SPOTLIGHT: Learn to Capture What You Can’t Yet Say

Kristina Scaglione
1 day ago
3 min read

By Julie Stark, LCSW — Co-Founder & Co-Clinical Director, Root & Rise Clinical Specialists & Creator of The Stark Contrast™

Julie Stark, LCSW, is the co-founder and co-clinical director of Root & Rise Clinical Specialists, serving clients in both FL and NY. She is also a CTC Member, a professional photographer, and the creator of The Stark Contrast™. This therapeutic modality blends structured clinical work with creative processing to help people access the stories and emotions living beneath the surface.

The Real “Spotlight” Is the One in Your Hand

When we hear the word spotlight, we picture a stage — bright, intense, revealing. But the most powerful spotlight you use every day isn’t on a stage at all. It’s your phone’s camera.

Photography isn’t just a hobby. It’s an accessible, intuitive tool for shining a gentle light on the parts of you that feel tangled, unclear, or hard to name. When you take a photo, you’re not simply documenting a scene — you’re capturing a feeling… a moment… a truth that might not yet have words.

This month’s Spotlight is your invitation to explore your inner world creatively, playfully, and without pressure.

And since South Florida is finally showing off — blue skies, cool breezes, the quiet sway of palm trees — it’s the perfect backdrop to let nature co-author your story.

Your Spotlight Challenge

Your challenge this month is simple and grounding:

Take a slow walk — around your block, at a park, near the water, anywhere —and snap 3–5 photos with your phone (or a camera if you prefer).

No photography experience needed. No pressure to “get it right.”This isn’t about beauty; it’s about meaning.

Capture images that, to you, embody these words:

LOVE
FEAR
SURPRISE
JOY
TENSION

—or choose your own emotion words: TRANSFORMATION, REFLECTION, AMAZEMENT, HURT, and so on.

Let your intuition lead.

If a crooked, paint-chipped mailbox speaks “tension,” photograph it.If a heart-shaped cloud whispers “love,” trust the impulse and take the shot.

Why Photography Supports Mental Health

Photography allows your inner world to speak symbolically.An image can express a story or emotion that language alone can’t carry.

And yes, I’m aware of the paradox: I’m asking you to look through a screen to be more grounded and present. But photography actually promotes cognitive presence — it engages the brain’s visual processing, which often taps into emotion faster and more honestly than words.

This activity strengthens emotional awareness by helping you notice how each image makes you feel:

comfort
curiosity
unease
yearning
fatigue
hope

Sometimes a wilted flower says more about your exhaustion than any explanation could.

When you’re tuned in, metaphors start appearing everywhere —resilience in a cracked sidewalk, overwhelm in tangled tree roots, hope in fresh growth.

That’s the magic of using photography therapeutically: You shine a gentle spotlight on your inner landscape without forcing yourself to articulate anything before you’re ready.

Reflection: The Most Important Part

After your walk, take time to revisit your photos and ask yourself:

Why did this represent that emotion for me?
What does this photo say about what I’m carrying or feeling right now?
Is there anything this image wants me to notice, accept, or tend to?

There is no wrong answer. There is only your answer.

Final Light Cue

The next time you feel overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure of what you’re feeling…

Step outside. Open your camera. Let the world reflect you back to yourself.

Sometimes the clearest view of your inner truth comes through your own lens.

Shine on.

Slowly observe each image. Notice what emotion rises up first. Answer the reflection prompts beneath each image. There are no wrong answers, only your answers.

Emotion Word Inspiration: Capture images that, to you, represent these words: LOVE, FEAR, SURPRISE, JOY, TENSION — or create your own emotion words such as TRANSFORMATION, REFLECTION, AMAZEMENT, or HURT.

Copyright Notice: All images in this worksheet are © Julie Stark, LCSW. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited.

Reflection