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Have I ever told you to journal?  Have you ever thought about using a journal?

If you are thinking about using journaling as part of your wellness strategies, you may want to write down some goals first.  Here are some suggestions on how others use their journal and how you might want to as well. Getting pen to paper helps the swirling thoughts of anxiety get down in a linear format. If you are struggling with depression, it can help you to identity thought distortions to begin challenging negative beliefs.

Journaling Goals:

• To understand my thoughts and feelings

• To help in achieving life goals

• To track mood changes

• To help depression

• To help understand life issues that affect my moods

• To give myself credit for my progress

• To get to know myself better

• To grieve a loss

• To explore dreams

• To pinpoint and address stressors

• To explore creativity

• For any other reasons you can think of

Journal Exercises: Start your writing by answering a question

• What I like about my myself is…

• What made me feel low today?

• The best thing that ever happened to me was….

• I feel angry that……

• Write a letter to someone you would like to tell off but won’t send.

• Make a list of all the reasons you want to be alive today

• If I had one day to live, I would….

• Create lists – things to do for self-care, what makes you happy or sad, why you feel stressed, etc.

Sometimes these prompts will help and other times I encourage you just to start writing, try to keep the internal critic off your back and just free flow. Just write what ever comes into your head. There is something therapeutic about putting pen to paper.

Nancy Ryan, LMFT

Nancy Ryan, LMFT

Nancy Ryan, LMFT specializes in working with individuals and couples who want deep, satisfying relationships with themselves and their partners. She works with couples who are ready to stop the destructive patterns and want to build the love, friendship and romance back into their partnership.

Relationship Therapy Center offers individual and couples counseling in the Sacramento area, individual and couples counseling in Roseville, CA and individual and couples counseling in Fair Oaks, CA  Contact us today via phone or text 916-426-2757