The Power of Each Other: Wellness and Well-Being
  • Home
    • About Laura
    • Contact Dr. Burlingame-Lee:
    • News!
  • Resources & FAQs
    • Resources
    • FAQs >
      • Coaching FAQ
      • DBT FAQ >
        • How does DBT work?
        • What are the goals in DBT?
        • How does a DBT Skills Training Group Work?
        • Assumptions about our participants
        • What are some problems that might come up?
        • DBT Skills 1: Introduction and Mindfulness
        • DBT Skills 2: Interpersonal Effectiveness
        • DBT Skills 3: Emotion Regulation
        • DBT Skills 4: Distress Tolerance, Part 1
        • DBT Skills 5: Distress Tolerance, Part 2
      • Payment and Insurance
      • First Appointments: What to expect >
        • What to expect at your first coaching appointment
        • What to expect at your first therapy appointment:
    • Forms
  • Blog: Posts for the Journey
    • Blog Survey!
  • Love the Questions Journal Prompts

Word Power: Journaling as a Tool

7/14/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture


In my attempt to turn the mood around here a bit, I thought I'd write about one of my favorite wellness tools: Journaling. I have to start by saying that my definition of what makes a "journal" is pretty broad - for years I kept a copy paper box full of file folders with inspiring articles, pictures, quotes - and my comments on them. That, for a while, was my "journal." My bottom line in terms what constitutes a "journal" is that it's anything you want it to be. If you call it a "journal," then in my book, it's a journal. Period. There are way too many things in our lives and our worlds that end up being judged - the last thing we need judged is our creative and psychological expressions. Make it whatever you want it to be!

Today, my journals tend to be a little more traditional, but that doesn't mean that I don't branch out on occasion. I usued to keep a "creative journal" which used to be a page-a-day appointment book - I used the pages as something on which to mount my creative expressions. I've been feeling "blocked" creatively for the last couple of months, so there hasn't been anything new to add, but I'm hoping that I'll let loose with a barrage of visual creativity here soon.

I also keep a "regular" journal in one of those cheap composition books that you can buy in the grocery store. This is really my therapeutic journal. When I have trouble thinking straight or am feeling overwhelmed, this is the spot where it all comes out. For me, my creative journal is my "public" journal - if anyone sees it, it's not that big of a deal (after all, I posted pictures of it - how picky can I be?). My "regular" journal is a different story, though. This is the private stuff. When I'm really having a tough time coping, I get this out and write until I can't write anymore. If you're going to do this kind of writing, make sure you feel safe, or that you have some safety to do it. You may want or need to hide, lock up, or keep your journal in a place you feel is safe.

I'm not kidding about that either - once I was so overwhelmed and feeling so down that I wrote for nine straight pages! I've found that there are some incredible books and systems for journaling - my advice would be to do what works for you. That's an important point, because there's a perception that there are a lot of rules to follow, like you should write every day, or write for a certain amount of time or a certain number of pages. It's really important to do what works for YOU. Forget the rules, and forget the shoulds. Let yourself play, too - this can be fun as well as insightful!

I don't put any pressure on myself to write every day, or to write about a certain topic - my journal is MY expression. If you're the kind of person who thinks journaling would help you, I would encourage you to do this - again, do what works for you. Some people have spent lots of money and taken lots of courses on certain systems, like the Progoff system. Others, myself included, buy tons of books on writing and journaling. Other people simply just do it. Some people keep one journal and work through one book at a time. Other people have three or four going at once.

The point here is that this is a tool to help you cope, to help you feel better, and to help you deal with the world around you in a healthy way. It's a tool to help you get to know yourself, and to have a safe place to vent, let off steam, ponder deep thoughts, record your history - whatever you want to make it. This is not the only tool, by far - but it is a very helpful one.

The hard thing is that I see so many people start this, and then quit because they think they are "not doing it right" or read something that makes them feel they are "not good enough." Frankly, as a journal-ist AND as a mental health professional, I can honestly tell you that there IS no one, right or true way to do this. Anything you do here IS good enough, because it's an expression of who you are, where you are in your life, and what you're dealing with.

And if it helps you cope and feel better - as well as be a better person, than it is good enough, right enough, and healthy. If it appeals to you, look up journal prompts, or join a site with an ongoing journal support group. One of my projects that I have going is writing an e-book of journal prompts. I'm excited about it, and hope to offer it in time for the new year. 



Whatever you do, do what works. It's effective, and it's healthy.
 
Please Note: The content on this blog is intended for informational purposes only. This is not therapy, and if you wish to work in therapy, please contact your local mental health agency or your physician for a referral.

If you are in crisis or danger, please call 911 for immediate help. Please, again, realize that seeking out help really IS a sign of strength and not a sign of weakness. You don’t have to be alone in facing these things – there are people who care and who will help. Email me at: thepowerofeachother@outlook.com



0 Comments

    Laura Burlingame-Lee:

    I am someone who thoroughly loves life and believes in the power we have to help each other. I think that having a hot cup of tea, a good book, and a warm, purring kitty are some of the most soothing experiences available in life, and loving my family, hearing the sound of children laughing, feeling rain on my skin, and smelling the salt air by the ocean are some of the best possible things in life! 

