How to Write and Journal Therapeutically
Writing therapy - (or journal therapy) a low-cost, easily accessible, and versatile form of therapy.
It can be done individually, with just a person and a pen, or guided by a mental health professional. It can also be practiced in a group, with group discussions focusing on writing. It can even be added as a supplement to another form of therapy.
Writing therapy differs from simply keeping a journal or diary in 3 major ways (Farooqui, 2016):
Writing in a diary or journal is usually free-form, where the writer jots down whatever pops into their head. Therapeutic writing is typically more directed and often based on specific prompts or exercises guided by a professional.
Writing in a diary or journal may focus on recording events as they occur, while writing therapy is often focused on more meta-analytical processes: thinking about, interacting with, and analyzing the events, thoughts, and feelings that the writer writes down.
Keeping a diary or journal is an inherently personal and individual experience, while journal therapy is generally led by a licensed mental health professional.
Some Tips to Get you Started
First, think about how to set yourself up for success:
Use whichever format works best for you, whether it’s a classic journal, a cheap notebook, an online journaling program, or a blog.
If it makes you more interested in writing, decorate or personalize your journal/notebook/blog.
Set a goal to write for a certain amount of time each day.
Decide ahead of time when and/or where you will write each day.
Consider what makes you want to write in the first place. This could be your first entry in your journal.
Next, follow the 5 steps to WRITE (Adams, n.d.):
W – What do you want to write about? Name it.
R – Review/reflect on your topic. Close your eyes, take deep breaths & focus.
I – Investigate your thoughts and feelings. Just start writing and keep writing.
T – Time yourself. Write for five to 15 minutes straight.
E – Exit “smart” by re-reading what you’ve written and reflecting on it with one or two sentences
Finally, keep the following in mind while you are journaling (Howes, 2011):
It’s okay to write only a few words, and it’s okay to write several pages. Write at your own pace.
Don’t worry about what to write about. Just focus on taking the time to write and giving it your full attention.
Don’t worry about how well you write. The important thing is to write down what makes sense and comes naturally to you.
Remember that no-one else needs to read what you’ve written. This will help you write authentically and avoid “putting on a show.”
It might be difficult to get started, but the first step is always the hardest! Once you’ve started journaling, try one of the following ideas or prompts to keep yourself engaged.
Writing Ideas & Journal Prompts
Some writing exercises for dealing with pain (Abundance No Limits, n.d.):
Write a letter to yourself
Free write (just write everything and anything that comes to mind)
Mind map (draw mind maps with your main problem in the middle and branches representing different aspects of your problem)
If those ideas don’t get your juices flowing, try these prompts (Farooqui, 2016):
Journal with photographs – Choose a personal photo and use your journal to answer questions like “What do you feel when you look at these photos?” and “What do you want to say to the people, places, or things in these photos?”
Timed journal entries – Decide on a topic and set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes to write continuously.
Sentence stems – These prompts are the beginnings of sentences that encourage meaningful writing, such as “The thing I am most worried about is…” “I have trouble sleeping when…” and “My happiest memory is…”
List of 100 – These ideas encourage the writer to create lists of 100 based on prompts like “100 things that make me sad” “100 reasons to wake up in the morning,” and “100 things I love.”
Tartakovsky (2014) provides a handy list of prompts, including:
My favorite way to spend the day is…
If I could talk to my teenage self, the one thing I would say is…
Make a list of 30 things that make you smile.
The words I’d like to live by are…
I really wish others knew this about me…
What always brings tears to your eyes?
Using 10 words, describe yourself.
Write a list of questions to which you urgently need answers.
Tips and exercises to help you start your regular writing habit (Hills, n.d.):
Start writing about where you are in your life at this moment.
For five to 10 minutes just start writing in a “stream of consciousness.”
Start a dialogue with your inner child by writing in your nondominant hand.
Cultivate an attitude of gratitude by maintaining a daily list of things you appreciate, including uplifting quotes.
Start a journal of self-portraits.
Keep a nature diary to connect with the natural world.
Maintain a log of successes.
Keep a log or playlist of your favorite songs.
If there’s something you are struggling with or an event that’s disturbing you, write about it in the third person.
If you’re still having a tough time getting started, consider trying a “mind dump.”
This is a quick exercise that can help you get a jump start on therapeutic writing.
Researcher and writer Gillie Bolton suggests simply writing for 6 minutes (Pollard, 2002).
Don’t pay attention to grammar, spelling, style, syntax, or fixing typos – just write.
Once you have “dumped,” you can focus on a theme.
The theme should be something concrete, like something from your childhood with personal value.
This exercise can help you ensure that your therapeutic journal entries go deeper than superficial diary or journal entries.
Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs
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