Chalk labyrinth at where I work!

It had rained last night and the cement was damp at the Behavioral Health playground. That did not stop Jeremy K. and me from creating the chalk labyrinth we had planned for 3 weeks. The goal of making the labyrinth was to provide a therapeutic tool for the clients to explore to see whether it would benefit them. Staff and co-workers weren’t forgotten- they can use the labyrinth as well, for relaxation/de-stressing.


What is the word, “labyrinth?” According to the dictionary, labyrinths are places constructed with intricate passageways. The obvious difference between labyrinths and mazes is that mazes have dead ends and confusing passages, while one enters the labyrinth in one entrance and leave in the very same doorway. By walking the maze, one might experience confusion, frustration and anxiety, trouble trusting the surroundings, and the ultimate goal is to “Get out of this environment.” With the labyrinth, it is a safe environment, awakening the right side of the brain which leads to self exploration, finding the quiet in the mind, problem-solving and at least but important, meditation and relaxation skills.

Labyrinths had been used for children with ADHD, grief/loss groups, survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, corporate teams for brainstorming, college students before final exams, recovering addicts from substance abuse, families with someone in the hospice/nursing homes, and individuals struggling with terminal diseases.


Labyrinths can be created with anything. Ropes, painting, grass, wildflowers, bricks, stones and spotlights have been used. Labyrinths can be permanent (stones or grass), or can be temporary (spotlights and chalk). One can even have a mobile labyrinth by using a canvas and bring it to workshops, clients at other locations when it is not possible for the clients to come to a permanent location. With all this knowledge I have, I decided that we will create a labyrinth at work. Using chalk to create the labyrinth is decided due to reasons: a) temporary on the basketball court, b) can be washed away by rain and c) cheaper to do than using other kind of materials.

We started with measuring the starting points, then starting with a rope in making circles for the labyrinth with the chalk. Upon completion of lines, we filled in with thicker chalk marks, to make it easier for people to walk the path. Having the variety of chalk makes it more fun for us as well! The creation of the labyrinth was bigger than we expected. I first estimated it to take 3-4 hours to complete, but with Jeremy working with me, we completed it in an hour and half!


I introduced some clients to the labyrinth during the week. One client who was struggling with domestic violence walked the labyrinth, and held a rock saying “love”. She hoped for an answer to whether her husband can learn to love her. After the walk, she said, “when walking, I was thinking about the abuse; I got to the center (of the labyrinth), I realized something: I need to learn to love myself; without that, how can I learn to love healthily?” A client with impulsive/anger issues had thought walking the labyrinth “silly” when he saw it, but chose to walk it to “see how it’d work.” While he was walking, I observed he was walking fast toward the center, and then he started to slow down. When he started to walk back- he walked much slower, very much like an older man. He was not ready to talk about the walk. He agreed to think about what he had experienced and see me next week. I saw him yesterday; he displayed a clear-eyed calmness and he was ready to talk. He said he could not help but recalls obstacles he experienced through his hard life, and turning corners on the labyrinth reminded him of those. When thinking he was about to get close to the center, he found himself on the longer path instead. He then realized, “When I look for short-cuts, I fall into holes. I have to take the long way, to learn and help myself.”
I’m not saying that the labyrinths are a cure-all, or that it is good for everyone. It won’t work with people with severe psychosis or major depression. What is the purpose of a labyrinth, then? A meditative tool. A safe place to pray and to ‘slow down.’ A physical walk to slow the over-thinking and increase listening mindfully. A client-therapist connection; the therapist to be the guardian at the gate where the client walks in and explore herself. A path that leads you to where you subconsciously need to be at that time, peace within yourself and perhaps something that you are ready to hear or not.

Sandtray and labyrinths

I like to say that labyrinths can be created with anything.
On the other hand, sand tray is a wonderful therapuetic tool to express one's story without verbalizing anything.
This is an example

decorated with a variety of stuff- marbles, glass, hearts, shamrocks, rocks, etc.








and there's another one...more simpler

This world is screwed when it comes to religion and sex.

