Journaling for mental health, wellness, and self discovery can support the reduction in symptoms of anxiety, depression, help us process emotions, and come to understand something about ourselves and our process of individuation. Throughout my life I have relished the unique feeling of getting a new journal, with all the potential, opening it for the first time. Some journals are lined, sometimes I like the blank paged journals for drawing and wring is a free form. I have different journals for different kinds of writing— Dream journals, emotional processing journals, psychodynamic process journals, and the list goes on and on. I will pick up different ones at different seasons in my life, returning to an old friend.
One of my favorite journals is from my time studying and traveling in Europe, before the ubiquity of cell phones. I wrote a lot about the experiences and places I visited, but so much of the focus was also on the person I was becoming as a result of so many intense new experiences, and connection with new people.
journaling for healing and individuation
Many clients want to journal, but do not know where to start
Sometimes it can feel overwhelming to sit with your self in the moment, with so much swirling around. below is a collection of journal prompts to look through. If you find one that sparks something in you, write it down at the top if a page. You can use any kind of notebook. It is your relationship with the pages that make it special. Many of the prompts have a focus on connecting with elements of the natural world, or being outside. Practicing depth psychotherapy in Portland, Oregon, it is difficult to not have some special connection with the natural world, being surrounded by beautiful trees, mountains, and dynamic weather. The health benefits of nature have been studied and there are beautiful methods of being in nature— whether a small park or yard, courtyard or hiking trail. The Japanese practice of “forest bathing” has been inspirational and grounding throughout my practice. Our connection with trees is so deep. Some of the prompts focus on emotional regulation, or experiencing our feelings and connecting them with our thoughts or observations. Some prompts gently invite us to have contact with the present moment, with awareness (or mindfulness).
I hope you find these a helpful launching place for a journal practice. Feel free to create your own prompts as well!
Write about a dream image, even a small fragment of a dream, that has stayed with you, even if you don’t know why. What would it look like to treat myself with kindness right now? Write about some of your major beliefs about your values, relationships, work, spirituality, health. Is there anything that as you write, you feel some flexibility about, or some that could never change? Do any of these beliefs limit your aliveness? Are you willing to explore, modify or change any of these? (from Cyndy Sheldon’s Gestalt as a Way of Life: Awareness Practices (2012) What do you miss when you go too fast? What emotions do you avoid or push down? What brings me a small amount of comfort or support? If your emotional feelings were a landscape, what would it look like? Review your life and recall a special moment when you felt inspired, or had a profound out of the ordinary, or spiritual experience. Write about it. (from Cyndy Sheldon’s Gestalt as a Way of Life: Awareness Practices (2012) If I match my breathing to something in nature (wind, waves, rustling leaves), what changes? What do I notice right now using all five senses? If this place could speak, what would it say to me? What part of nature do I feel most drawn to today, and why– bird song, ocean waves, rain falling, crunching leaves, wind in trees? How does the current season or season transition reflect or connect with how I am feeling in this moment? What does that look like in nature? Spend some time outside– a backyard, courtyard, a hiking trail, a park. Take a deep, full breath in, and make your exhale longer (or do 4 square breathing). What am I holding onto that I can leave here? What do I need that I can take with me? Imagine placing a worry into the earth, water, or wind—what happens to it? What small detail in nature fills me with appreciation right now? Finish this sentence: To be honest, right now in the present moment I feel…. What is one small thing I can do right now to feel 6% better? Journaling about a prompting experience of shift in mood, increase in anxiety: What situation or thought triggered this feeling? Is this reaction connected to something from my past? What patterns do I notice in when I feel this way? What story am I telling myself about this situation? Is it fully true? What would I say to a friend who felt this way? What are 3 healthy ways I can respond to this feeling right now? Who or what makes me feel safe and supported? How do I know this? Make a list of feelings. Write down a color or image connected with each one. Write about your experience of each feeling– or pick one that really sticks out for you and write about that. Write for 20 minutes a day for four days in a row. Write about anything that comes to your mind. Think back over the day. How did you spend your time? What does “good enough” look like for me? How can I show compassion for myself in this moment? Where in my body do I feel stuck, frozen, sore, or tight? Where do I feel most constricted in my body? What emotion or thoughts come up when I focus on this part of my body? What would it look like to turn towards this tense part of me, and with love accept the feelings, thoughts, and part of my being? Write about your inner self, or core self. Is the pain you feel pushing you toward your inner self? What if your critical survival self had a break, and your core self could speak? What would it say to you in this moment? Where do you see yourself in three years? In 1 year? Write about an animal that comes to mind. Why do you think this animal is coming to mind at this time? What wisdom does it have for you, what strength can it offer you? Write about your earliest memory. Give yourself permission to write about a time you felt sad When you have a hard day, what gets you through it? What gives me hope? What does serenity look like for me? What does chaos look like for me?
