At some point in life, most people find themselves reaching for a journal—whether in search of organization, inspiration, or simply a quiet moment alone with their thoughts. Many of us remember owning a colorful notebook with a tiny silver lock that felt incredibly precious at the time. Even though everyone’s lock and key were identical, or could be opened with a hairpin, those little diaries held our most treasured secrets. For many, the habit of journaling fades away, much like childhood celebrity crushes. Others continue the practice journaling into adulthood, perhaps less regularly, swapping out heart-shaped dots on the letter i for something a bit more understated.
Journaling in adulthood, especially when targeting women, is also a big trend and business model. There are the “traditional” themed journals, like the ones used to record travel experiences or to write notes about recipes. Other journals draw on your creativity and personal style. For instance, “junk journaling” involves using photographs or mementos like movie tickets (remember those?) to record special moments. Bullet journals offer a structured, often quick way to track habits, goals, and ideas. There are no shortages of ways and things to record, document, and reflect upon.
One of my favourite quotes is by Archbishop Desmond Tutu “Whatever has been broken or lost can only be repaired and found again by telling the story of what happened.” It’s true – positive change comes from making sense of our experience, and journaling is a tool for that. This is one of the reasons I incorporate journaling into my clinical practice.
The reaction I get from clients when I tell them that journaling is a core component of my clinical work ranges from excitement to dread. Some clients look forward to refocusing their experiences into writing, while others sigh, reluctantly explaining why “that’s just not for them,” (more on that later).
At the end of the first session, all my clients are offered a journal. I introduce it as a tool, a way to connect the work we do “in here,” with their life “out there.” Their first task is to keep track of it and bring it back to the next appointment. They don’t have to write anything. If they chose to use the journal, then they can use it to write down thoughts, events they want to share, questions they’ve thought of to bring to therapy, and even examples that they thought of as soon as they stepped out of my office. It can be used to record everything, except a to-do list. This journal is not a grocery list.
From then on, I start sessions by asking “anything you journaled about that you want to bring in today?” and end sessions with “what about today’s discussion would you like to reflect on?”
Research has consistently shown the positive effects of journaling. A consistent journaling practice (15 minutes a day, 3 times a week, for 3 months) has been shown to improve symptoms of anxiety and reduce mental distress. Writing about negative or traumatic events is particularly effective when the writing is focused on both the emotional and cognitive aspects of the events [1]]. When both the emotional experience and our beliefs about it are expressed, we are more likely to view the growth that has occurred as a result of the event. Interestingly, focusing on emotions alone does not provide this benefit. There are even health benefits to journaling [2].
How to get started
An effective motivator is to have tools you’ll want to use. While I always offer a journal to my clients, some of them prefer taking the trip to a stationary store to pick out a journal that will inspire them. If possible, allow yourself to indulge in a beautiful journal and in a pencil that feels nice when you push it against the page.
A gratitude journal is a simple way to get started. Every day, either first thing in the morning or at the end of your day, write down three things that you are grateful for. These can be “big,” like getting a job promotion, or relatively small, like hitting all the green lights when you were running a little bit late. It can be the deliciousness of your sandwich at lunch, the smile from a stranger, or your health. The challenge is not to write the same thing twice in the same week. It’s incredible how this tiny little exercise can begin a cascading effect. When we notice one good thing, another and another begin to pop up.
When you feel ready, you can choose a particular event, topic, or relationship to explore. For instance, you might choose to reflect on an interaction from the day that’s left you feeling uneasy (“I keep thinking about how my friend responded to my text.”) or an event from the past (“My 18th birthday is one I remember because…”). You can zoom in on a recurrent emotion (“I seem to get irritated everyday because…”) or belief (“I can’t seem to get anything right at work…”). And then keep writing, see where it takes you. Pay attention to what you write as much as what it is like to write. Emotions are likely to bubble up and your thoughts will run in many directions – that’s normal, and a good thing!
Sharing what you write about can amplify the effects of writing [3]. While working with a therapist can be beneficial, it is not necessary. You can share your insight with a trusted friend, join a journaling group, or read it back to yourself.
Being consistent is also important to reap the benefits of journaling. Consistent writing sessions allow you to get beyond the facts of an event, dig deeper into the emotional experience, and eventually to identify patterns and new perspectives. However, consistency doesn’t mean that you have to write every day for a set period of time or a certain length. Take small steps, once a day.
There is no right or wrong way to get started. It takes something to write on, something to write with, and a little bit of courage.
To learn more about journaling
- Visit my resource page for more tips to get started on journaling and writing prompts.
- Consider my professional development workshop on therapeutic journaling.
References
[1] Ullrich, P. M., & Lutgendorf, S. K. (2002). Journaling about stressful events: effects of cognitive processing and emotional expression. Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, 24(3), 244–250. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15324796ABM2403_10
[2] Baikie, K. A., & Wilhelm, K. (2005). Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 11(5), 338–346. doi:10.1192/apt.11.5.338
[3] Gerger H, Werner CP, Gaab J, Cuijpers P. Comparative efficacy and acceptability of expressive writing treatments compared with psychotherapy, other writing treatments, and waiting list control for adult trauma survivors: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine. February 2021.