Therapy

Love Lens: We decide the way we are going to look at ourselves. The Love Lens represents a kinder way to look at ourselves… a more compassionate, confident, and acceptable way. It helps us notice everything that we are made of, our values, strengths, and qualities that the mirror can’t show.

Ice Breaker: What is one quality about you can’t see in the mirror?

Activity Idea:

I will give each participant a heart shaped glasses template. I will also bring a mirror with me to the group.

1- Will pass out the glasses template to each participant so they can decorate the way they want. Ask to put it aside when they are done. (Play music while they do it Scars to Your Beautiful). Inside the glasses template they will be asked to write:

· Their strengths, talent, values, qualities, things they are proud of, things their friends appreciate about them, etc.

2- Will pass out the mirror and ask: “When you look in the mirror to yourself, what is the first thing you notice?” “What thoughts come to your mind when you look at yourself?” (participants can share or not).

3- Ask them to put on the heart shaped glasses and look at themselves again. “Now look at yourselves with a different lens… a Love Lens… The mirror shows you your appearance only. The love lens helps you remember everything else that you are!”

4- Now lets process:

· Which version of you do you like better? The one with or without the love lens?

· How did you feel when you looked at yourself with the Love Lens compared to without it?

· What did you notice different when you looked at yourself the second time?

5- Closing: Everyone fill in the blank: “One thing about me that the mirror can’t show is ___________________. (Play the song: What was I Made For)

Multicultural Consideration: I chose this activity because it encompasses different values and standards towards beauty. The idea of beauty differs across cultures, but one thing remains the same: girls compare themselves to external standards of beauty and forget who they are.

Developmental Rationale: Adolescence is a crucial and challenging developmental stage in most people’s lives. In this stage, teens tend to form their identity, their relationships to others and themselves, compare themselves to their peers, and criticize themselves for what they don’t have (or aren’t).  

The main goal of this activity is for them to explore their identity besides their appearance, which tends to be very important for kids at this stage. The idea is that it will help them identify their qualities, strengths, and values, and understand that how they see themselves as a whole can make a huge difference in what they see in the mirror.