The Benefits of Keeping a Journal
Adjusting to sober life post treatment can seem a very foreign and uncomfortable path to navigate. While the initial adjustment period won’t last forever (even though it may seem like it’s going to), keeping a journal can help make the transition a little bit smoother.
According to Kathleen Adams, LPC, a Colorado-based psychotherapist and author of Journal to the Self, “journal therapy is all about using personal material as a way of documenting an experience and learning more about yourself in the process. It lets us say what’s on our minds and helps us get – and stay – healthy through listening to our inner desires and needs.”
If you already have writers block just thinking about recording your thoughts, use some of these tips to help guide you along the way.
- Relax. Enjoy a cup of tea or listen to your favorite playlist before you open your journal.
- Have a Plan. For most, facing a blank piece of paper can prove more daunting than therapeutic. Moreover, free-form writing will ultimately lead you into a dark and not so enjoyable place. In order to prevent this, structure your writing methods by writing sentence stems. Try writing down the first part of the sentence; such as, “What I want is…” then complete the sentence. Not only will you ease into recording your thoughts, your answers may also surprise you.
- Reflect. Re-read what you have written and digest all of the insights that you have gained along the way.