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Facilitation Technique Category: Values Clarification

Activity Title: Advice to Dear Abby
Source: Leisure Education: Values Clarification. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2016, from
http://www.recreationtherapy.com/tx/txvalue.htm
Equipment: Cut out of different Dear Abby Columns from the news paper
Activity Description: For this activity, a group no larger than ten will take
turns reading Letters written to Dear Abby. The letters would be specifically
picked that reflects issues that they could relate with. Everyone will take
turns sharing what their response to the letter would be. When everyone has
discussed and shared, Abbys response will be shared.
Leadership Consideration: The TR specialist role is a know the areas of
issues for each participant in order to pick Dear Abby Columns that would
promote reflection of their values and goes. The leader of the group exercise
should not lead participants to what they think should be the desired
outcomes. The TR is there to promote sharing for the participants (Datillo
2015)
Adaptations for participants with Eating Disorder: The leader should
pick Dear Abby columns that have to do with people coping with everyday
problems. Social isolation could be a secondary condition for people who
have an eating disorder (Porter 2015). With that being said to promote
socialization and avoid short quick responses an alternative way of the game
could be played to make it more appealing. To promote an in depth response
to the Dear Abby Letter, one modification could be whoever is closest to

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the Abbys real response to the letter gets a reward! This will promote
deeper responses and more thought being exerted to the activity.
Adaptions for people with Post-traumatic stress disorder: PTSD is
caused after people experience traumatic events (Porter 2015). People with
PTSD might have issues relating to or trusting other people. One adaption
would be, to make sure that the environment in which the activity is being
initiated in feels safe for the participate. Limiting the group size would also
be taking into consideration, based on the participants level of safety. This is
the leaders responsible to notice any warning signs. Spirituality is helps a lot
people with PTSD in the healing process, which could also be helpful (Porter
2015). Picking Dear Abby letters that reflect spirituality is another
modification of the activity.
Adaptions References:
Porter, H. R. (2015). Recreational therapy for specific diagnoses and
conditions.
Dattilo, J. (2000). Facilitation techniques in therapeutic recreation (3rd ed.).
State College, PA:
Venture.