Patient Tool: Symbolic Life Line

This worksheet is a creative way to explore your personal history through symbols. It helps you look at your past, recognize moments of growth, and imagine what you hope for in the future. By using simple drawings, you can organize your memories in a way that feels clear and meaningful.

WORKSHEET

How to use this worksheet

This exercise works like a symbolic journal of your life. You will draw a life line from your birth to today, adding symbols that represent important events.

Steps:

1. Draw a line of life from your birth to today, leaving space at the end for the future.
2. Use simple symbols to represent your experiences:
   • 🌸 Flowers → positive memories, support, achievements, joys.
   • 🪨 Stones → difficult moments, losses, suffering.
   • 🌳 Trees → important changes (moving, beginnings, breakups).
   • 🌊 River → times of flow or transition.
   • 🛤️ Path → choices, projects, decisions made.
   • ⛰️ Mountain → goals achieved, major efforts, or learnings.
3. Place the symbols in order from birth to the present.
4. Briefly write what happened at each symbol.
5. At the end, add a flower or another symbol that represents your wish or hope for the future.

Example

• 🌸 Birth: “My grandmother cared for me, I felt protected.”
• 🪨 Childhood: “I got sick and had to stay in bed, I felt isolated.”
• 🌳 Adolescence: “We moved to another city; it was a change that helped me grow.”
• 🪨 Youth: “My parents separated, it was a sad moment.”
• 🌸 Adulthood: “I got my first dream job, it gave me confidence and independence.”
• 🌸 Future: “I want to build a loving family and create a safe space.”

Nota

Este contenido está inspirado en la Terapia de Exposición Narrativa (Schauer, Neuner & Elbert, 2011), en la Terapia Cognitiva de Beck (1963, 1964), en la Terapia Cognitiva basada en la Conciencia Plena y la “tercera ola” (Garay, Korman & Keegan, 2015), y en los aportes contemporáneos de la Terapia Basada en Procesos (Hofmann & Hayes, 2018). Ha sido adaptado por HABLA Salud Mental para fines psicoeducativos.

📄 And you can have access this worksheet in a downloadable version here:
📥 LineadeVida_En