Journaling for Your Mental Health
- Murron O'Neill, LCSW
- Jun 16
- 2 min read
Many people find it helpful to journal about their feelings as a way of processing them. For some, this comes incredibly naturally the second they place the pen to a page. They are able to write out exactly what is going on in their mind without thinking about it and feel unburdened by the experience.
But for others, that couldn't be further from the truth. The frustration they have with being unsure about what to write in the process completely takes over and they lose track of what they were hoping to write about in the first place. Nothing is explored and the only thing gained is slightly more contempt for writing.
This does not mean that writing is lost as an option. It just means that the person writing might find it more helpful to have a more structured way of doing so. Here are a few other ways of journaling that might benefit your mental health:
Follow a similar structure.
Some find it helpful to answer the same questions each time they sit down and write. One example of this might be “rose, bud, thorn”, by listing one good thing that happened during the day, one bad thing, and something you are looking forward to the following day.
Follow a particular focal point.
Depending on what you are hoping to get out of your journaling experience, it could be helpful to specifically journal about one topic over the course of a few days, weeks, or longer. For example, naming situations that caused you to feel anger, or what it was like to physically feel the experience of loneliness.
Follow a new prompt.
There are plenty of mental health focused writing ideas to be found online, however there are also journals that outline daily reflection topics in a guided manner.
If you're finding it difficult to navigate your emotions alone, we’re here to help. At Compassionate Healing, our team of therapists offer compassionate support and tools to guide you through every step of your mental wellness journey. Reach out to us anytime!
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