Written by Jean Illsley Clarke, MA.

Shared with permission from the originator.

Please download and print.

Jean Illsley Clarke (1925 – 2021) researched and wrote a majority of these affirmations. They are calibrated to support human growth and development. The Developmental Affirmations are defined as short messages designed to help people learn important life lessons at each developmental stage from pre-birth to end of life.

Says Clarke, in a publication titled Words to Help, “Developmental Affirmations are positive messages that support health and growth. They can be given from one person to another, or they can be given to you by yourself. Developmental Affirmations are specifically worded messages designed to build one’s capability, confidence, and resilience at every age. They help people to make healthy life decisions throughout the lifespan.”

How to Use the Developmental Affirmations in Collage Care: The Method™

In each of the Exercise-Experiences (EEs) you are offered a chance to write a “Supportive Thought”. A “Supportive Thought” is a sentence you write yourself as part of the Exercise-Experience. You are also offered the chance to choose one of the helpful primer sentences, the Developmental Affirmations written by Clarke. You could do both.

The intent in using these tools is to support you to develop new or revised feelings, thoughts, and decisions once you have completed the collage-making recipe section of the EE. Additionally, one of the Takeaway Action Tools offers you the invitation to read the “Supportive Thought” you wrote, or the Developmental Affirmation you chose, aloud. In doing so, you not only see the words and read them, but hear them too. This can be highly beneficial.