Coloring Games to Play During Counseling

Sitting and talking is not always an effective approach to counseling. When the client is a child, has language difficulties or is withdrawn, it is often necessary to find other means of connecting. In these situations, incorporating drawing and coloring games can provide interaction between the counselor and client, while also communicating a great deal about the client's inner world.

Draw-a-Person (DAP)

• This counseling tool was developed in 1948 by a psychologist named Karen Machover. It is approached by the counselor in a very casual, low-pressure way, encouraging the client to not think too much about it. The counselor asks the client to draw a person, and when he is finished asks him to draw a person of the opposite gender. The counselor can then ask questions about the people to get the client to open up more about the drawing. It can be important to note if the person is missing any limbs, the facial expression and proportions. Pay attention to what colors the person is wearing, as cool colors can indicate an introvert while warm colors suggest extroversion.

House-Tree-Person (HTP)

• Developed by John Buck, this tool can reveal a lot about a child's intellectual functioning and inner world. The counselor gives the child three blank white pieces of paper and utensils like paper and crayons. He then asks the child to draw a house, tree and a person on each of the pieces of paper. Theory has it that the house represents the family, the person represents conscious aspects of the self or others while the tree represents unconscious elements of the self. Questions can be asked to get more information, such as "Are the people living in this house happy?" or "What kind of tree is this?" Notice how many colors are used throughout the drawings, as a preponderance of one color can indicate depression.

Kinetic Family Drawing (KFD)

• This tool for children was developed by Burns and Kaufman in 1970. It is intended to reveal a child's attitudes toward her family and reveal aspects of the family dynamics that would otherwise not be apparent. The counselor asks the child to draw a picture of herself and her entire family doing something. Paying attention to who is standing beside whom, what each individual is doing, the relative sizes of each figure and the facial expressions can be very revealing about home life. Asking questions about the drawing at the end is an important component. Keep an eye out for an unusual amount of red and black, which could point toward recent trauma.

The Squiggle Game

• Originally created by Donald Winnicott and further developed by Jean Thurow, the "squiggle game" is a fun, interactive and profound counseling tool that helps to develop the counselor-client relationship in a non-verbal way. The therapist will draw a simple, free-form line or squiggle on a piece of paper, then hand it over to the client and encourage her to make a drawing out of it. What the client "sees" in that first line will affect what she transforms it into. If the counselor draws a blue squiggle, notice if the client finishes the drawing in a similar colors (such as blue or purple) or a contrary color scheme (red or orange). This could indicate whether the client feels harmonious or misunderstood in the therapeutic relationship. The client then draws a squiggle for the therapist to transform, who then attempts to communicate his understanding of the client's experience through the drawing.