Draw the Curious Garden

Purpose and goals:

To help participants shift from self-criticism to compassionate curiosity by visualizing their inner world as a garden. This metaphor encourages exploration of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors—key components of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)—in a gentle, nonjudgmental way. By externalizing experiences into imagery, individuals can better understand what parts of themselves are thriving, struggling, or needing care.

• Increase awareness of thought–emotion–behavior connections (CBT framework).

• Teach compassionate curiosity as an alternative to self-criticism

• Help participants identify areas of strength, resilience, and emotional nourishment.

• Support exploration of unmet needs, stressors, and growth edges in a symbolic, non-threatening way.

• Foster self-kindness and acceptance by viewing struggles as conditions to be tended, rather than personal flaws.

• Encourage self-reflection, meaning-making, and emotional processing through visual metaphor.

Theoretical Rationale:

CBT teaches that thoughts influence emotions and behaviors. Visualizing the internal landscape as a garden helps participants examine thoughts with curiosity rather than judgment, a known strategy to reduce cognitive distortions and shame.

• Compassion-focused & mindfulness-based approach: shifting from “what’s wrong with me?” to “how can I nurture myself?”

• Externalize internal experiences into visuals to help clients identify stressors more clearly and open space for self-reflection and resolution.

Art-Making:

Use any size paper. Choose between pencil, pen, markers, pastels, or color pencil. *Can vary with collage materials

• Introduce the concept

Prompt: “In CBT, we notice how our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence one another. Instead of judging ourselves harshly, we practice compassionate curiosity. Today you’ll draw a garden representing your inner world. Every garden has thriving plants, struggling areas, and seeds waiting to grow.”

• Begin the garden drawing

Prompt: “On your paper, begin drawing a garden that represents how you’re feeling or functioning right now. It can be symbolic, abstract, or realistic—anything that feels true for you.”

Encourage exploration:

Prompt: “You may want to add words and label plants ie. “worried and wilting”

• Encourage curiosity over perfection:

““This is a curious garden—not a perfect one. If a thought like ‘my garden is a mess’ comes up, that’s a weed. Just notice it and return to curiosity.”

Reflection:

After art-making is done, cue the client to pause and observe their artwork. Ask them to take a look at what emerged with their garden.

• What stands out most about your garden?

• What parts look like they need more nourishment or care?

• What emotions surfaced as you drew?

• Are there seeds or sprouts that represent hopeful beginnings?

• What thoughts showed up as plants, weeds, or garden conditions?

• What is a small, compassionate step you can take to support yourself?