# Transforming Behavior ## Transforming Behavior Training Parents ### Introduction Mary N. Cook, M.D. Children’s Hospital Colorado Aurora ### Excerpted from Transforming Behavior: --- ## Contents ### Parent Workbook Handouts 1. Sample Behavioral Contract for Home and/or School. 2. _______’s Behavioral Contract (for the Homework-Negligent Child). 3. _______’s Behavioral Contract. ### Toolbox Materials - Cooperation Busters: O.S.P.L.A.T.T.! Cards. - Cooperation Builders, Part 1 Cards. - Communication Styles Cards. - Assertiveness Formula Cards. - Sample and Blank Scenario Cards for Practicing Cooperation Builders. ### Module 4: Mastery of Psychosocial Skills (MaPS) Treatment Protocol #### Home and/or School 1. Welcome to the MaPS Program. 2. Child Checklist. --- ### Creative Arts Therapy (CAT) Treatment Protocol #### Introduction Each CAT IOP session began with a review of the week’s themes and an introduction about the format and expectations for creative arts therapy. The CAT sessions were presented to families as a form of therapy that utilized materials and instruments to facilitate the expression of thoughts, feelings, and ideas; families were informed that they required no previous experience. ### Goals of CAT Module 1: Introduction to Musical Relating - To foster self-expression, promote listening skills, practice reflective listening or mirroring, and enhance appreciation of nonverbal aspects of effective communication. #### Materials Needed - Enough percussion instruments to allow each group member to choose their own instrument (e.g., floor toms with mallets, djembes, hand drums, tambourines, shakers, xylophones). #### Directive 1: Mirroring Once introductions and check-ins are complete, ask each group member to choose an instrument. Introduce the idea that communication involves an expresser and a listener. Facilitate a mirroring exercise where group members alternate roles. #### Directive 2: Entrained Rhythmic Play Begin this exercise by establishing a simple rhythm on your instrument. Cue members to join in rhythmically, encouraging creativity and expression. --- ### Module 2: Resiliency Boxes #### Goals Recognize a child’s strengths, create a special container to hold them, practice listening, and rehearse giving and receiving compliments. #### Materials Needed - Small cardboard boxes in a variety of shapes, acrylic gloss medium, colored tissue paper, stickers, and sequins. ### Directive 1: Coping Boxes Children create their own special boxes while parents write specific compliments and strengths to place inside. ### Module 3: Body Tracings for Emotion Identification In this intervention, each child instructs a parent to illustrate emotions depicted in the child’s body drawing. This enables the recognition of internal experiences and emotions. #### Directive 1: Body Tracings Facilitate a session where each family collaboratively creates artwork depicting various emotions experienced in their bodies. --- ### Module 4: Name That Mood #### Goals Build a feelings vocabulary and practice empathy formulas through a game. #### Directive 1: Name That Mood Game Facilitate a guessing game where participants express emotions through music, encouraging exploration of emotional cues. --- ### Module 5: Family Building with Grab Bag #### Goals Foster collaboration and problem solving within families through a creative art project. #### Materials Needed - Small paper bags containing craft supplies (e.g., pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, foam shapes). ### Directive Have families work collaboratively to produce an art piece, reinforcing positive communication strategies and teamwork. --- ### Module 6: Musical Conflict Resolution #### Goals To represent recent family conflicts musically, exploring conflict resolution skills through guided musical interactions. #### Directive Families model a recent conflict musically, while observing groups provide feedback for improvement in interactions. --- ### Module 7: Conversation with Paint #### Goals Review and foster awareness of communication styles, recognizing interpersonal relatedness patterns. ### Directive Children and family members create art together without verbal communication, focusing on their nonverbal interactions and reflections on the process. --- ### About the Author Mary N. Cook, M.D., is a Board Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and Clinical Director at Children’s Hospital Colorado. She specializes in working with families of children diagnosed with disruptive behavior disorders and training health professionals.