Try paper-based crafting to cut through overthinking

There’s no cutting corners here – just a simple, creative way to use arts and crafts to soothe overthinking, and help you process emotions…

Since being diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder as a teenager, I’ve turned to medication, talking therapy, and exercise to alleviate my symptoms. Still, I often find it hard to ‘switch off’, and stop intrusive thoughts.

But, recently, I discovered a new tool to slice through my anxiety. In a collage workshop, I cut images from magazines, and pasted them on to paper. Playing around with pictures, scissors, and glue, I was transported back to more creative childhood days – and experienced a deep sense of calm.

In contrast to drawing or painting, there’s no certain level of artistic skill required for a collage, while the pressure to make something ‘perfect’ is removed. By remixing readymade visuals, I was able to bypass the voice of my inner critic, and feel a different kind of creative freedom.

Alongside the simple joy of cutting and arranging images, I learned that the final composition can be meaningful, too. According to artist and teacher Hazel Pitt, we mentally store certain past images in our minds – and collage allows us access to them. “With its endless possibilities, collage really is an ideal tool for accessing the unconscious mind, and expressing yourself,” she says.

Hazel’s students have been surprised by the emotions reflected back to them in their compositions. As she explains: “Collage can act as a visual conduit for the inner self,” and anyone can experience its benefits by following these steps.

Grab your tools

Gather visually-rich materials, including magazines and newspapers, leaflets, old books, vintage postcards, and photographs. You can often find free or low-cost imagery in charity shops, community spaces, friends’ recycling bins (with permission), and your overflowing junk drawer. This treasure hunt for forgotten fragments of meaning can spark new ideas and emotional revelations along the way.

You will also need glue and a pair of scissors, while a scalpel and cutting mat can be helpful tools for slicing around the most intricate images, but not essential. For the background, choose paper or card that suits your personal style, from a piece of white A5 to a leftover delivery box. Work with what you have!

Follow your intuition

When you’re ready to start, pick out your images and scraps instinctively. “Don’t overthink it, or hold the end product in mind,” says Hazel. Drawing on psychotherapist Carl Jung’s theories about the use of images as metaphors in healing the human psyche, she advises: “Only choose something that resonates with you, sparking an emotional reaction, as this will give your collage substance and soul.”

You might be drawn to certain colours, textures, or details, as well as entire figures, words, scenes, or objects. At this stage, simply tear out the pages which feature appealing pictures, and place them in a pile.

Cut, slice, and tear

Cut out your chosen images with a pair of scissors or scalpel, or experiment with tearing with your hands for rougher edges. This careful, repetitive act requires concentration and is soothing. “Cutting will put you in a meditative space,” says Hazel, “as you stop thinking about external issues, exist in the present moment, and enter a state of peace.”

There’s even scientific research that confirms the therapeutic value of this creative hobby. For example, a 2025 review, published in the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, specifically about treating new parents, found that this kind of activity reduced anxiety and stress.

Play around with pictures

Arrange, rearrange, and layer your images, testing out different combinations. Approach this step like a playful game without rules: a house might be turned upside down, a waterfall emerges from a woman’s mouth, words grow in the sky. Without constraints, allow your intuition to guide you. This is the most expressive part of the process, so embrace it!

Pin and paste

Once you’re happy with the final arrangement, glue it down. You may want to take a photograph of the collage for reference before you start sticking each piece in place. Small pins can also be helpful for keeping your composition in order.

Reflect on your collage

Finally, take time to reflect upon and ‘read’ your collage. Does the choice and arrangement of pictures hold significance? Do they symbolise a past event? Hazel’s advice is to “have some space between when you complete the collage, and when you look at it again”. Days later, it may speak to you about feelings or thoughts that you didn’t realise were bubbling beneath the surface.

As multiple studies have proven, collage can help people enhance a sense of connection with the self, and process emotions. Whenever you feel overwhelmed or anxious, you can return to the therapeutic process of cut-and-paste. Without worrying about making a masterpiece, your collage may be calming and personally revelatory, reflecting your inner world.