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CookieJar termination activity

The Cookie Jar activity is designed for children aged three to ten to help them understand the termination of therapy through a visual and interactive method. By using a jar filled with cookies, children can see how many sessions are left and prepare for the goodbye process in a positive way. This intervention should be combined with other activities that celebrate the child's therapeutic achievements.

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24 views2 pages

CookieJar termination activity

The Cookie Jar activity is designed for children aged three to ten to help them understand the termination of therapy through a visual and interactive method. By using a jar filled with cookies, children can see how many sessions are left and prepare for the goodbye process in a positive way. This intervention should be combined with other activities that celebrate the child's therapeutic achievements.

Uploaded by

kittykittymeowmeowww
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Cookie Jar

Source: Liana Lowenstein, in: Creative CBT Interventions for Children with Anxiety

Theme: Termination
Recommended Age Range: Three to Ten
Modality: Individual

Goals
• Verbalize an understanding of when and how therapy will end
• Provide a positive termination experience

Materials
• Plastic covered jar or container
• Adhesive label
• Marker
• Cookies

Advance Preparation
Write the client’s name on the adhesive label and stick it on the outside of the jar. Place
the cookies in the jar. (The number of cookies placed in the jar will depend on the
number of sessions the client has left until termination. For example, if there are five
sessions left, then place five cookies in the jar.)

Overview
Young children often lack the cognitive ability to fully understand a concept such as the
termination of therapy. This activity provides a visual and concrete way to help young
clients understand when therapy will end. This helps to prepare clients for termination
and reduces feelings of rejection and loss.

This intervention should be used in conjunction with other termination activities such as
games or art techniques that help celebrate the client’s therapeutic achievements and
facilitate the goodbye process.

Activity Instructions
See the worksheet below.

About The Author


Liana Lowenstein, MSW, CPT-S, is a therapist, lecturer, and author who has been
working with children since 1988. She is internationally recognized for her innovative work
including numerous books on child and family therapy. She is winner of the Monica
Herbert award for outstanding contribution to play therapy in Canada.
Cookie Jar

You have worked hard in therapy and you have learned so much! This means you
are almost ready to stop coming to therapy. This activity is called Cookie Jar.
It will help you understand when and how therapy will end so you will feel ready.

Open the cookie jar, take out one cookie (only one!), and eat the cookie. The
remaining cookies in the jar show how many more times you will be coming here.
There are four cookies left in the jar. So you will be coming here four more
times, and then you and I will be saying goodbye to each other. Place the lid on
the cookie jar.

Ask me to say something you have learned in therapy and to tell you why you
are almost ready to stop coming to therapy.

We’ll repeat this activity at the end of our next three sessions (e.g., eat one
cookie from the cookie jar, count the remaining cookies in the jar, and say how
many more times you will be coming to therapy). At the end of the three
sessions, there will be one cookie left in the cookie jar, which means you will
come to therapy one last time. The last time you come will be special. It will
be a celebration of all the hard work you have done in therapy. It will be a time
for us to say a last goodbye to each other.

At the end of your last session, you will get to eat the last cookie left in the
jar.

From: Creative CBT Interventions for Children with Anxiety by Liana Lowenstein.
Copyright 2016. All Rights Reserved.

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