    I believe we all have inner wisdom, and that learning to listen to it is one of the hardest and most rewarding things we can do. I believe we all have gifts and talents to share, and that we have the opportunity every day to learn something new. We learn, we grow, and we shine!


    I'd love to hear from you!

    Need to find something? Search the blog:
    View my profile on LinkedIn

    RSS Feed

    Home

    Archives

    August 2022
    July 2022
    September 2017
    August 2017
    January 2016
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All
    Acceptance
    Accountability
    Accountable
    Accreditation
    Accredited
    Achievement
    Achieving
    Action
    Action Planning
    Active Trust
    Affirmation
    Affirmations
    Afraid
    Alone
    Anger
    Angry
    Antidepressant
    Antidepressants
    Anxiety
    Appointment
    Appointments
    Art Journal
    Assertive
    Assertiveness
    Attitude
    Beck
    Behavior
    Black Or White Thinking
    Boundaries
    Boundary
    Care
    Caring
    Cat-I
    CBT
    Certification
    Certified
    Chain Analysis
    Change
    Changing
    Checking In
    Check-ins
    Choice
    Choices
    Coach
    Coaches
    Coaching
    Code Of Ethics
    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Insomnia
    Cognitive Distortions
    Cognitive Errors
    Cognitive Triad
    Comfort
    Comfortable
    Commitment
    Commitment Planning
    Commitment Strategies
    Compassion
    Compassionate
    Compassionate Detachment
    Control
    Controlling
    Copeland
    Coping
    Coping Skills
    Counseling
    Counselor
    Counselors
    Courage
    COVID
    Cruelty
    Daily Hassles
    DBT
    Depressed
    Depression
    Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
    Dichotic Thinking
    Differences
    Discomfort
    Distorted Thinking
    Distraction
    Distress Tolerance
    Dream
    Dream Analysis
    Dreaming
    Dreams
    Dream Symbols
    Effective
    Ellis
    Emergency Room
    Emotion Regulation
    End
    Ending
    ER
    Ethical
    Ethics
    Ethics Code
    Evaluating Goals
    Fear
    Forgive
    Forgiveness
    Frustrated
    Frustration
    Fun
    Goal Planning
    Goal Progress
    Goals
    Goal Setting
    Goal Strategizing
    Grief
    Happiness
    Happy
    Heal
    Healing
    Health
    Healthy
    Helpless
    Helplessness
    Hero
    Heroes
    Hopeless
    Hopelessness
    Hospital
    Hospitalization
    Hotline
    Hotlines
    Hurt
    ICF
    Identity
    Image Rehearsal Therapy
    Insight
    Insightful
    International Coaching Federation
    Interpersonal Effectiveness
    Introversion
    Irrational Beliefs
    Irrational Thinking
    IRT
    Journal
    Journaling
    Joy
    Judgment
    Judgmental
    Letting Go
    Licensed
    Licensure
    Loneliness
    Lonely
    Mean
    Measurable Goals
    Medical
    Medication
    Mindfulness
    Minimization
    Mistrust
    Mood Stabilizer
    Mood Stabilizers
    Motivate
    Motivation
    Move
    Moving
    Moving On
    Negative Thinking
    Negative Thinking Patterns
    New Normal
    No
    Nonjudgmental
    Nonjudgmental Stance
    Obstacles
    Opposite Action
    Organization
    Organizing
    Overgeneralization
    Pain
    Painful
    Personality
    Personalization
    Plan
    Planning
    Play
    Playful
    Playing
    Positive Psychology
    Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
    Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
    Precipitating Event
    Prioritize
    Prioritizing
    Process
    Process Writing
    Procrastination
    Progress
    Prompting Event
    Psychologist
    Psychologists
    PTSD
    Rabbit Hole
    Radical Acceptance
    Reaching Goals
    React
    Reacting
    Reaction
    Reinforce
    Reinforcement
    Relationship Skills
    Relax
    Relaxation
    Resiliency
    Resources
    Responding
    Responsibility
    Responsible
    Rest
    Restful
    Resting
    Results
    Reward
    Rewards
    Role Play
    Role-play
    Sadness
    Safe
    Safety
    Saying No
    Schedule
    Self Acceptance
    Self Assurance
    Self Awareness
    Self Care
    Self Control
    Self Esteem
    Self Liking
    Self Soothing
    Self-soothing
    Setting Goals
    Should
    Shoulds
    Skills
    Solitude
    Stigma
    Stigmatize
    Stigmatizing
    Stinking Thinking
    Stop
    Stopping
    Strategies
    Strategizing
    Strategy
    Suicidal
    Suicidal Feelings
    Suicidal Thoughts
    Suicide
    Suicide Hotline
    Suicide Hotlines
    Support
    Supporting
    Supportive
    Taking Action
    Task Management
    Termination
    Therapist
    Therapists
    Therapy
    Thinking
    Thinking Patterns
    Thoughts
    Time
    Time Management
    Tough Times
    Trained
    Training
    Transition
    Transitioning
    Trauma
    Traumatic
    Traumatized
    Trigger
    Triggers
    Trust
    Trust The Process
    Uncomfortable
    Visual Journal
    Voice
    Vulnerability
    Vulnerability Factors
    Wellness
    Wellness Action Recovery Plan
    Wise Mind
    WRAP
    Write
    Writing

Proudly powered by Weebly