Art Therapy Session Inspired by “Creep” by Radiohead

Photo by Simona Sergi on Unsplash

Theme: Belonging, self-worth, identity, emotional authenticityMusic inspiration: Creep (Radiohead)

Radiohead began as a rock band of the ’90s, but over time they transformed the very idea of what rock, electronic, and popular music can be. They reinvent their sound again and again—sometimes unexpectedly, even uncomfortably—yet precisely this honesty and refusal to fit in makes them a cult phenomenon.This session uses the emotional atmosphere of “Creep” to explore moments when we feel out of place, not enough, or different from others—and to gently transform these feelings through art.

🧩 Goals of the Session

Participants may:

• Explore feelings of insecurity, alienation, or longing for acceptance

• Recognize and express parts of themselves that feel “not good enough”

• Transform internal judgments through image-making

• Develop compassion toward their own unique identity and voice

  
  

🎨 Materials

Any of the following:

• Paper (A3 or larger recommended)

• Oil pastels / soft pastels / charcoal

• Acrylic paints or watercolors (optional)

• Collage materials (magazines, fabric, textures)

• Glue, tape, scissors

• A notebook for reflection

  
  

🎶 Session Flow

1️⃣ Arriving (2–3 minutes)

Invite participants to take a comfortable position, close their eyes if they wish, and notice their breath.

A grounding prompt might be:

“Recall a moment when you felt unlike the people around you. Not necessarily in a painful way—perhaps simply different, separate, unique.”

2️⃣ Optional Listening: Fragment of “Creep” (2–4 minutes)

Play a short section, or participants may recall the song internally.Suggested focus:

Notice which lines or sounds resonate with you. Is it the melody, the lyrics, or the emotional tension?

(Ensure licensing requirements are respected if music is played in public or commercial settings.)

3️⃣ Art-Making Prompt (35–45 minutes)

Core Prompt:

“Create an image of the part of you that sometimes feels like an outsider—unseen, misunderstood, or ‘not enough.’Give this part a shape, a texture, a color, a presence on the page.”

Possibilities:

• Abstract shapes of tension or fragmentation

• A creature or symbolic figure representing the “outsider”

• A collage contrasting how I feel vs. how I present myself

• A landscape of belonging or isolation

Encourage freedom. No need for realism. The image may be messy, incomplete, strange—just like the raw honesty of Radiohead’s sound.

4️⃣ Optional Extension:

Invite participants to create a second layer:

“Now add something that this outsider part needs—protection, recognition, warmth, boundaries, voice, or space.”

🗣 Sharing & Reflection (10–20 minutes)

Possible processing questions:

• Which part of the song resonated with your artwork?

• Did the image reveal something new about the part of you that feels different?

• What does this outsider part need from you?

• If this piece could speak, what would it say?

Encourage gentle witnessing—not fixing, not correcting.

📓 Integration / Take-Home Reflection

Suggested journaling prompt:

“When has being different been a strength in my life? How can I honor that?”

Participants can keep the artwork as a symbol of self-acceptance.

💬 Therapist Notes

This session supports clients exploring:

• Identity formation

• Shame, self-criticism, perfectionism

• Neurodivergence or social difference

• Immigration, cultural displacement, or loss of community

• Adolescence and emerging adulthood

• Creative individuals feeling out of sync with norms

  
  

⚠️ Contraindications & Care

For clients experiencing acute suicidal ideation or severe self-loathing, the song’s themes may require careful clinical judgment. Provide grounding, emotional containment, and alternative choices if needed.

✨ Closing Thought

Just as Radiohead continues to reshape what music can be, art therapy invites us to reshape who we believe we are allowed to be.There is space here for every sound—every color—every self.