Sometimes the end of summer sneaks up on us. One day you’re savouring long evenings on the patio, and the next, your calendar is filling with work projects, family schedules, and shifting routines. It can feel like the season changed overnight, leaving little space to pause and reflect.
Art-making offers a way to slow down, capture meaningful memories, and set intentions for the months ahead. You don’t need to be “artistic” to benefit—these simple practices can help you connect with yourself, notice what matters, and step into the next season with clarity.
Why Use Art to Reflect and Plan?
When life feels busy, it’s easy to move from one season to the next without really processing what you’ve experienced. But reflection gives you perspective: What brought you joy this summer? Where did you feel stretched thin? What do you want more—or less—of in the months ahead?
Art allows you to explore these questions visually, which can help bypass the mental chatter and connect more directly with your emotions and intentions.
Three Art-Making Practices for Seasonal Reflection
1. Create a Summer Collage
Flip through magazines, print photos, or use scraps of paper in colours that remind you of summer. Arrange them into a collage that represents your season. Maybe you highlight moments of rest, a sense of connection, or simply the feeling of sunlight.
As you look at your finished collage, ask yourself:
• Which experiences do I want to carry forward?
• What do I feel ready to leave behind?
This process can help you honour your memories while making space for new beginnings.
2. Paint an Intention Stone or Wooden Disk
Using paint, markers, or pens, choose a stone or wooden disk as your “season marker.” On one side, capture a symbol of something meaningful from summer. On the other, create an image or word representing your intention for the fall.
Place it somewhere visible—on your desk, nightstand, or kitchen counter—as a grounding reminder of your focus for the months ahead.
3. Mandala for Transition
Draw or paint a mandala (a circular design) with two halves: one representing summer, the other representing the season ahead. This might include colours, shapes, or abstract marks. The process of creating within a circle naturally encourages balance and reflection.
While working, notice any themes that emerge: Do you feel pulled toward rest, new challenges, or greater balance in your relationships and commitments?
How This Practice Supports You
Taking even 20–30 minutes for creative reflection can help reduce stress and bring clarity. Instead of rushing into the next season on autopilot, you create a sense of intention. That pause—combined with the physical act of making something—can be surprisingly calming and grounding, especially if you tend to carry an undercurrent of worry or tension.
Bringing Art Into Therapy
Art doesn’t have to be about creating something “beautiful.” It’s about giving yourself space to process experiences and emotions in ways that words sometimes can’t reach. In therapy, guided art-making can be a powerful tool to manage anxiety, gain insight, and build coping strategies that actually feel sustainable.
If you find yourself craving a reset as summer shifts to fall, therapy can help you explore what you need more deeply—whether that’s creating boundaries, reducing overwhelm, or finding clarity in your next steps.
Ready to Begin?
I provide virtual psychotherapy and art therapy for adults across Ontario. Together, we can use creative approaches (with or without art-making, depending on your preference) to help you reflect, find calm, and move into the next season with intention.
