The Intrusive Thought Monsters
The Intrusive Thought Monsters are a creative tool designed to help individuals process and manage their emotions in a fun, lighthearted way.
The project allows users to create their own monsters that represent their emotional experiences, particularly those feelings that can be difficult to articulate. Through a simple, interactive website, users can choose from a range of features—such as body shapes, facial expressions, colors, and accessories—to visually express complex emotions and gain a new perspective on them.
Your feelings don’t have to be so scary after all
Why Create A Monster?
Art therapy has long been recognized for its therapeutic benefits, particularly in helping individuals process complex emotions. The Intrusive Thought Monsters draw from the principles of art therapy, focusing on the use of visual art to increase emotional awareness, acceptance, and expression. In art therapy, the process of externalizing emotions—whether through painting, sculpture, or drawing—can help individuals better understand their feelings and develop healthier ways to manage them.
The act of creating art provides an opportunity for individuals to express emotions that may be difficult to verbalize. This creative outlet is particularly valuable for individuals who struggle to communicate their emotions using words alone. The Intrusive Thought Monsters allow users to "bring their thoughts into a physical space," giving them a tangible, visual form that makes it easier to process, confront, and understand complex emotions.
Intrusive Thought Monsters is primarily college students, particularly those in their first year of university and beyond. As users progress through their college years, they can revisit their monster creations and the journal entries that go along with them to see how far they have come.
