Journaling: Unorthodox Methods

Posted: November 28, 2023

By: Natasha Cooke, MS, LPC Associate Supervised by Melissa Barton, MA, LPC-S Do you dread journaling? If you’ve been going to therapy, it’s likely your therapist suggested journaling as a coping skill. However, you may have rolled your eyes at that suggestion because you despise writing. If so, you’re not alone. Perhaps you’ve tried it and felt stuck on what to write. You might have decided that journaling just isn’t for you. It might not be, and that’s okay! However, I’m here to present you with some unorthodox methods of journaling that might make it more enjoyable!

Forget About Grammar/Set a Timer While Journaling

For those of you with “logic” brains – this may go against your intuition. It was probably drilled into your head during your school years to never write without proper grammar or run-on sentences. Well, for now, let’s suppose you forget all that you learned in English class. (Sorry, English teachers!) Since the purpose of journaling is for emotional expression, processing, and coping with difficult feelings, it doesn’t matter how many grammatical errors you make. Likely, you’ll be the only one reading what you’ve written. So, if you are someone who has tried to journal in the past but gets stuck or constantly erases what you’ve written, this might be for you. You can try setting a timer for 5 or 10 minutes. Then, keep writing whatever comes to your head. You might even want to consider trying not to lift your pen from off the paper (except when moving on to a new word, of course). Don’t worry about making transitions between topics or even making sense. Just keep going until the timer goes off. You might be surprised at what comes out on paper - keep going past the timer if needed!

Play Some Music While Journaling

Imagine you’ve had a long, hard day. Suppose it was something that happened at work, a dispute with a friend or partner, or just feeling down. You find yourself overwhelmed with emotion. You might not have anyone that you trust to process your feelings with, or you do, and they aren’t available at that moment. This is a prime example of a great time to use journaling as a coping skill. However, maybe you’re stuck on what to write. Try putting on some music that mirrors how you’re feeling. If you’re feeling lonely, find a song that embodies that feeling. Do the same thing if you’re feeling irritated, down, or overwhelmed. For example, you can play the song “Let Go” by Beau Young Prince (from the Spiderman Spider-verse movie) if you’re feeling a bit lost. Listening to music will help focus your attention on your emotions. Listen to a song or two and then see if you’re able to convey how you’re feeling in writing.

Journal on Your Phone or Laptop

This suggestion is straightforward; if you’re a tech person or prefer to type overwriting with pen and paper, try journaling on your laptop or phone. You can use your notes app on your phone or a Word Doc on your computer. You may find this to come more naturally to you, especially if you frequently use your computer for work or school. Plus, if you are out and about and not somewhere accessible to a physical journal or computer, you can pull out your phone and journal almost anywhere you are.

Use Journaling Prompts

While free writing can be a great way to process tough emotions, it can be challenging to know where to start. If that is the case, you might want to try journaling prompts. Ask your therapist for journaling prompts or google some online. I’ve taken the liberty to write down some examples of prompts here for you: 1. What are some things that are going well in your life? 2. What makes you genuinely happy in life? 3. What would you say to your younger self? What about your future self? 4. What is your current biggest fear? 5. What goals have you set for yourself? What goals have you already accomplished? 6. How connected do you feel to your spouse or partner? 7. What are all your worries, big or small? 8. Where or who is your safe place?

Write Feelings Down in Poem Form

This one is not everyone’s cup of tea. However, for those of you who enjoy rhyming or a good poem, this is for you. If you find it boring to write in a typical way, write a poem to journal your thoughts. Imagine how much more fun it would be to express your emotions in a creative form. You may find it more rewarding to write down your thoughts if what you create is artistic and intriguing.

Begin Therapy in Katy, TX!

If you need more direction to help manage your emotions, one of the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! We provide mental health counseling, as well as other mental health services. To begin counseling in Katy, TX follow these three steps:

Contact our office to set up an appointment or to learn more information about therapy
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Find ways to thrive through therapy today!

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