Jigsaw puzzles are widely used by people dealing with depression and anxiety since they provide a healthy distraction and help clients feel a sense of accomplishment when they finish. Studies also show that puzzles can have a positive impact on mental health for people of all ages by helping them manage their emotions better.
The My Depression Jigsaw Puzzle Worksheet is an activity that involves brainstorming various positive coping skills and habits and piecing them together, much like assembling a jigsaw puzzle. Each piece of the puzzle would represent a different technique, such as relaxation, social contact, and behavioral activation. Clients are also allowed to personalize their approach by coloring the puzzle pieces.
As kids and teens answer this worksheet, they can gain insight into their emotional needs, while providing an outlet for creative expression. Pairing the activity with simple breathing exercises can increase its effectiveness for stress reduction.
Adults may offer support and encourage them to complete the puzzle as many times as they would like to create different combinations of coping skills. They can also have discussions about which strategies were most helpful.
*This item is an instant digital download. A link to download your files will be emailed to you once payment is confirmed.
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References:
- Fissler, P., Küster, O. C., Laptinskaya, D., Loy, L. S., Von Arnim, C. A., & Kolassa, I. (2018). Jigsaw puzzling taps multiple cognitive abilities and is a potential protective factor for cognitive aging. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2018.00299
- Selamat, N. W., Jagathisswary G., Anderson A.E., Norshafarina S.K., Muhammad Afiq Z., Irwanto, Ariafandi S., Afni Isnaeni S., Engku Idzzan Nadzirah T.I., & Haliza B. (2021). Development of puzzles based intervene for adolescents to enhance the knowledge on depression management. Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 21(2), 149-161. https://doi.org/10.37268/mjphm/vol.21/no.2/art.877
- Selamat, N. W., Gobu, J., Sary, D. D., Kamaruddin, N. S., Zaki, M. A., Selamat, A., Selamat, A. I., Idris, T. I., & Baharudin, H. (2021). Enhancement of knowledge and attitude level on depression via knowledge, depression and adolescents (KDA)Puzzles. Journal of Indian Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 17(4), 182-199. https://doi.org/10.1177/0973134220210412
