✨ Image, Story, and Synchronicity- How Symbolic Imagery Sessions Access the Healing Brain

After over a decade in private practice as a therapist—and having worked in the mental health field since 1999—I’ve come to believe there’s no one-size-fits-all method for insight, healing, or change. People are complex, and the paths into the self vary.

That’s why I’ve trained in several methods over the years. Talk therapy—especially approaches focused on insight, education, and behavioral change—can be deeply effective. But for some clients, especially those who are more creative or less “wired” for verbal processing, other modes of exploration are needed.

I’m not an art therapist, but I am a lifelong creative and expressive-process enthusiast. A few years ago, I became certified in a technique called Tarotpy (don’t worry—it’s not what it sounds like).

Tarotpy, developed by Lauren Z. Schneider, is a client-centered, imagery-based technique that uses the visual richness of tarot, oracle, or symbolic cards to support reflection, emotional insight, and story-based exploration.

It has nothing to do with predicting the future or assigning “meanings” to cards. Instead, it invites clients to interact intuitively with the images—responding to what arises, what resonates, and what unfolds.

While this method may naturally attract people with a background in tarot, we are not working with what a card is “supposed to mean.” In fact, not having prior knowledge of tarot or symbolic systems can be an advantage. It allows the client to engage more openly with the imagery itself, without the filter of tradition. This opens space for intuitive collaboration and authentic reflection. We’re not concerned with what a card is “supposed to mean” according to a book, manual, or tradition—unless the client decides it does.

While the Tarotpy method itself isn’t rooted in Jungian theory, my approach draws from depth psychology and psychodynamic frameworks, integrating symbolism and story to help clients connect unconscious material to conscious insight.

After practicing this approach with clients for the past two years, I’ve witnessed session after session unfold in ways that are unexpectedly powerful—for both the client and for me. Images bypass defenses. They speak in layers. They bring the unconscious into the room.

Because this work blends creative processing, psychology, and symbolism—but is not fortune-telling—I refer to the sessions simply as Symbolic Imagery Sessions. We care about what each image evokes for you. And often, these seemingly simple choices lead to profound insight, emotional release, and transformation.

This article explores:

• What these sessions are and how they work

• The science behind why imagery activates emotional healing

• Why this approach aligns closely with art therapy, depth psychology, and Jungian theory

• And yes—a little bit about synchronicity, symbolism, and the unconscious

When people are struggling with anxiety, depression, or the aftereffects of trauma, they often say, “I don’t even know how to talk about it.” That’s not just a feeling—it’s backed by neuroscience. Under emotional distress, the parts of the brain responsible for language and logical processing can become disrupted. This makes it incredibly hard to articulate what’s happening inside.

But healing doesn’t always begin with words. Sometimes, it starts with an image.

In Symbolic Imagery Sessions, we use visual tools—often in the form of evocative, abstract, or archetypal image cards—to invite reflection, emotional insight, and meaningful conversation. These images aren’t about prediction or fortune-telling. They are a bridge between internal experience and external expression—a visual language that can reach places words can’t.

When we work with images—whether through visual art, symbolic cards, or metaphor—we’re not just “looking at pictures.” We’re accessing the language of the unconscious, the emotional body, and the storytelling mind.

This is the same territory explored in art therapy, where the goal isn’t to create art for aesthetic value, but to allow the process of image-making and image-responding to guide reflection and release.

Sometimes, yes, something almost magical happens. A client chooses an image that perfectly captures something they couldn’t put into words. They feel seen. An ah-ha moment is born. A shift begins.

That’s not fortune-telling. That’s synchronicity.

🎨 The Art Therapy Connection: Expression Before Explanation

Art therapy is based on the understanding that people often feel things before they can explain them. Trauma, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm can shut down the brain’s language centers—especially Broca’s area—making it hard to speak or even know what to say.

But the visual brain stays active. Symbol, image, and color can speak where words fail. Whether someone paints their own image or selects one from a deck, they are engaging the same therapeutic principle: letting the inner world become visible.

This is why symbolic card work fits so naturally within an art therapy-informed framework. The images are not prescriptive—they’re open-ended, abstract, and archetypal. They invite curiosity. They invite story.

🌀 Storytelling as Meaning-Making

When a client connects with an image, they often begin to tell a story—about the figure, the setting, or the symbol. And in that storytelling, something important happens: they begin to narrate themselves.

This is a core concept in trauma recovery and narrative therapy: we heal through the stories we are able to tell about ourselves. Symbolic images help us access those stories when they’re still unformed or buried.

Sometimes the story is simple: “This image feels like how I’ve been holding everything together.” Other times, it opens into memory, insight, and emotional release. The image becomes a bridge. The story becomes a step forward.

🌿 What Makes This Work Powerful

What I offer isn’t tarot. It’s not clinical art therapy either. But it draws deeply from both:

• From art therapy: the idea that visual processing and symbolic expression support emotional healing.

• From trauma and narrative therapy: the power of story, metaphor, and meaning-making.

• From creative practice: the wisdom of imagination and intuition.

• And from synchronicity: the idea that what we need often finds us when we are present and curious.

This is image-based reflection work. It’s grounded, intuitive, and centered on the belief that each person carries the insight they need—they just need a new way to access it.

