Exploring Art as a Window to Inner Dialogue and Self-Discovery

Have you ever found yourself unable to express how you feel in words?

Art might not always give us the "right answer," but often, it gives us the right question—one that gets us just a little closer to our own inner world of feelings in the moment. This idea is the essence of what is called art as inner dialogue.

In this article, I will take a gentle approach to considering how art can be a safe container for reflection, healing, and honest conversation with ourselves, even when those conversations remain wordless.

What is art as inner dialogue?

Art as inner dialogue is the notion that art is not only for showing things to others; it's also a way of listening to ourselves.

When we draw, paint, or create something with our hands, we often also find feelings, memories and thoughts that words may fail to express. What comes out on the paper can articulate parts of us we have not yet fully articulated.

In art therapy, this is called the self-reflective creative process, and what I have described is a gentle and non-judgmental setting to explore one's inner world.

Why use art as opposed to words?

Some feelings are just too deep for words.

Art connects directly with the emotional brain (the limbic system), while writing does not.

Referencing back to your artwork helps with tracking emotional growth

Sometimes art knows you before you know you.

What types of art can be included?

You do not need to be “good at ”art”—while this practice is very personal and unique, it is about the process, not the product.

Here are some ideas for how to get started:

• Art Journal—Getting together with images and words either daily or weekly—Contemplation, Reflection

• Collage—The emotion happens as you cut and paste the images together

• Abstract marks or colors—the emotion is the movement and the colours.

• Reflective Writing—You notice something in the image, so you reflect on it deeper by writing alongside the image.

How to practice in daily life

1. Start with a question, such as "How do I feel today?" or "What message do I want to share with myself?"

2. Choose safe, common materials like colored pencils or a simple notebook.

3. Allow your hand to flow freely and move as it chooses without planning or judgment.

4. Notice what emerges, and then write a few thoughts to respond.

Just 10 - 15 min of this each day helps you to tune in to your internal state more potently than thinking does alone.

Having inner dialogue through art doesn't mean we get answers every time. Sometimes, just needing to be two willing to listen can be what starts the process of healing.

Art never judges—it invites us to be honest with whatever is sitting inside us. And this, in itself, can be a powerful form of self-care.

If you want to learn more about art therapy, you can check out our Free Resources section to find downloadable guides, creative prompts and healing tools.