Many client requests are related to the problem of parent-child relationships. Unfortunately, nowhere do they teach how to be a parent. And having become mothers and fathers, young people sometimes find themselves in dead-end situations when interacting with children. Therefore, this topic occupies a significant place in my practice. I am looking for interesting and effective work methods. For a deeper study of the intricacies of child-parent interaction, a variety of diagnostic procedures and a competent selection of questions are needed. Various MAC techniques work very well. And sometimes art therapy exercises help a lot. I recently conducted a training seminar on this topic for colleagues. I want to share insights from one exercise. Anonymity is maintained, personal data is not used. During the work, we considered the possibilities of using various art therapeutic materials in counseling. Participants were asked to work with foil. This is a very interesting material: affordable, flexible, perfectly transformable. First of all, you need to focus on the difficulties of interacting with your child and remember difficult situations. Next, it is proposed to create an image of a child from foil, something with which or with whom he is associated at this stage of life. The parent then creates an image of himself in interaction with the child. The resulting figures need to be placed on an A4 sheet of paper and analyzed your thoughts, feelings, sensations. The first participant was very surprised that the image of her son (17 years old) was presented as a man with a mermaid tail. She assumed that this meant that he could not stand on his own feet. She sculpted herself in the shape of a boat. Having placed the child’s figure in the boat, I realized that it was cramped and uncomfortable for him there. The theme of separation was clearly identified. Reflecting on the resulting picture, the colleague changed her son’s figure - she turned the tail into legs. She converted the boat into a dock from which, with a feeling of inner satisfaction, she let her son sail freely. The second participant explored herself in a relationship with her adult grandson. She also associated herself with the boat, and her grandson with a large bird sitting in this boat. Outwardly, the joint composition resembled a boat with a sail. Immersed in the contemplation of images, the author suggested that putting a bird in a boat limits its freedom, infantilizes the grandson, and does not allow it to show independence. In addition, the grandson takes up too much space in her life and, to some extent, is the “sail” of her life. As a result, the bird spread its wings and was released; oars were added to the boat so that it floated in the direction it needed. And another interesting job. This participant's image of her daughter (7 years old) was in the form of a crown. The crown is a symbol of power, suggesting that the child has been enthroned in the family. She sculpted herself in the shape of a scepter. Placed at a distance from each other. She described her feelings from the composition as “cold.” Having thought about what was missing, she added an orb (made a ball) and placed all the symbols of royal power on the throne. However, this turned out to be not enough. As a result, all three figures were combined into a common structure, similar to a flower: the daughter is in the center, the parents are the outer layers, helping to grow the sprout. Emotional reaction: warm, cozy. Although the exercise was educational in nature and we did not dive deeply, the participants’ realizations were quite serious. This relatively simple exercise can be used to analyze any couple relationship. Sign up for a consultation: +7 978 784 13 74; viber, telegram +7 978 652 34 93. Mail [email protected]