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About The Mood Tree The Mood Tree can be used at home, in an office, waiting room, therapy room, classroom, or seminar. It can be used to gather information from the consumer, give feedback, teach principles of mood disorders, explain the purpose of certain types of medicines, show progress after a period of taking medicine in terms of specific individual symptoms, and results can be photocopied to be kept as records by the client or the mental health professional. |
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How does it work? | Why use the Mood Tree? | Where can the Mood Tree be used?
Climbing into the Mood Tree is just what the doctor ordered...it is a state of the art, non-threatening, visual and tangible method which enables users to objectify their mood states so that they can understand it themselves, communicate it to others, clarify changes and improvements in their mood states and set goals for their recovery.
The user may picture his/her precise state on a particular day or hour. This can be photocopied to produce a pictorial, easily-read record. The doctor, therapist or family member can give feedback in the same way. Once the simple mechanics of using the Mood Tree are clear, it is almost impossible to resist selecting the apples and birds and placing them on the tree! Within a very short space of time, the user's definition of their mood state stands in front of you, to examine, assess, and to deal with. This works wonders with people who have trouble communicating. As the words and phrases which identify symptoms are simple, they provide even the most inarticulate user with a vocabulary to describe and understand their symptoms and make this knowledge about their condition accessible to mental health professionals and family.
Step One -- the person chooses the apple or bird that best describes one of his/her experiences. Step Two -- the person then places the descriptive piece on the tree as explained by the accompanying instruction book. Step Three -- once all of the descriptive pieces have been placed, the communication begins! The discussion is immediately focused on issues pertinent to that person. The Mood Tree can be used at home, in an office, waiting room, therapy room, classroom or seminar. It can be used to gather information from the consumer, give feedback, teach principles of mood disorders, explain the purpose of certain types of medicines, show progress after a period of taking medicine in terms of specific individual symptoms, and the small ones can be photocopied to be kept as records by the client or the mental health professional.
Thus it helps educate the consumer about mood disorders in terms they understand and encourages them to participate in their own care, thereby increasing compliance with medicine and therapy. The Mood Tree is now being used in over 25 states, in hospital psychiatric units, partial hospitalization programs, community mental health agencies, by psychiatric nurses, psychologists, physicians, clinical social workers in private practice, support groups (family, substance abuse, consumer), adolescent drug rehabilitation center, Vocational Rehabilitation centers, Senior Centers, and attorneys who are defending bipolar clients.
Where Can the Mood Tree Be Used? Mental Hospitals -- Psychiatric Unit, Partial Hospitalization Programs, Day Treatment, Group Therapy Therapists' Offices -- Psychologists, Clinical Social Workers, Psychiatric Nurses, Mental Health Counselors Prisons -- Intake and Follow-Up Schools -- Medical, Nursing, Colleges, High Schools, Middle Schools VA Hospitals Drug Rehab Centers and Substance Abuse Programs Mental Health Clinics -- Individual, Family and Group Therapy, Day Treatment Programs, Education and Training of Staff and Clients, Drop-In Centers Vocational Rehabilitation Facilities Eating Disorders Programs Adolescent Clinics and Programs Support Groups -- Depression/Manic-Depression, Family and Friends, Consumers
What Experts Have Said About the Mood Tree "By providing an easy and enjoyable way to make subjective self-assessment more objective, [The Mood Tree] can enhance insight and strengthen the collaborative relationship between doctor and patient."
"Fantastic. Wonderful. Excellent way to make the illness real, tangible and involve the patient in their care."
"It is an excellent resource for those of us who experience mood swings."
"I think The Mood Tree is a brilliant tool...It is simple to use and will save time by getting farther into a consumer's problem in a shorter time than is usually required for clarification."
"The most fantastic tool I have seen in years. It allows the patient to remove personal defensiveness and project 'true self' onto the board. By copying it, we have a snapshot in time of the patient and his needs for care."
"The Mood Tree provided more insight into the field of depression/manic depression than any self-help tool I have employed, and gave me more help than anything during a lifetime of depression."
"I feel that the use of The Mood Tree may empower the consumer and actualize their ability to truly be a part of treatment."
"I especially like to use The Mood Tree when the patient's clinical symptoms are vague and non-specific. The Mood Tree seems to clarify the symptoms, thus leading to a more specific diagnosis. It also helps in determining the patient's progress while on medication. The patient gets a lot of education about the illness in the process."
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Each apple or bird is inscribed with words or phrases identifying a single symptom of a mood disorder. The user places the appropriate apples or birds on the tree in the areas that indicate when and how much these symptoms occur--on some portion of the high side, on some portion of the low side, or in a mixed state.
The Mood Tree is very simple to use: