I was journaling recently and thought about the power of my journal as a recovery tool and how it had been a foundational practice in my recovery.

When I was first in therapy in 1988, my therapist suggested I get a journal as a way to process what we were working on. My first response was, “I’m not writing this stuff down!” But I reluctantly agreed, with a plan to burn it when I was done with therapy. So, I got a basic little notebook and started writing. Spoiler alert—I haven’t stopped since. And I didn’t burn the notebook. In fact, if you look closely at the photo above, you can see it on the far left!

When I ask a new client if they journal, I often get answers like, “I used to, but I didn’t keep up with writing every day” or, “Sometimes, but I’m not very good at it.” 

But with journaling, there’s no right or wrong. To me, journaling is about putting your heart on the page. It’s about expressing your soul in that moment.  It’s about letting yourself think and “say” things that you may not anywhere else.  

Sometimes a journal entry might be the date and black marker scribbled on the page, because that’s the state of your heart that particular morning. (For real. I’ve done it. More than once.) Or maybe it’s a meaningful quote from a book you’re reading, or a place to think through something you worked on in your last therapy session.

Journaling can even take the form of a collage or some other kind of creative expression. Whether it’s writing, making a list, or sketching, what matters is that you’re as honest as you can be.

Sitting with your journal is an interaction.  It’s not a static and stale experience,  unless that’s the state you’re in. Sitting with your journal is a chance to sit with yourself—your thoughts, your emotions, and your heart.  

Sometimes my clients feel hesitation around journaling. I don’t think that’s uncommon. The hesitation often comes from a fear of  making their experiences and feelings more real. Journaling connects you to the reality of what you’re writing about. 

When you hold memories, thoughts, and beliefs, only in your mind (especially things that you’ve never shared with anyone), it’s easier to hang on to the self-protective beliefs about them. You can tell yourself X wasn’t a big deal, or Y didn’t really happen that way. But when you see the words on your page, it’s harder to minimize or dismiss what you experienced. You connect with the felt experience.

After the initial hesitation, most people discover that sitting down with their journal is a supportive and helpful practice. I’ve personally found journaling to be beneficial in several ways:

• Clarity – I gain insight into the situation or experience as I write. 
• Connection – Writing about your thoughts, emotions, and experiences connects you to your reality in a way that helps you start to connect with your felt experience as a child.
• Expression  – This is especially true when your journaling involves something other than narrative writing and is a raw expression of what you’ve held deep inside.
• Witness Growth –  – I go back to my past journals sometimes, and it’s so cool to see the growth and healing I’ve experienced.
• Curiosity – Sometimes you’ll notice that you bring the same things to your journal over and over, which can spark insight into patterns and direct your areas of focus in recovery. 

Understanding these profound benefits can make journaling a transformative practice. To get the most out of it, here are a few practical things to keep in mind: 

• If possible, keep a handwritten journal. Using a device makes it easier to  stay separate from what you’re writing, and the point is to connect to what’s going on for you.
•  Stay as connected as you can to what you’re expressing in your journal. If you notice yourself shutting down or disconnecting, be curious about why that might be the case.
• Don’t worry about writing every day. If daily writing is helpful, go for it. But try not to put pressure on yourself to create an entry every day.
•  Sometimes people perceive a journal entry simply as a recording of some event or events of the day. There’s nothing wrong with that, but if that’s all you focus on, it may not be as helpful a tool.
• Get a fun journal! Whatever that means to you. Don’t just settle for a cheap spiral notebook(unless that’s what you love).

My journaling journey started with that little spiral notebook 37 years ago, and there have been many, many journals since. It’s one of my favorite recovery tools. Try it. Get a fun notebook of some sort and a pen that you really like, and sit down and write. Maybe the first entry will be what you think and feel about this whole idea of writing in a journal. Just start and see where it takes you.

If you’re looking for a journal to support your therapy journey, check out my True Self Therapy Journal. Enter code FIRSTJOURNAL to get 25% off your first purchase!