🧠 The Unconscious on the Table: A Psychodynamic, Jungian Process

One of the most essential aspects of this work is that the client leads the process. There’s no fixed spread or rigid format. The layout, number of cards, titles (if any)—all of it is up to the client.

That freedom is part of the method. In each session, the unconscious is quite literally placed on the table—through images chosen in the moment, arranged however the client feels called. This mirrors core principles in depth psychology: letting material emerge in its own time, through symbol and metaphor.

Clients decide:

• How many cards to use

• Which images speak to them

• Whether to name the cards

• How to arrange them, or not

There’s no pressure to interpret, no push for insight. The story unfolds as the psyche allows. The image becomes a bridge between the conscious and unconscious, the known and the unknown. The client holds the reins, and the unconscious guides the terrain.

When Trauma Disrupts Language

Research shows that trauma and chronic stress can significantly affect the brain’s capacity for verbal expression. In particular, the Broca’s area—the region responsible for speech production—often goes “offline” during trauma or high emotional stress. At the same time, other areas of the brain, such as the amygdala (which processes threat) and the right hemisphere (which is more sensory and image-based), become more active.

This shift explains why many people find it difficult to talk about painful experiences. It’s often not intentional avoidance—it’s neurological. When the brain is in survival mode, it prioritizes fast, emotional, sensory information over analytical, verbal processing.

Safety First: When Images Activate Distress

While symbolic imagery can be powerful, it’s not always neutral. Some images—colors, symbols, shapes—can stir difficult memories or emotional responses, especially for clients with trauma histories.

That’s why a trauma-informed approach is essential. In sessions, we always:

• Let clients choose images at their own pace

• Invite them to set aside any image that feels uncomfortable

• Use grounding techniques if emotions become overwhelming

• Emphasize choice, agency, and collaboration throughout

The work is not about forcing breakthroughs. It’s about meeting the unconscious gently, and honoring the timing of what wants to be seen.

🧬 The Science of Creative Healing

Research strongly supports the power of image and symbol in therapeutic work:

• A 2016 study found that just 45 minutes of art-making significantly lowered cortisol levels, regardless of experience or skill (Kaimal et al., 2016).

• Neuroaesthetic research shows that viewing emotionally engaging images can activate reward systems and support emotional regulation (Zeki, 2009; Vessel et al., 2012).

• Symbolic and metaphor-based practices have long been used in psychology to help integrate fragmented or unconscious material (Van der Kolk, 2014).

Importantly, none of this requires artistic talent. The benefit comes through engagement, not execution.

The Brain on Art: A Different Kind of Activation

Engaging with art and images stimulates parts of the brain that are deeply connected to emotion, memory, and imagination. Functional MRI (fMRI) studies have shown that viewing or creating art activates the visual cortex, the default mode network (linked to self-reflection), and areas associated with emotional regulation.

In particular, symbolic or metaphorical images can help individuals make sense of experiences they haven’t yet put into words. The use of symbolism allows the mind to explore meaning safely—at a distance—without having to directly relive or explain the emotional content right away.

This is why expressive therapies like art therapy, sandplay, and symbolic imagery are gaining traction in clinical and coaching spaces. They’re not just “creative” activities—they’re neurologically grounded practices that can support emotional processing, insight, and healing.

✨ Where Synchronicity Comes In

We’ve all had moments when something unexpected feels just right—a song at the perfect time, or a message you didn’t know you needed. That’s synchronicity: a meaningful coincidence that resonates deeply.

This happens often in image-based work. A client picks a card at random and gasps: “This is exactly how I feel.”

We don’t need to explain it away. In therapeutic work, synchronicity isn’t mystical—it’s meaningful. It shows us that the unconscious speaks, if we’re willing to listen.

🌟 Final Thoughts: A Visual Language of Healing

Words are powerful. But sometimes, they come last.

When someone is overwhelmed, shut down, or disconnected from their emotions, starting with an image can open a doorway into understanding. Symbolic Imagery Sessions aren’t about diagnosis or prediction. They’re about creating space—safe, creative, and nonlinear—for something meaningful to emerge.

In a world obsessed with answers, sometimes the most profound shift comes when we allow an image to ask the question.

If you’re curious about Symbolic Imagery sessions or want to learn more about how visual tools can support emotional wellbeing, feel free to reach out via my website www.cecilylongotherapy.com, or explore the resources below.

🔍 References/ Reading / Resources

Kaimal, G., Ray, K., & Muniz, J. (2016). Reduction of cortisol levels and participants’ responses following art making. Art Therapy, 33(2), 74–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/07421656.2016.1166832

Malchiodi, C. A. (2015). Art therapy and the brain: An attempt to understand the underlying processes of art expression in therapy. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/arts-and-health/201512/art-therapy-and-the-brain

Schneider, L. Z. (2014). Tarotpy- It’s All in the Cards. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.

Vessel, E. A., Starr, G. G., & Rubin, N. (2012). The brain on art: Intense aesthetic experience activates the default mode network. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(28), 10446–10451. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1207355110

Zeki, S. (2009). Neuroaesthetics: Neuroscientific theory and the experience of art. The British Journal of Aesthetics, 49(4), 371–385. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesthj/ayp040