"Priest molested 200 boys in Wisconsin" "Irish Priest was not charged for molestions reported by victims" "Church apologizes but not take action in preventing future molestions." So many articles throughout the recent years.
Mind you, I am not writing to attack the church. I am questioning on how this could happen.

Let's look at the education system. Despite the criminal records, referrals, background checks and policies set up to protect students, there are teachers still arrested for inappropriate touching, sextexting, having sex with students. The latest report is of a middle school teacher arrested for molesting a student in a closet, according to this article on June 2, 2010: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/former_denville_teacher_admits.html.

Now, let's eye the Correctional system. We all know that there is a rate of criminals in jails: rapists, child molestors, guys who take pictures of naked children in sexual poses and sell pictures, or in the worst case, children. What is disturbing is that police has to ensure that there is no loophole for the lawyers defending the predators to avoid going to jail. Even if they end up in the jail for, let's say, 20-25 years, so many could get out with "good behavior" or agreeing to be monitored with an electronic ankle bracelet tracking his movements. (And I do wonder, how much are monitors paid for doing that?) Sex Offender Registration with cities\counties\state is good, but that still is a question mark on whether it really works. After all, recall Chelsea of California, recently, who was killed by a registered sex offender. (http://www.livesecure.org/san-diego-teen-chelsea-king-murdered-registered-sex-offender-held-for-her-death-update/)

And unfortunately, we see too many monsters that hadn't been in jail or even in psychiatric hospitals, like that Garrido who had kidnapped a young girl and kept her as a sex slave over fifteen years, who gave birth to two daughters (and forbid the thought on whether THEY experienced sex abuse too). And not even police could get away with "protect and serve;" after all a Scarmento Sheriff's deputy was recently arrested for kidnapping and molesting a 13 years old girl, on March 2, 2010. (http://auburnjournal.com/detail/143638.html)

Not even Europe or other counties are spared. Too many girls, women and babies are raped in some areas of Africa, being the claim that taking a virgin is a cure for HIV\AIDS. Let's not forget the Austrian father, Fritzl had hidden his own daughter in a basement and fathering several children on her for 24 years.

We TRY to keep track of sex offenders; we take action to make sure, at LEAST to prevent molestors from doing it again, although it is not fool-proof. Education and prevention is especially important in protecting children and adults alike- not even seniors are spared the terror of rape and sexual abuse. An excellent example: a parent or two reports to a school about a PE teacher touching male students under 13 years old, and taking them out in his car, the school and\or parents takes action and report to the police who then comes arresting the teacher and taking him\her to court (jail is potential, among with fines, losing teaching licensure, put on probation and sex offender registration.) THEN the school and parents work on getting crisis counseling for students, providing psycho-educational workshops for fellow parents and teaching kids how to protect themselves. Furthermore, the school strengthens their policies and procedures to ensure that it won't happen; being more strict with background checks, monitoring teachers and students, and systematically review teachers and staff that work at schools (bus-drivers, nurses, principals, janitors, etc). The city where the school is based in, then reviews their own laws and see how they'd reduce the risks for potential harm in the future; perhaps increasing decrees for molestors such as jail for life, death penalty (Louisiana wanted to do that) or banning absolutely from all schools. The bottom line is: the school and city TAKES *responsibility* of ensuring the children's safety and PUT on themselves the responsibility to prevent potential harm of children.

Now, what does it have to do with the Church and the molesting priests? Nothing, really. Well, but for one thing. A powerful religious organization tries to sweep it under the rug, and refuse to deflock priests that have a history of molestion but for very FEW individuals?. Do you know that only 3% get deflocked? The church apologizes, ask us to pray and forgive them, and hope that it'd not happen again. Very, very few takes action in preventation. That's the difference.
As according to this article, they are getting away, so far. (http://abovethelaw.com/2010/05/u-s-government-weighs-in-on-vatican-sex-abuse-siding-with-the-vatican/)