Symbolic Shape

Purpose and Goals:

• Externalizing complex emotions related to grief and loss by transforming malleable clay into symbolic, tangible form

• Tactile nature of clay invites grounding, bilateral engagement, emotional regulation, and a sense of agency

• Shaping clay into an image that honors their loved one or represents a meaningful memory, clients can explore grief in a safe, embodied way

• Encourage meaning-making, processing grief through metaphor and embodied sensation

• Support memory review by recalling past experiences and linking them to current meaning

Theoretical Rationale:

This directive draws from research on clay therapy and expressive arts interventions:

Clay and Emotion Regulation (Nan, Hinz, & Lusebrink)

Clay art therapy on emotion regulation: Research, theoretical underpinnings, and treatment mechanisms

The study highlights that clay work:

• engages sensorimotor processing,

• supports affect regulation,

• provides somatic release, and

• promotes integration across cognitive, emotional, and physical domains.

Clay naturally shifts clients out of purely verbal processing by activating the brain’s sensory-motor networks, decreasing cognitive overload, and helping emotions move more fluidly.

• Bilateral stimulation - manipulating clay with both hands offers bilateral engagement, which ran regulate the nervous system, enchanging grounding, and support trauma-informed grief work.

Art-Making:

Depending on the environment (bedside, home, if clients will have to travel) choose appropriate clay.

Crayola Air-dry clay: messier, but closer feeling to earth clay, needs 48hours to dry

Model-Magic: cleaner, comes in single package, easier to transport and shorter dry time

Oil-based clay: does not dry out, not good for making a permanent object or keepsake, better for reforming and fidgeting

Sensory Orientation and Tactile Grounding:

“Take a moment to notice how the clay feels in your hands–cool, soft, resistant, warm.”

• Encourage slow, bilateral movement

• Highlight physical agency to shape the clay and noticing how it responds

Guide the shift toward symbolism:

• Prompt the client to begin forming an image/symbol that honors their loved one or represents a meaningful memory

“Some people make flowers, hearts, or objects that remind them of special moments, but yours can be whatever feels right whether it’s abstract, simple or symbolic”.

Reflection Questions:

• Did the movement help you feel calmer, more focused, or more grounded?

• What does your clay form represent to you?

• How does this clay form honor your loved one or the memory you’re holding?

• When you look at this piece, what feelings or thoughts arise?

• If your clay piece could speak, what might it say about your grief or your love?