Chill & Spill: A Place to Put It Down and Work It Out
An Art with Heart Publication by Steffanie Lorig and Jeanean Jacobs
Reading Level: Grades 5 and Up
Sometimes adolescents just need a safe place to let loose on the world. Or to try out their budding artistic skills or poetic ability. Or to rant about school or family or best friends. Or to process a traumatic experience. Or to dream... What better place for tweens and teens to do all this than in this hip journal with funky art and guided activities sprinkled throughout?
The Chill & Spill Guided Journal is a creation of the nonprofit organization Art with Heart. The mission of Art with Heart is to “improve the lives of high-risk youth with therapeutic tools and programs that promote emotional health and well-being.” In fact, the journal seems to lend itself to positive reflection and self-improvement for any tween or teen, high risk or not. By providing a creative outlet, the organization hopes to help youth thrive in spite of personal challenges.
The spiral-bound journal balances smooth, unlined blank pages with dynamic art (every sixth page) by 21 award-winning artists, as well as 20 interesting exercises designed to help journal users explore how they feel. The variety of activities appeals to different creative styles and temperaments. For example, journal users can make a map showing what’s going on in their heads or hearts on any given day. A list of possible emotions is included to help map-makers get started: joyful, disappointed, blocked, frustrated, goofy, proud, etc. Another page features an Action/Reaction exercise, with lines to fill in for events (triggers), emotional or physical reaction (feeling), action (choice), and a second chance (new response). Other pages encourage young artists to create collages to depict themselves when they are not in control or are feeling powerless, as well as images that represent themselves when they feel proud and powerful. The art is wonderfully diverse and sure to captivate this age group.
Social and Emotional Lessons in Chill & Spill
Chill & Spill underwent a year-long evaluation study to discover the benefits of its use with high-risk youth and the professionals that serve them (teachers, therapists, prevention specialists, after-school program coordinators, etc.). The study shows that Chill & Spill fosters social and emotional learning through the therapeutic use of art. In addition, it supports a variety of service providers by aligning with best practices in youth programming.
As with the SECOND STEP and STEPS TO RESPECT programs, the Chill & Spill journal focuses on promoting decision-making techniques and coping skills, and building resilience. In one of the most compelling exercises, the journal writer is asked to pretend she or he is a reporter for a celebrity magazine, interviewing her or himself.
Suggested questions include:
- What are your talents and strengths?
- What really bothers you?
- What advice would you give someone else in the same situation?
- What things are you most proud of?
This is the kind of self-scrutiny that can easily segue into lessons on considering perspectives, making a plan, identifying hopes and plans, and other social and emotional skill training for middle school. In addition, the creative exercises found in Chill & Spill dovetail well with the writing and journal exercises found in the SECOND STEP program lessons. The Chill & Spill Educator's Companion is available for use with the journal. The guide includes learning goals, discussion points, materials lists, creative techniques, ideas for individual or classroom use, and background information about the concepts behind the activities. The exercises are ideal for individual or classroom use, and, if used in the classroom, will be sure to generate lively discussion.
Buy the Chill & Spill Guided Journal and Educator's Companion from our online store.
