Visualizing alternative stories through art
The stories we tell ourselves shape our reality. Deep within, many of us carry a persistent inner critic—a voice that questions our worth, highlights our shortcomings, and narrates a story of limitation or inadequacy. This inner critic is, in essence, one of many voices competing for power within our "self-story." But what if we could change the narrative? This is where narrative art therapy provides a transformative path.
Understanding the inner critic: The power of self-story
We all engage in self-narration—the ongoing process of making sense of our experiences through story. The inner critic is that internal narrator who focuses on mistakes and doubts, often echoing past judgments from family, peers, or society. Over time, these critical narratives become deeply ingrained, colouring how we view ourselves and limiting our sense of possibility.
In narrative therapy, a foundational concept is that “the problem is the problem, the person is not the problem.” Recognizing that the inner critic is just one voice allows us to separate ourselves from negative self-stories, reducing self-blame and making space for new, empowering narratives to emerge.
Narrative art therapy: Visualizing alternative stories
Narrative art therapy uses creative expression—drawing, collage, painting—as a means for clients to literally see their self-narratives. By externalizing the inner critic and other competing voices through art, we gain distance from these narratives, making them easier to reflect on, challenge, and ultimately reshape.
Art therapy is uniquely suited to this work because it bypasses intellectual defenses and taps into emotional and sensory aspects of experience. Visualizing our stories allows us to reconsider which voices we want to amplify and which belong in the background.
Art prompt
One powerful narrative art therapy activity is the collage of competing voices.
Gather magazines, newspapers, or any text/photo materials.
Reflect on the many voices that speak about who you are: the inner critic, voices of encouragement, family expectations, cultural messages, memories, and hopes for the future.
Tear or cut out words and images that represent these voices.
Arrange and glue the clippings onto a sheet of paper:
Place the most dominant or frequent voices in the center.
Lesser or quieter voices can be positioned around the periphery.
Notice which voices feel most powerful—and which you’d rather emphasize or let go.
Edit the collage: Remove or cover up negative voices you want to silence; highlight or decorate those you want to strengthen.
This exercise brings the inner dialogue into visual focus and invites active participation in editing your narrative. It's a concrete way to practice authoring your self-story rather than remaining a passive recipient of inherited or unhelpful scripts.
Focusing on strengths: Rewriting our stories
After creating your collage of competing voices, reflect:
Which voices encourage your growth, resilience, and strengths?
How does it feel to imagine turning up the volume on these positive voices?
What new story do you want to tell about yourself?
Through narrative art therapy, people often experience a sense of agency—realizing they are not bound by the most critical or limiting stories they've inherited or internalized. The process of art-making makes internal strengths tangible, celebrates “unique outcomes” (times when we defy our problematic self-story), and visually affirms our capacity for change.
Final thoughts
The inner critic may never disappear entirely, but with narrative art therapy, its voice can be put in perspective. By expressing, editing, and re-authoring the stories we tell ourselves through art, we gain the freedom to highlight our strengths and become the true authors of our lives.
References:
Riley, S., & Malchiodi, C. A. (2004). Solution-focused and narrative approaches. In C. A. Malchiodi (Ed.), Handbook of art therapy (Chapter 8). Guilford Press.
