“Man and Woman” (art therapy technique)

Purpose: search for resources for revealing one’s potential of femininity / masculinity, activating the creative potential of the individual.

Materials: magazines of various subjects, scissors, glue, 2 drawing paper, crayons (or pencils).

Introduction. Acquaintance, identification of expectations. The stage is focused on creating a friendly, trusting and safe environment, establishing contact. Briefly – about what a collage is and how to create it.

Main part.

1. Participants are invited to divide into 2 sub-groups. One of them is invited to make a group collage on the theme “Woman”, and the other – on the theme “Man”. This stage of work promotes acquaintance and contact with one’s own ideas about the image of a man / woman.

2. Each group presents its collage as it sees fit, revealing the symbolism of the images presented.

3. Discussion of the progress of work and its results, contributing to reflection, leading to awareness and integration of the experience gained.

In this case, clarifying questions are possible:

“Did you manage to create a coherent composition?

How did you feel before creating the collage? What emotions accompanied the process of working on the collage? How is your creation perceived at the end of the work by its creators and members of another group? What emotions, feelings, experiences does it evoke?

How is another collage perceived? What experiences, feelings, emotions does it evoke?

If there was only one thing, then what would it be?

Is one possible without the other?

We also pay attention to the following points: which aspects of the image of a man / woman are presented in a group collage, and which ones are not; what was paid the most attention, what – the least; how elements are placed on the sheet in relation to each other and how their sizes are related; what is the overall impression of the collage.

We clarify with the group: what difficulties arose in determining the content of the collage and in its manufacture.

Conclusions: In the personality of each person there is both a masculine and feminine principle (a man, along with masculine qualities, also has feminine qualities (Anima), and a woman also has masculine features (Animus).

A real partner in life is a “mirror” of the inner male (or female) part. By establishing a constructive interaction between the male and female principles in his inner world, a person thus “opens the door” for changes in real life. An effective “way of getting to know” your male and female “components” is through the use of male and female archetypal images.

The technique “Man and Woman: Familiar Strangers” (group version of work) allows you to: see the most common types of modern men and women; clarify the hidden meanings and meanings associated with these images; to realize the versatility of the Masculine and Feminine principles of personality; recognize and accept their “strengths”; to understand what (what qualities, opportunities, resources, special strategies of behavior, etc.) are missing and outline the ways of their development.