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As part of a doctoral research project conducted between 2020 and 2023, which involved interviews with beneficiaries of a local integration programme, the life story method initially appeared to be a relevant approach. However, the challenges of going beyond the narratives constructed through their institutional support quickly became apparent. To encourage a freer form of storytelling, participants were invited to create a visual representation of their journey during the interview. This article revisits this methodological experiment, presenting four case studies that highlight its key contributions and limitations. By renewing the interview conditions, the visual production helped reveal the symbolic significance of participation in an integration programme within the broader life trajectory. Nevertheless, some participants reproduced institutional expectations in their drawings, or even used them to demonstrate that they had internalized them.