Deepening Your Visual Journaling Practice: Using Movement, Sound, and Other Expressive Arts Modalities

Visual journaling is a powerful way to explore your inner world—your thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and body sensations. This practice can be especially meaningful when you begin deepening your visual journaling practice through additional forms of expression.

This is often referred to as intermodal — moving from one form of expressive arts into another.

What Other Modalities Can You Add to Visual Journaling?

In addition to visual art, you might explore:

• Movement or dance

• Sound and voice

• Music (listening or creating)

• Poetry or creative writing

• Storytelling or narrative

• Drama

• Nature-based expression (working with natural materials or engaging outdoors)

  
  

Each modality offers a different pathway into your experience. When combined, they can deepen emotional, cognitive, and somatic awareness.

Using Movement: Deepening Your Visual Journaling Practice

One of my favorite modalities to pair with visual journaling is movement.

Step One: Create Your Journal Entry

Begin by creating a visual journal page or spread. A spread is defined as working across two open pages—when your journal is open, you’ll see a page on the left and a page on the right. Instead of limiting yourself to one page, allow your image to extend across both pages as one continuous expression.

Step Two: Move to Your Image

After you complete your image:

• Place your journal somewhere you can easily see it (propped on a table, chair, or on the floor)

• Set a timer for 5 minutes

• As you look at your image, ask yourself: If this image could move, how would it move?

• Then—without overthinking—begin moving.

  
  

Let your body respond intuitively. The movement does not need to be structured, graceful, or “correct.” It may be subtle or expansive, slow or rhythmic. Feel free to sit in a chair, if that feels more comfortable.

Find a private space where you won’t be interrupted or observed. This helps reduce self-consciousness and allows for more authentic expression.

Why Add Movement to Visual Journaling?

Adding another modality is one way of deepening your visual journaling practice, allowing your experience to move beyond the page and into the body.

In this process, you may notice:

• sensations in your body

• emotions shifting

• memories surfacing

• new images forming

• unexpected insights or solutions emerging

  
  

Each person’s experience will be different. There is no right outcome—only exploration.

When You Feel Stuck in Your Visual Journaling Practice

There are days when connecting to your inner experience feels difficult—when creating an image or even beginning in your journal can feel like a challenge.

On those days, you can reverse the process and begin with your body.

Try:

• playing rhythmic or instrumental music (drumming, flute, guitar, ambient sound)

• allowing your body to move in response to what you are feeling, thinking, or holding inside

  
  

Don't overthink it or plan it. Just begin to move.

Stay with the movement for a five minutes and notice what begins to shift or emerge.

From there, return to your journal and create the imagery using line, shape, color, or form. It does not need to be a real object or figure but it can if that is what you want to create. The goal is to put the image down on your paper. Avoid getting too detailed or trying to make it perfect.

An Alternative to Movement: Use Your Voice

If movement doesn’t feel accessible or appealing, you might explore sound instead.

After creating your visual journal entry:

• Place the image where you can see it clearly

• Sit with it for a moment

• Ask yourself: If this image had a voice, what sound would it make?

• Set a timer for 5 minutes

• Then, begin to make that sound (a tone, a hum, a series of sounds)

• Write down any insights and/or experiences

• Notice any changes (are you more relaxed, do you feel more connected to your body)

Deepening Your Visual Journaling Practice Through Expressive Arts

You don’t need to do this “perfectly.” You don’t need artistic skill. You don’t even need to fully understand what emerges.

This is a practice of curiosity, presence, and self-exploration—an ongoing way of deepening your visual journaling practice over time.

Experiment. See which modalities you love most. Follow what feels natural—or even slightly unfamiliar.

And most importantly, notice and write down anything you noticed. And always take time to date your visual journal entry!

Next Step

If you’d like support in deepening this practice, consider working with an Art Therapist or Expressive Arts Therapist. Having guidance can help you better understand what emerges and feel supported in the process.

I offer sessions that integrate visual journaling and expressive arts to support insight, emotional processing, and connection to your inner experience. Feel free to reach out for a free 15 minute consultation.