INSTRUCTIONS
General Use
Focusing on one color category at a time, choose the magnets that you feel accurately describe you. Place your chosen Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue magnets under the color coordinated “I AM” header. For Purple, narrow the choices to 6-8 magnets that you feel are the most important to you and place under the purple “VALUES” magnet. Couples, parents, and families can then share their chosen magnets with one another to spark meaningful conversations and learn more about their loved ones.
FOR COUNSELORS & OTHER QUALIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
To Use with Families and Couples: ME Magnets can be used in counseling with families and couples to identify and explore values which may be at the root of miscommunication, misunderstandings, or ongoing resentments within their relationships. Oftentimes, the act of identifying and communicating core values and learning which are close to a loved one’s heart can increase empathy and understanding between two parties. To Use: Have participants choose 6-8 values they feel are most important to them. Encourage them to share their core values and identify which are compatible and which may be in conflict with one another's. Prompt for real life examples when conflicting values may have been at the root of an argument, misunderstanding, or resentment.
To Use for Self-Esteem: After the client has chosen their magnets, focus attention on the red and blue. The red magnets shed light on the client’s own negative self-images or beliefs. Review the red magnets and explore with the client further, focusing on the root of these beliefs as well as possible cognitive distortions or other self-esteem challenges. Use the blue magnets chosen to validate and praise the client's positive qualities. If the client has difficulty identifying blue magnets, show them some you feel are true for them.
To Use with Teens: ME Magnets can be used in counseling with teens to help them navigate the development of personality and identity as it shifts away from caregivers towards being more independent. Teens can use the magnets to explore the various aspects of personality and choose which words they feel adequately represent them. Adolescents can then present this information to their therapist or caregiver, which has the benefit of 1. exploring and further solidifying a sense of identity, 2. building rapport, and 3. pro-socially expressing emotional material to adults.
The Me Magnets “Add-On Pack” is a complement to the original Me Magnets and focuses on Feelings and Gender & Sexual Identity. Choose the magnets that accurately describe and represent YOU! Blank magnets are added to create your own if needed.
I FEEL (orange): Choose the feelings magnets which represent how you feel at the present moment (or choose feelings you experience often in life). If desired, place the chosen magnets next to the MOSTLY, OFTEN, SOMEWHAT, LITTLE magnets to qualify the degree to which you feel each feeling.
I IDENTIFY (pink): Choose the magnets which represent your gender and sexual orientation. If desired, place the chosen magnets next to the orange MOSTLY, OFTEN, SOMEWHAT, LITTLE magnets to represent the degree to which each feels accurate for you.