Katie Joy Crawford created her series “My Anxious Heart” to help represent her depression and anxiety due to the fact she has been dealing with these mental and physical health problems since age 11. Her collection takes the viewer through her journey of diagnosis and captures how the experience was both “draining and suffering”. In her pictures, she captures herself not only as of the victim but additionally as the instigator which is due to the anxiety being a product of her own mind. Her work is used to bring into light the physical properties of this disorder that often are misinterpreted by the general public. She describes how her piece is an “explanation of how true anxiety has the capability to drain every last drop of aspiration.” She used black objects/ frames to envoke a feeling of a darker presence through her works. By exploring her theme through realistic imagery the audience is able to experience both the internal and external struggles that the person is feeling. She aims to “capture the raw essence of anxiety” and does so not only for her own therapy but also to help others express their oppression.