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Write about a dream image, even a small fragment of a dream, that has stayed with you, even if you don’t know why. What would it look like to treat myself with kindness right now? Write about some of your major beliefs about your values, relationships, work, spirituality, health. Is there anything that as you write, you feel some flexibility about, or some that could never change? Do any of these beliefs limit your aliveness? Are you willing to explore, modify or change any of these? (from Cyndy Sheldon’s Gestalt as a Way of Life: Awareness Practices (2012) What do you miss when you go too fast? What emotions do you avoid or push down? What brings me a small amount of comfort or support? If your emotional feelings were a landscape, what would it look like? Review your life and recall a special moment when you felt inspired, or had a profound out of the ordinary, or spiritual experience. Write about it. (from Cyndy Sheldon’s Gestalt as a Way of Life: Awareness Practices (2012) If I match my breathing to something in nature (wind, waves, rustling leaves), what changes? What do I notice right now using all five senses? If this place could speak, what would it say to me? What part of nature do I feel most drawn to today, and why– bird song, ocean waves, rain falling, crunching leaves, wind in trees? How does the current season or season transition reflect or connect with how I am feeling in this moment? What does that look like in nature? Spend some time outside– a backyard, courtyard, a hiking trail, a park. Take a deep, full breath in, and make your exhale longer (or do 4 square breathing). What am I holding onto that I can leave here? What do I need that I can take with me? Imagine placing a worry into the earth, water, or wind—what happens to it? What small detail in nature fills me with appreciation right now? Finish this sentence: To be honest, right now in the present moment I feel…. What is one small thing I can do right now to feel 6% better? Journaling about a prompting experience of shift in mood, increase in anxiety: What situation or thought triggered this feeling? Is this reaction connected to something from my past? What patterns do I notice in when I feel this way? What story am I telling myself about this situation? Is it fully true? What would I say to a friend who felt this way? What are 3 healthy ways I can respond to this feeling right now? Who or what makes me feel safe and supported? How do I know this? Make a list of feelings. Write down a color or image connected with each one. Write about your experience of each feeling– or pick one that really sticks out for you and write about that. Write for 20 minutes a day for four days in a row. Write about anything that comes to your mind. Think back over the day. How did you spend your time? What does “good enough” look like for me? How can I show compassion for myself in this moment? Where in my body do I feel stuck, frozen, sore, or tight? Where do I feel most constricted in my body? What emotion or thoughts come up when I focus on this part of my body? What would it look like to turn towards this tense part of me, and with love accept the feelings, thoughts, and part of my being? Write about your inner self, or core self. Is the pain you feel pushing you toward your inner self? What if your critical survival self had a break, and your core self could speak? What would it say to you in this moment? Where do you see yourself in three years? In 1 year? Write about an animal that comes to mind. Why do you think this animal is coming to mind at this time? What wisdom does it have for you, what strength can it offer you? Write about your earliest memory. Give yourself permission to write about a time you felt sad When you have a hard day, what gets you through it? What gives me hope? What does serenity look like for me? What does chaos look like for me? 〰️
Write about a dream image, even a small fragment of a dream, that has stayed with you, even if you don’t know why.
What would it look like to treat myself with kindness right now?
Write about some of your major beliefs about your values, relationships, work, spirituality, health. Is there anything that as you write, you feel some flexibility about, or some that could never change? Do any of these beliefs limit your aliveness? Are you willing to explore, modify or change any of these? (from Cyndy Sheldon’s Gestalt as a Way of Life: Awareness Practices (2012)
What do you miss when you go too fast?
What emotions do you avoid or push down?
What brings me a small amount of comfort or support?
If your emotional feelings were a landscape, what would it look like?
Review your life and recall a special moment when you felt inspired, or had a profound out of the ordinary, or spiritual experience. Write about it. (from Cyndy Sheldon’s Gestalt as a Way of Life: Awareness Practices (2012)
If I match my breathing to something in nature (wind, waves, rustling leaves), what changes?
What do I notice right now using all five senses?
If this place could speak, what would it say to me?
What part of nature do I feel most drawn to today, and why– bird song, ocean waves, rain falling, crunching leaves, wind in trees?
How does the current season or season transition reflect or connect with how I am feeling in this moment? What does that look like in nature?
Spend some time outside– a backyard, courtyard, a hiking trail, a park. Take a deep, full breath in, and make your exhale longer (or do 4 square breathing). What am I holding onto that I can leave here? What do I need that I can take with me?
Imagine placing a worry into the earth, water, or wind—what happens to it?
What small detail in nature fills me with appreciation right now?
Finish this sentence: To be honest, right now in the present moment I feel….
What is one small thing I can do right now to feel 6% better?
Journaling about a prompting experience of shift in mood, increase in anxiety:
What situation or thought triggered this feeling? Is this reaction connected to something from my past? What patterns do I notice in when I feel this way? What story am I telling myself about this situation? Is it fully true? What would I say to a friend who felt this way?
What are 3 healthy ways I can respond to this feeling right now?
Who or what makes me feel safe and supported? How do I know this?
Make a list of feelings. Write down a color or image connected with each one. Write about your experience of each feeling– or pick one that really sticks out for you and write about that.
Write for 20 minutes a day for four days in a row. Write about anything that comes to your mind.
Think back over the day. How did you spend your time?
What does “good enough” look like for me? How can I show compassion for myself in this moment?
Where in my body do I feel stuck, frozen, sore, or tight? Where do I feel most constricted in my body? What emotion or thoughts come up when I focus on this part of my body? What would it look like to turn towards this tense part of me, and with love accept the feelings, thoughts, and part of my being?
Write about your inner self, or core self. Is the pain you feel pushing you toward your inner self? What if your critical survival self had a break, and your core self could speak? What would it say to you in this moment?
Where do you see yourself in three years? In 1 year?
Write about an animal that comes to mind. Why do you think this animal is coming to mind at this time? What wisdom does it have for you, what strength can it offer you?
Write about your earliest memory.
Give yourself permission to write about a time you felt sad
When you have a hard day, what gets you through it?
What gives me hope?
What does serenity look like for me? What does chaos look like for me?
What surprised you about your therapy session today?
What did you want to say to your therapist, but felt you couldn’t, or the moment you changed your mind? Write what you wanted to share. Bring it to next session.
Write about a time you did something brave, even though you were scared.
Go back to a point in your life where, in retrospect, you were at a cross roads. Write about what your life would look like if you took that other path.
Write about a fearful thought. Ask yourself, what is this fearful thought wanting to protect me from?
