Found Poetry Cards: A Creative Form for Self-Expression

Are you an overthinker that struggles with journaling, reflecting, or writing?

If you don’t know me, hi there! I’m Kristy Leone, LCPC, LCPAT, ATR-BC (she/they), and I am a licensed mental health counselor, art therapist, and artist. Read more about my work as the Outdoor Art Therapist here!

Found Poetry cards are an easy and fun way to get creative, tap into your emotions, and express yourself without any pressure to "get it right." All you need are some everyday items like magazines, old books, junk mail, or any text you have lying around. By pulling words and phrases from these materials, you can craft poems that speak directly to your personal experiences and feelings.

In this blog post, I’ll explore how Found Poetry cards can be a fun and accessible way to express yourself, explore your emotions, and get creative, while sharing my personal experience with using this method to overcome perfectionism and enhance self-expression in art therapy.

The Science Behind Found Poetry

For individuals with emotional or cognitive struggles, such as those dealing with anxiety or trauma, Found Poetry offers a way to bypass verbal expression, allowing the brain to process emotions indirectly. The act of selecting and arranging words in a poetic form helps facilitate meaning-making, offering therapeutic benefits that support cognitive and emotional healing.

The process of "finding" words and constructing meaning from existing text allows the brain to make connections that are often more intuitive than linear, fostering a deeper sense of self-awareness. This form of expression can be particularly beneficial for those who feel overwhelmed by their emotions, as it provides a structured yet creative way to explore and release feelings without the pressure of formal writing or verbal communication. (Sounds like us Overthinkers and Daydreamers, doesn’t it?)

So … What Exactly is Found Poetry?

Found poetry is a unique form of creative expression where you "find" existing words from written sources and piece them together to form your own poem. It’s a simple yet powerful method that allows you to explore language and meaning in a new way. You’re not starting from scratch; instead, you're taking pieces of the world around you and reimagining them into something deeply personal.

The beauty of found poetry is its accessibility. You don’t need special artistic skills, formal training, or even a perfectly clear idea of what you want to say. The words you need are already out there, just waiting to be discovered and assembled in a way that speaks to your inner world.

Why I Love Found Poetry (and Why You Might Love It, Too)

Personally, writing my own poems or journal entries hasn’t always been an easy process. As someone with a neurodivergent brain, I often find myself getting stuck on sentence structure and small details. I start focusing so much on getting the "perfect" wording that I lose track of the creative flow altogether.

But with Found Poetry, I can bypass that struggle! Instead of worrying about sentence formation or trying to make every word fit, I’m simply choosing words that resonate with me. This approach allows me to connect with my emotions in a more intuitive way and create poems that truly reflect my feelings, without getting lost in the details.

It’s a freeing process for me, one that allows for creativity to emerge naturally, without the need for perfection.

“…long-term well-being.
with that challenge, to experience fulfilling own goals
be valued, but, potential risks get in the way, to have a larger impact..”

Mixed media collage I made with magazine, a deck of cards, found poetry, stickers, markers, glue, scissors, and watercolors.

Using Found Poetry cards in art therapy sessions or in your own personal creative practice offers a wide range of benefits, especially for those who may feel overwhelmed by traditional forms of writing:

Found poetry removes the pressure of creating something from scratch. You’re working with existing words, so you can focus more on what feels meaningful to you. All you need are some texts, scissors, and a bit of glue or tape. It’s a simple, accessible activity that anyone can try, regardless of artistic skill or experience.

The words you pull from magazines, books, or junk mail often have unexpected meanings when combined. This can open up new ways of reflecting on your feelings and experiences, helping you to process emotions in a creative, non-judgmental way. If writing is also challenge for you, this method is perfect. It allows you to create poems without worrying about grammar or structure, making it a less stressful form of self-expression.

The act of selecting words and arranging them in a way that makes sense to you can be deeply liberating. There’s no right or wrong way to make a found poem—it’s all about what resonates with you.

Using Found Poetry in Art Therapy

As an art therapist, I’ve seen firsthand how effective Found Poetry can be in helping individuals explore their emotions. Whether you’re working through a difficult period or just looking for a way to express yourself creatively, found poetry offers a wonderful outlet for self-discovery and healing.

In therapy, Found Poetry can help clients:

• Gain clarity on their emotions and experiences

• Express feelings that might be hard to articulate

• Connect with their creativity in a relaxed, judgment-free environment

• Explore new ways of thinking and seeing the world around them

I’ve also found that this method works especially well for people who may struggle with traditional forms of writing or those who find it difficult to express their thoughts verbally. The act of creating something meaningful from existing words often leads to unexpected insights and moments of self-awareness.

“attack and protect energy
quickly surround them, to protect—and hold
flares for lightning,
fire shelter.”

Mixed media collage I made with magazines, a deck of cards, found poetry, stickers, markers, glue, scissors, and watercolors.

Give It a Try!

If you’ve never tried Found Poetry before, I encourage you to give it a try. All you need is some text (magazines, books, newspapers, or even junk mail), scissors, and glue. Start by cutting out words or phrases that stand out to you, and arrange them into a poem that reflects your thoughts and emotions. You’ll be surprised at what you can create when you give yourself the freedom to simply play with language.

Whether you use Found Poetry cards as a personal creative tool or as a form of therapeutic expression, it’s a beautiful way to tap into your feelings and explore your inner world.

Happy creating! 🌿

Want more resources?

Check out more blog posts here or head on over to my free resources page! I love sharing free resources that I find and creating my own worksheets for clients and supervision students to use in their journey of wellness!

If you’re ready to embark on this transformative journey toward inner healing, I invite you to take the next step and reach out through my website here.

Let’s walk this path together toward a more vibrant and fulfilling life—for you, for your child, and for your inner child!

Kristy Leone, LCPC, LCPAT, ATR-BC is a licensed art therapist and mental health counselor that specializes in therapy for children and therapy for inner child healing in Baltimore County, Maryland at Labyrinth Art and Wellness.

Kristy recognizes that this blog post is meant to spark ideas and creativity, and is not a substitute for therapy itself. If you have questions, comments, or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach on out.

Interested in beginning therapy for you or for your child? Kristy is currently accepting new client in the office, online, and outdoors for walk and talk therapy!