My client, a 14-year-old, was referred by a Teen Court program after an incident that occurred at school. She came in with very high levels of anxiety and depression. As an intervention to help depersonalize her anxiety and depression, we completed the workshop “The Monster in Me.” It took her two sessions to complete because she was really focusing on the process.

In her artwork, she described her anxiety and depression as being “on a road that goes back and forth all of the time.” She expressed “my depression and anxiety come and go like a car on a highway.” She created her piece of art to look as if it belonged in the Coraline movie as she felt a connection to the character who wanted a life different than her own. The blue side of her monster represents the depression. The client made the blue side look “attractive and inviting” as she feels like her depression sometimes tricks her into thinking it’s desirable. The other side was her anxiety monster, which she described as “scary.” Both the depression and the anxiety left a taunting message of “We are coming. Be prepared!” because she feels as if her feelings come on suddenly, sometimes without warning, and she feels she always has to be aware that they could be just around the corner.

She named her monster and is beginning to now refer to her depression and anxiety as its name, rather than as a part of herself. This workshop helped her to realize that her depression and anxiety do not define her, and that she can learn ways to control the monster within.