilient During the Coronavirus
Positive Piggies
It can be hard to stay positive with everything that is happening, including thinking positively about ourselves. Positive self-talk is something you can do to build your self-esteem, support you when you are feeling down, or to battle negative thoughts.
In this workshop you have the chance to create positive and uplifiting messages for yourself, more valuable than money, to fill your very own piggy bank. When you’re feeling down, or just need a little boost, you can look at your piggy and take a moment to remind yourself of how special you are. Spread your positivity to others by sharing your creation.
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resources: Five Reasons Why You Should Think Positively
Story Tree
The world has gone through a lot of change recently, which has caused us to look at life a little differently. Through it all, we are still constantly growing — just like a tree.
With their strong trunks and long, expansive branches, trees can help us tell the story of what we have been through and remind us of our strength as we continue to move forward. How have you changed in response to current events? In this workshop you have opportunity to explore your growth, using the tree as a symbol of life and courage. Use your tree to share your journey with others.
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resource: Psychological Growth During the COVID-19 Crisis
Flying Tall
During unpredictable times like these, feeling strong can be very hard to do. However, if you take a closer look inside, you can begin to notice the many strengths you have.
There are many ways to be strong and we all have our own definition of what it means to us. What strengths do you have? How have they helped you in the past? How are they helping you now? This workshop invites you to create a flag symbolizing all the different strengths you can depend on in the face of challenges. Keep your flag to remind you of your resilience when you are struggling to feel strong.
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resources: How to Find Emotional Strength & Resilience During COVID-19
Life is Sweet
Right now, we are faced with not getting to do a lot of the things we want to. This doesn’t mean we can’t remember the good times we’ve had and dream of what brings us joy.
What are some of your positive memories? What memories do you hope to create in the future? In this workshop you can reflect on experiences that make you happy. Add as many scoops to your ice cream cone as you wish, each representing a memory from the past or an idea for the future. Keep your creation nearby to remind you of the sweeter side of life!
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resource: The Power of Positive Memories
Messages of Hope
Hope is exactly what we need to boost our well-being during these difficult times!
Creating and reading positive messages is a great way to build hope and happiness. In this workshop you are invited to create your own messages to inspire yourself and others. If you like, you can make larger signs to put inside or outside your home for everyone to read and enjoy.
Wishing you all the best as we move forward together!
• Download Worksheet: English | Spanish
• Resources: Words Can Change Your Brain
