Creating a Language for Emotions: Why I Made the Meeting Me Cards | Visual aid for emotional expression

As a therapist, I've often been with clients who struggle to articulate their emotions. I've observed how challenging it can be to pinpoint feelings when they seem too complex, overwhelming, or simply indefinable. This is something I've faced not only professionally but also personally. Being neurodivergent, the question “How do you feel?” used to fill me with apprehension.

This is what inspired me to create the Meeting Me therapy cards. I aimed to provide something straightforward, visual, and emotionally impactful. My hope was that the cards would allow people to say, “Yes, that’s me,” even when they couldn't quite express it in words.

Each card was designed with the purpose of gently aiding individuals in beginning the process of identifying their internal experiences. I hoped the cards would help clarify emotions, sparking conversations that lead to understanding and insight.

Illustrated Card Description This card showcases a simple figure under a swirling cloud, symbolising sadness. Its minimalistic design highlights the contrast between the figure and the cloud, capturing a sense of melancholy. The overall aesthetic enhances the mood, encouraging reflection on emotional complexities.

In my practice, I've watched these cards reveal the unspoken. A client might point to a card and say, “This one,” and in that moment, we have a starting point. The cards serve as a visual aid for emotional expression. By giving language to our emotions, we start to reclaim our narratives.

Meeting Me therapy cards encourage connection. This can be between therapist and client, parent and child, teacher and student, partners, and perhaps most importantly, between an individual and themselves.

I developed Meeting Me therapy cards because I believe everyone deserves tools that help them feel seen, understood, and a little less isolated. It took about three months to draw all the cards onto A6-sized flashcards using an ink pen. Each card emerged as I visualised the concept in my mind. Some were easier to create than others, but a squiggly line often marked the beginning. Each emotion seemed to follow its own path. Soon, I had sixty cards ready to be converted into PDFs and then printed into the cards now available for purchase.

Opening my first pack and seeing the final product was truly a proud moment!

I've discovered that Meeting Me therapy cards have transformed my own ability to express how I feel. I've learned a language that had previously escaped me. As I've developed this language, I've become more capable of answering the question, “How do I feel?” I hope others find these cards as beneficial as I have and that they, too, discover a voice for their unique inner world.