Feelings Friend (2023)

Sometimes a little buddy for support can help when navigating big feelings. Your friend doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy, but it can be comforting for them to be soft and nice to hold. It’s also okay if you’d rather have something solid like a found rock with a fidget-friendly texture, a pal carved out of wood, or a precious small toy from childhood that evokes a feeling of safety that could be amplified by creating a heroic backstory.

Let your sensory and emotional needs/desires and the materials you have available guide your creative process in developing your feelings friend. This one is made out of a charming baby sock from a dollar store, a tiny handmade pom-pom, some cotton batting and a few stitches, and he’s such a helpful pal to have in hand when the going gets rough.

Some questions to consider:

• Are there colours or materials that you find calming or supportive to interact with?
• What would feel good to make with and/or hold in your hands?
• Are there particular kinds of feelings for which it would feel helpful to have a friend while navigating them?
• How might you orient the way you create your friend to meet the particular needs associated with that feeling?