Therapeutic journaling is a deep-dive process of writing down our own internal, personal thoughts, emotions, and experiences to gain a new self-perspective and understanding. It can help by reducing intrusive thoughts, reducing the avoidance of negative thoughts, and improving memory, leading to more effective management of, for example of stress or anxiety.
It should not be confused with recording daily events in our diary, it requires us to delve a lot deeper into what is happening. It helps make sense of our internal experience, from which we learn and gain a better, more helpful perspective of our current and general life challenges.
As we write about our emotions and thoughts it supports in a way that helps work through our difficulties and move forward.
Journaling can help people who are experiencing symptoms of common mental health challenges such as anxiety, stress, life changes, depression, and grief. It can be used outside of or as a compliment to therapy.
In short, therapeutic journaling can help improve psychological wellbeing by allowing you to make sense of experiences and thoughts, identify patterns in behaviour and feelings, offering time for self-reflection. It can help you consider alternative perspectives, proffer helpful thoughts, and tap into what you are really feeling. Whether practicing it regularly or dipping in on specific occasions it aids good mental health.
Don't forget to check out How to Keep a Therapeutic Journal
*It’s worthy of mention that if you are experiencing trauma (generally considered to be a psychological reaction to an intensely distressing experience) then journaling should be approached with caution as it can increase your distress.