How to Heal and Gain Self-Knowledge through the Practice of Journaling

I was never one to journal when I was young, so starting as an adult has been exciting and enlightening. Creative writing and journaling have given me a way of opening up those hidden portals that have enriched and inspired me. Further exploring younger parts within me who went through significant abuse and never had a voice has given me insights into more truths about my youth that have been difficult to address by myself in the past.

I often write from prompts. I also journal using the exercises in The Way of the Journal Workbook by Kathleen Adams, LPC. Additionally, I journal with God, listening to that small, still voice, inner wisdom, asking questions, and deepening that indispensable relationship. Let’s explore a bit more about these different ways:

Journaling with Prompts (Creative Writing)

This practice has been inspirational in writing my books, and I am often amazed at what bubbles up from the creative subconscious.

Author and writing teacher Laura Davis says, “A good writing prompt should be evocative and make you think of something new; it should awaken a perspective you hadn't considered before; make you remember something you hadn't thought about in, say, a month, a year, or fifty years. It is much more powerful to respond to the prompt, "My father's hands," than writing from the much more non-specific suggestion, "Tell me about your father." The first prompt evokes an instant visceral response and an image; the second is too broad and generic to give you an immediate starting place.”

An important rule is never to edit; just let the pen (or keyboard) flow. Use the axiom, “show, don’t tell"; this gets us out of our heads and into experience and feelings. We can express how something affects us viscerally as well as intellectually—a powerful path to creativity and self-knowledge. I often write from prompts in Judy Reeve's book, "A Writers Book of Days." Here are some resources for journaling and creative writing that I have found helpful:

https://iajw.org/

https://lauradavis.net/

https://www.judyreeveswriter.com/

Journaling for Healing

David Read Johnson, Ph.D. Director of the Institutes for the Arts in Psychotherapy, NY, NY, and Co-Director of Post Traumatic Stress Center, New Haven, CT, says, “Like meditation and quiet reflection, journaling appreciates the value of processing our feelings and thoughts, allowing them to flow out of us, and revealing the wisdom, memory, and suffering they contain. Writing is steeped in paradox: we write simultaneously for ourselves and for others; we write as authors so we can read as audience; we write to empty our minds of troubling thoughts and also to record them for posterity.”

Often, when we were children, we experienced trauma and believed we were to blame for specific events and incidents. They may have run the gamut of abuse, bullying, neglect, etc. These incidents may never have been processed. The little child within never got to be seen and heard for the pain and suffering they went through. Journaling for healing is a profound way to work on those parts and to let them have their voice. You get to choose if you want to share your writing or not. 

Working through some of the exercises in The Way of The Journal Workbook by Kathleen Adams, I have discovered deep insights into the different parts of myself. I love exploring why I have a part of me that behaves the way it does, resists things, or is fearful about something. Gaining more self-awareness is indispensable, positive, and productive. Once you know why you do the things you do and give that part of you a voice, you can make more mindful choices.  Here’s Kathleen’s website if you are interested in exploring her work:

https://journaltherapy.com/kathleen-adams/

Journaling With God

Listening to that small, still voice inside, your inner wisdom.

I need to hear from God (you might prefer to say, Source, Creator, The Light, etc). Hearing from God keeps me grounded, reminds me of who I am, and gives me insights and clarity. I started journaling with God when I first read I was Busy, Now I’m Not by Joseph Peck, MD, the Time Doctor, and it has been a powerful practice. He has a lot to say in the book because he is a business coach; however, in a nutshell, the more time you slow down and meditate, reflect, and listen to God, and in this case, journal about what you hear, the more fruitful your work will be. You will achieve more by being focused and purposeful. When journaling with God, I start by writing down all I am grateful for, which puts me in a heart space, then ask questions and have a back-and-forth conversation through journaling. I’m often surprised by the insights I receive. I gain confidence knowing I am loved, connected, and encouraged. My Journaling for Healing and writing with prompts frequently leads to Journaling with God, as I want to gain more insight from this higher perspective. They sometimes flow together.

Love from,