This resource sheet includes information and a visual how-to about creating a three dimensional house from a 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper and some simple paperfolding steps. Exploring issues around home in the context of safety planning, safe places, and helping to contain overwhelming feelings associated with worry and fear are important for children and adolescents from violent homes and have been impacted by the terror of domestic violence in their daily lives. Art expression in trauma intervention can create a safe, welcoming, and non-threatening environment that can support traumatized youth in sharing their story through the creative process and artmaking.

1. paper house making
WITH
YOUTH
EXPOSED
TO
DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE
“The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place
where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”
~Maya Angelou
This resource sheet includes Art expression in trauma writing about the three dimensional
information and a visual how-to about intervention can create a safe, piece.
creating a three dimensional house welcoming, and non-threatening
from a 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper and environment that can support
some simple paperfolding steps. traumatized youth in sharing their story
through the creative process and art-
Exploring issues around home in making.
the context of safety planning, safe
places, and helping to contain This paper house intervention and
overwhelming feelings associated with the process of paperfolding combines
worry and fear are important for mindfulness elements with the structure
children and adolescents from violent of containment to help youth feel safe
homes and have been impacted by the and explore experiences rooted in
terror of domestic violence in their trauma and loss through art. The
daily lives. intervention also creates opportunity
for symbolic storytelling or creative
Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC, CTC is a Registered Board Certified Art
Therapist and Certified Trauma Consultant practicing in the Greater
Cleveland, Ohio area. Her work specializes in children, adolescents,
women, and families impacted by trauma, domestic violence, and grief &
loss.
Visit www.gretchen-miller.com for more information about Gretchen’s
work, services, and interests.

2. Materials Needed:
How to •8 1/2 x 11 paper
make a •Scissors
paper house: •Glue Stick
•Markers, Magazine
Photo Collage, Color
Paper & Other Materials
Themes to Explore:
•Safety Planning
•Shelter Adjustment
•Creating a Safe Place
•Moving & Separation
•“What Makes a House
a Home?”
Creates:
•Repetitive, here & now
focus through
paperfolding process
•Containment of
emotions connected to
worry, fear, uncertainty
•Opportunity for
symbolic storytelling
© 2011 Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC, CTC