Journaling is commonly viewed as a method of record-keeping, where one consistently writes down thoughts, feelings, experiences, and reflections. However, beyond its role in documentation, journaling offers specific mental health benefits. Many therapists including myself recommend maintaining a journal as a valuable non-pharmacological tool. Journaling can complement traditional talk therapy, enhancing self-expression, healing, and communication. While therapy is sometimes seen as a “talking cure”, journaling is believed to be a “writing cure”. Shukla and colleagues (2022) note that journaling helps individuals express themselves more freely and improves interpersonal relationships.

Journaling can be effective in addressing various mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and work-related stress. Therapists often employ two primary types of journaling: expressive writing and gratitude journaling.

Expressive Writing Involves reflecting on thoughts and feelings, sometimes through dialoguing between parts of the self, mind mapping, or writing letters to oneself or others. This form of journaling helps individuals process their emotions and gain insight into their inner experiences.

Gratitude Journaling, rooted in positive psychology, focuses on acknowledging and appreciating the positive aspects of life. It encourages individuals to record things they are grateful for, fostering a mindset that highlights strengths and resources.

Both journaling types serve to release negative emotions, recognize positive thoughts, and monitor emotional states. Most importantly, journals serve as a reminder that we are always entitled to a safe, private space where we can express ourselves in ways that we often cannot in front of others. The nature of journaling is to allow clients to have a space where they do not have to police their thoughts and feelings. While therapy serves as a safe space to be candid with another human without fearing judgment and criticism, many clients often struggle with accepting their thoughts and feelings. Writing them down without the anticipation of being judged/perceived can be introspective and healing.

Here are some ways I use journaling in my work with clients.

Journaling for Depression

When dealing with depression, journaling can support self-esteem, assess one's support system, and track achievements despite low motivation. Those who have depression can often feel many negative emotions like frustration and anger towards themselves and creative prompts can help individuals distance themselves from negative emotions and gain perspective. For instance, a prompt like “What emotion is most prevalent today, and where in your body do you most feel it?” can be illuminating. Gratitude journaling can help clients take note of the silver linings of the proverbial dark, depressing clouds and remind them of the support and resources they can lean on when the going gets hard. At times, your journal entry can simply be a short to-do list you managed you achieve after weeks of low motivation!

Helpful prompts for depression include:

Imagine yourself before you start feeling depressed. What was your life like? What did you think, feel, or do differently? Write a letter from that person to your current self.
If this feeling (hopelessness/anger/sadness) could talk, what would it say?
What are three things you want to remember when days feel hard?

Journaling for Anxiety

Anxiety can be overwhelming, with constant fight-or-flight responses and persistent racing thoughts. Some individuals with anxiety tend to “overthink” events before they happen or pick apart a social interaction in retrospect. Journaling can act as a “mirror” for these thoughts, helping to identify patterns and apply coping strategies. A “brain dump” of anxious thoughts and feelings can be cathartic. Prompts like “What would I do if I knew I could not fail?” or visual prompts like “What is a beautiful place I would like to visit right now?” can offer relief and perspective.

Journaling for Trauma

I have found Susan Borkin’s book “The Healing Power of Writing: A Therapist’s ^[a] Guide to Using Journaling with Clients” a helpful resource in learning to work journaling into my treatment plans. Borkin highlights the Pennebaker experiments, which found that writing about personal trauma in-depth resulted in significant positive physical effects compared to factual/superficial writing. Writing about trauma using “I” statements to make sense of experiences can contribute to understanding and healing. Be aware that having professional support while you process something particularly intense is wise.

(Here is a podcast episode featuring renowned Dr. Pennebaker as he explains his writing protocol. You can also learn about his research and learn to use the Pennebaker Writing Protocol here)

Journaling can seem daunting and time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be! I am a huge proponent of using a single notebook/digital space for all types of journaling—whether writing, to-do lists, sketches, or art journaling. It can simplify the process of what “belongs” in a journal. Start with just five to ten minutes a day or whenever you feel emotionally dysregulated. With practice, journaling can significantly enhance physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, ultimately improving overall quality of life.

In conclusion, while journaling can be a valuable tool in therapy, it's important to recognize that it may not suit everyone. Ultimately, therapy should embrace a holistic approach, with journaling being one component of a broader healing journey.