re-create your safe space

Invite everyone to take 1-2 minutes to identify a safe space, real or imagined, where they feel most comfortable. They can close their eyes while imagining if they are comfortable. A few guiding questions you can ask while folks are imagining include:
- Where does this space exist?
- What is in this space? Other people? Pets? Special objects?
- What about this space makes you feel safe?
- What does it sound like? Smell like? Feel like?
Then, make sure art supplies are distributed and give folks 10-15 minutes to create a version of their safe space using construction paper, scissors, magazines, markers, and/or crayons. Alternatively, folks can use graphic design software on their computers if they’d prefer/are able.
As folks re-create their safe space or “happy place,” encourage them to consider not only what the space LOOKS like, but also what it SOUNDS like, what they FEEL/TOUCH in their safe space, and what they might TASTE or SMELL in their safe space (favorite food or smell from a favorite memory).
Feel free to play some chill music on a low volume while folks create. Once everyone is finished, move on to the discussion portion.

While discussing, folks can choose to share about their safe space or not. Nobody has to share what they created.
- How do you think about identifying and creating all the different elements of a personal safe space can help you in the future?
- How can a safe environment help someone dealing with trauma or another mental health struggle? What about someone who is just having a bad day?
- What steps can you take to turn your creative safe space into a reality? If you can’t make the whole space a reality, what pieces of it can you bring into your world?

Be mindful of folks’ varying abilities. Consider using phrases like “If your space has sound to you, what does it sound like?” as opposed to just “What do you hear in your space?”

Check out this example picture and this example picture of artistically recreated safe spaces