Facilitation Technique Category: Values Clarification

Title: Meeting Ones Values

Source: Dattilo, J., & McKenney, A. (2011) Facilitation Techniques in Therapeutic
Recreation. State College, PA: Venture Publishing, Inc.
Equipment: Paper and a pen/pencil, a clipboard or desk to write on
Activity Description: The relevance of this weeks activity is to facilitate an initial
understanding of the values clarification process. It is a common occurrence for people to
be confused about deciding what personal values should/are related to all areas of life.
Recreational therapists use this technique to help participants clarify their values related
to leisure. First, they provide each participant with a paper, a clipboard and either a pen or
a pencil. The sheet of paper is prepared with 5 values printed on it with enough space in
between each that he/she could jot down his/her thoughts. The 5 values stated are beauty,
friendship, love, truth, and peace. Instruct the participants that next to each value to write
down a leisure activity next to it and why it was chosen. The last part is the discussion.
Participants will share his/her responses with the group, with the discussion centered on
the reasons for choosing leisure activities, while trying to have the participants discuss
how the activities chosen relate to the values that were listed. This task can be completed
with one or multiple individuals, up to 10-15 individuals per one instructor, in order for
each individual to be able to participate in the discussion stage have ample time and
attention.
Leadership considerations: The responsibilities that the facilitator should follow
include: guiding the discussion, providing thought provoking comments, and questions.
The questions and comments provided should encourage discussion and not just be a yes
or no answer. Examples can be, What alternatives did you consider before you arrived at
your choice? instead of Did you consider alternatives before you made the decision?
However, its also important to note the facilitator should remain unbiased towards the
participants answers. The facilitator should also be motivating participation. It is
important to remember that this type of therapeutic recreation activity is not a form of
treatment, and should not be handled as such. Enabling safe/comfortable environments
for sharing are also key.
Adaptations: Participants with Anorexia Nervosa: The primary symptom of anorexia
nervosa is a refusal to maintain body weight, at or above, a minimally normal weight for
that specific body type. Furthermore they have an intense fear of weight gain, and an
extreme concern for body and weight. This weeks activity can be adapted for individuals
who have anorexia nervosa by adapting the environment to foster open communication
and a strong sense of community, where it is understood at the first session, that the
environment is a safe space and nonjudgmental, no matter the values shared. Due to
individuals feeling fatigue and loss of strength, it is important for sessions not to be long
and to provide a comfortable environment for sitting and relaxing, such as a comfort
circle with bean bags around. Values discussions could be adapted to how each individual
perceives the word perfect. Because of the emotional challenges of anxiety, depression,
and decreased self-esteem, adapt the environment to provide a soothing, welcoming, and

empowering feel to it. One final adaptation can include having motivational phrases or
slogans hung up on the walls (Garner & Garfinkel, 1979).
Participants who have Cancer: This weeks activity is good for individuals who have
cancer, because it allows the participant to take some time to reflect on his/her personal
relationships and lifestyle. In order to adapt this activity for participants with cancer, it is
important to provide a comfortable, open, and welcoming environment. In would help the
client feel more at ease by setting the temperature at a climate in which he/her feels
comfortable and have on sight either warming equipment or cooling equipment that can
assist in the regulation of appropriate body temperature. Additionally, in order to better
situate certain topics, the discussions can be altered in order to accommodate a specific
topic/subject that wants to be discussed (Siegel et al., 2012).

Adaptations References
-Garner, D. M., & Garfinkel, P. E. (1979). The Eating Attitudes Test: An index of the
symptoms of anorexia nervosa. Psychological medicine, 9(02), 273-279.
-Siegel, R., DeSantis, C., Virgo, K., Stein, K., Mariotto, A., Smith, T., ... & Lin, C.
(2012). Cancer treatment and survivorship statistics, 2012. CA: a cancer journal for
clinicians, 62(4), 220-241.