Journaling for Mental Health: What Do I Even Write About?
Journaling can sometimes feel like one of those clichés therapists or friends recommend to clients who are wanting support between sessions, but a lot of times we can sit down in front of a blank page and have no idea where to start. When it comes to journaling for mental health, many people have questions.
Journaling for Mental Health—What Is It?
What journaling can be: A space to clarify what you feel. A space to identify areas of your life that you are wanting to change or grow into. There are no rules about journaling, so don’t pressure yourself to write full sentences, spell things correctly, or get it “right” the first time you put it down on the page.
Journal Prompts For Mental Health From a Therapist
It’s okay if you don’t know what to write about. Using journal prompts when journaling for mental health can help you get started faster. Instead of thinking about what to write about, find some good journal prompts from therapists to give you a starting point.
Here are some prompts recommended by me:
What do I love about my life right now? What’s going well? What have I felt really good about?
When was the last time that I felt really connected? Connected to myself, my relationships, my work...
What am I noticing right now about this present moment? What am I feeling, thinking, wanting right now?
What is it I want for myself?
If I’ve been feeling disconnected lately, what is the disconnection trying to do for me?
What am I getting from being more disconnected? Do I want something different around this for myself?
Downloadable Journal Prompts From a Therapist
If you don’t want to keep the above journal prompts from a therapist bookmarked, download them for free here. Print off this sheet and keep it in your journal so you have it when you need inspiration on what to reflect on during journaling.
I hope these give you a jumping-off point to start. Feel free to bring your journals to your upcoming therapy session to continue along with themes you’ve been working on with the support of your therapist. See you on the couch!
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