Beyond Art Therapy Activity
Finding Happiness Chart
with Color Therapy Translations

Try this Beyond Art Therapy Activity "Finding Happiness Chart" for yourself, and also for your Beyond Art Therapy clients. Use Sharpie markers in assorted colors to bring color therapy into the session.

Beyond Art Therapy Activity:

What truly makes you happy? Are you ready to put it in writing? On a "Happiness Chart"? If so this activity is for you. If you are a therapist, try it first on yourself. Anyone can keep up with the Beyond Art Therapy "Happiness Chart" (therapist, clients, anyone).

The idea behind this Beyond Art Therapy "Happiness Chart" is that you will identify and label the things in life that make you happy, the things in life that are neutral, and the things in life that make you unhappy.

Once you label these Beyond Art Therapy "Happy, Neutral, and Unhappy items you need to add them to the "Happiness Chart" above.

Keep the Beyond Art Therapy "Happiness Chart" in a visual place and review it daily. Spend more time with the things that make you happy. Accept the neutral things, and try to change the things that make you unhappy.

The labeling process on the Beyond Art Therapy "Happiness Chart" helps you visualize and put into categories the things that make you happy and unhappy. 

The Beyond Art Therapy "Happiness Chart" will bring your life into perspective and break the denial process. It will help you see what is bringing you happiness, joy, sadness, and pain.

A bonus of the "Happiness Chart" is that by offering colored Sharpies, you can translate color therapy and see how the client feels about the words they write down.

Materials for the "Happiness Chart":

- "Happiness Chart" Printout Below

- Sharpies in Assorted Colors to use to write the words and translate in "Color Therapy". 

Directions for the "Happiness Chart":

1. Ask yourself, or your client, to list the things that make you (or them) truly happy and write them on the "Happy Face" part of the chart. 

2. Ask yourself, or your client,  to list the things in life that make you (or them) feel neutral. Write these on the "Neutral Face".

3. Ask yourself, or your client, to list the things in life that make you (or them) unhappy. Write these on the "Unhappy Face".

4. Once the "Happiness Chart" is complete process with yourself, or your client, each area of the chart. 

5. Identify which colors were used to write the words. Translate these  colors on the Color Therapy chart page. See the link  below for the Color Therapy Chart page.

Finding Happiness Chart

See More Art Therapy and Color Therapy Links Below:

What do the colors mean in Art Therapy & Color Psychology? 

Shelter House Art Therapy Technique 


Art Therapy Family Portrait Drawing 

Art Therapy Self-Portrait 



Art Therapy Interpreting Drawings 

Get More Ideas Here: Creative Counseling 101 Home 

Disclaimer: This website and its content is intended for trained licensed mental health professionals and school certified mental health professionals to use for their clients / students at their own discretion.

*If you ignore the disclaimer above are using these techniques on yourself and you feel any discomfort or upset it is highly suggested that you seek out a licensed  mental health professional immediately.

"Beyond Art Therapy" is the concept from Dr. Stangline that combines all creative fields in therapy. It is not the traditional "art therapy" but goes beyond to include sand tray therapy, play therapy, mindfulness, meditation, color therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and a vast majority of other therapies.

For any other type of mental health emergency call your local 911 / Police Number immediately.

Dr. Stangline does not offer advice / suggestions to anyone who is not a professional mental health provider, or a student who is studying this field and has questions about mental health programs of study.