How to Journal for Therapy
Choose a journal medium., Find a calm, quiet space to get in touch with your emotions., Make a habit of journaling., Consider logging the date and time of every entry.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose a journal medium.
You can keep a journal in many forms, from digital to analog and aural to visual.
The important thing is that you choose a journal medium which inspires you to write.
If no medium leaps out at you as the right choice, try journaling in various ways until something sticks.
Use an analog notebook if you prefer to set your thoughts down with a pen or pencil.
Jot down your thoughts in an old spiral notebook, if that captures your fancy, or buy a leather-bound journal so that you can start fresh.
Use a small notebook for portability, or a large notebook to conceptualize big ideas.
Make sure to choose a pen that feels good in your hand.
Keep a journal on your computer or your phone, if you prefer to type.
Use a standard word processor (like Word or Notepad) or anything other program that feels right.
Save all of your journal entries into one document, or save each entry into a new document within a "Journal" folder.
It may be most convenient for you to journal on your computer if you also work from your computer.
If you like the idea of making your thoughts more public, consider keeping an online journal.
Build a simple page on a free blog site like WordPress or LiveJournal.
Post regular journal entries.
You don't need to share the link with anyone, or try to amass a following – the very act of posting online may help you keep yourself accountable.
Consider keeping an audio journal.
If you are more comfortable speaking than writing, consider recording your thoughts to the voice recorder app on your smartphone or computer.
Sit down with the recorder and talk through your thoughts for a few minutes – you may find that you process emotions better through talking. -
Step 2: Find a calm
Consider writing at home, at a cafe, at the library, or out in the woods.
Clear your mind of distractions.
Try to remove your head from everyday life, however temporarily, and slip into a state of deep introspection.
If you can't find physical space, try to create a mental bubble: listen to ambient music or white noise on headphones; shut yourself into a quiet, enclosed space; climb a tree, or find your way up to a roof.
Consider meditating or sitting quietly before you begin to write.
This can help silence distractions and focus your thoughts.
Stretch, breathe deeply, light candles, or play gentle music – anything that puts you into a calm, reflective state., Introspection takes regular practice.
Make a goal to write each day, whether you set down a few sentences or a few pages.
Set aside 10-30 minutes to journal with no procrastination or delays.
Be disciplined.
If you have an especially busy schedule, consider setting one specific time to journal each day.
Journal just before breakfast, on the train to work, or at night before you drift off to sleep.
Find a time at which your thoughts are clear.
Try leaving your journal somewhere convenient so that it isn't a hassle to start writing.
Take it with you when you leave the house, and always keep a pen handy! , This way, it's easy to refer back to specific events and look for patterns in the things you've written.
If you are writing a sequential journal, the entries will fall into a sort of loose chronology of their own accord – but a more precise log may help you reference concrete events.
Try logging any information that you feel is relevant to what you write.
This may include the weather, the season, the significance of a given day (birthday, holiday, etc.), or the reason that you're writing this particular entry. -
Step 3: quiet space to get in touch with your emotions.
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Step 4: Make a habit of journaling.
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Step 5: Consider logging the date and time of every entry.
Detailed Guide
You can keep a journal in many forms, from digital to analog and aural to visual.
The important thing is that you choose a journal medium which inspires you to write.
If no medium leaps out at you as the right choice, try journaling in various ways until something sticks.
Use an analog notebook if you prefer to set your thoughts down with a pen or pencil.
Jot down your thoughts in an old spiral notebook, if that captures your fancy, or buy a leather-bound journal so that you can start fresh.
Use a small notebook for portability, or a large notebook to conceptualize big ideas.
Make sure to choose a pen that feels good in your hand.
Keep a journal on your computer or your phone, if you prefer to type.
Use a standard word processor (like Word or Notepad) or anything other program that feels right.
Save all of your journal entries into one document, or save each entry into a new document within a "Journal" folder.
It may be most convenient for you to journal on your computer if you also work from your computer.
If you like the idea of making your thoughts more public, consider keeping an online journal.
Build a simple page on a free blog site like WordPress or LiveJournal.
Post regular journal entries.
You don't need to share the link with anyone, or try to amass a following – the very act of posting online may help you keep yourself accountable.
Consider keeping an audio journal.
If you are more comfortable speaking than writing, consider recording your thoughts to the voice recorder app on your smartphone or computer.
Sit down with the recorder and talk through your thoughts for a few minutes – you may find that you process emotions better through talking.
Consider writing at home, at a cafe, at the library, or out in the woods.
Clear your mind of distractions.
Try to remove your head from everyday life, however temporarily, and slip into a state of deep introspection.
If you can't find physical space, try to create a mental bubble: listen to ambient music or white noise on headphones; shut yourself into a quiet, enclosed space; climb a tree, or find your way up to a roof.
Consider meditating or sitting quietly before you begin to write.
This can help silence distractions and focus your thoughts.
Stretch, breathe deeply, light candles, or play gentle music – anything that puts you into a calm, reflective state., Introspection takes regular practice.
Make a goal to write each day, whether you set down a few sentences or a few pages.
Set aside 10-30 minutes to journal with no procrastination or delays.
Be disciplined.
If you have an especially busy schedule, consider setting one specific time to journal each day.
Journal just before breakfast, on the train to work, or at night before you drift off to sleep.
Find a time at which your thoughts are clear.
Try leaving your journal somewhere convenient so that it isn't a hassle to start writing.
Take it with you when you leave the house, and always keep a pen handy! , This way, it's easy to refer back to specific events and look for patterns in the things you've written.
If you are writing a sequential journal, the entries will fall into a sort of loose chronology of their own accord – but a more precise log may help you reference concrete events.
Try logging any information that you feel is relevant to what you write.
This may include the weather, the season, the significance of a given day (birthday, holiday, etc.), or the reason that you're writing this particular entry.
About the Author
Gregory Perry
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow cooking tutorials.
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