Stories and Reviews

Using “Picture This” with Young People

“I recently used the ‘Picture This’ cards with an adolescent who was deeply troubled and had been expressing suicidal thoughts. The images he selected prompted some incredibly powerful responses:

• Hands lifting hay bales — “No matter what I do I can’t please Dad.”
• House burning and crashed car — “I feel like my life is crashing and burning.”
• Shredded paper — “I feel confused and all messed up.”
• Walking down the road in snow — “I am always going on walks alone.”
• The crowd — “I want to be the person being focused on in the crowd.”

It was a highly successful session that revealed just how much he was internalising. For a young man, he showed remarkable depth and emotional awareness. He is now being referred for further counselling.”

— Janine Mitchell, Youth Pathways Advisor

Using “Picture This” in Staff Development

“I recently used the new edition Strength Cards during an introductory workshop at Leeds Metropolitan University’s staff development festival. My session focused on Emotionally Intelligent Leadership, and the cards were a fantastic tool to help participants identify five personal talents and share them in small groups. This sparked a meaningful discussion around why it can be difficult to talk about our strengths—and how that impacts our management style.

Later in the session, I introduced the beautiful ‘Picture This’ cards to explore the concept of self-control. The images helped participants move beyond typical brainstorming and into a more creative, reflective space. The cards also made a stunning visual display—so much so that I had to stop people from taking them home! Several attendees commented on how wonderful the cards are.

A big thank you for creating such beautiful and effective resources. I’ll be recommending and using them again in the Advanced Facilitators programme I’m running later this year. I hope this sparks even more interest in the UK!”

— Christine Bell, Director, Real Life Learning (Leeds, UK)

Picturing Community Aspirations in the Western Downs, QLD

“My research into ‘Understanding Community Aspirations’ explored the social and economic impacts of coal seam gas development in the Western Downs of Southern Queensland. We used the ‘Picture This’ cards with several focus groups—including a local craft group, a Landcare group, social service providers, and young people—alongside images from an existing Community Development Plan.

Participants were invited to imagine a future 10–15 years from now in which they felt content with how things had turned out. They selected two or three cards that captured that vision and shared what the images represented. The process was well received, with participants engaging comfortably and thoughtfully.

Many of the chosen images reflected values important to the community today—such as a thriving rural lifestyle, strong community spirit, family, recreation, and a healthy environment. Economic stability and the benefits of cultural diversity were also highlighted. Some images were used metaphorically, like the overlapping umbrellas, which represented a desire for interconnected development efforts to support regional stability.

The insights gathered were presented at a local forum for community feedback, and I’m currently preparing a thematic collation of the images with accompanying quotes to illustrate their significance.

— Rachel Williams, Social Scientist, CSIRO Division of Ecosystem Sciences (Australia)

“Picture This” has been incredibly useful in helping students open up about personal issues without the pressure of immediately naming them.
Recently, a student connected with the image of a beach, which gently led to a conversation about scattering a loved one’s ashes by the seaside and the grief they were experiencing.

These cards are ideal for young people who may shy away from direct therapeutic approaches and prefer a more informal, relatable way to express themselves.

— Breanna, School Wellbeing Officer