Why Journal?

The effects of written emotional expression are substantial and similar in magnitude to other psychological interventions, many of which can be time-consuming and expensive. 

(Smyth, 1998)

As a therapist with fifteen years of experience that quote stopped me. If it was true, what would it mean?

A Moment of Crisis

We were in the middle of an economic downturn. Clients who really needed our sessions weekly an anchor in their life onto were dropping back to fortnightly. Then one of them ended up in hospital after a suicide attempt. I checked with colleagues who reported similar stories. Meanwhile I knew that if it wasn't mandated as part of my professional accreditation I'd be dropping my own therapy sessions as money became tight.

I've kept a notebook for as long as I remember. I'd sometimes been aware writing was keeping me sane. Or at least accountable to myself. I'd recorded the dark night of my soul and painful awakening, a health crisis that looked terminal for a time, hopes and fears and all that was beautiful and right about life. Sometimes these notebooks looked like journals with dated entries and long sprawling entries. Sometimes they held nothing more than scraps of lines and half-formed poems with scribbled out stanzas and further thoughts written at right-angles along the edge of the page.

The Research on Journaling

So I started to research journaling. I discovered a lot of studies done with medical students. Journaling has become a standard part of most medical degrees because it increases insight around biases and blind spots. This leads to improvements in critical thinking under pressure. Nurses who journal don't burn out as quickly and are less likely to fall into compassion fatigue. (Dimitroff et al, 2016)

Incredibly as little as 45 minutes a week of journaling had a transformative effect; nurses who journaled 15 minutes a week showed no change, whereas 30 minutes led to new understandings, but not necessarily a change in behaviour. (Hendrix et al, 2012 )

Students who had sessions with a facilitator to talk about their journaling had better results.

Ideas about how I could bring this to clients and other communities began to form. I researched further and found a host of benefits:

• reducing post operative recovery times

• lowering pain levels

• improving symptoms of illnesses such as asthma and immune disorders

For those suffering acute stress disorder and PTSD journaling resulted in ‘significant and substantial … reductions in post-traumatic stress and depressive symptoms.’ (van Emmerik et al, 2012)

‘There was no difference in efficacy between writing therapy and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy’. (van Emmerik et al, 2012)

From Research to Practice

All this convinced me to start teaching journaling at the local women's health centre to see if it was true. And the results blew me away. I remember one woman, a young single mother who did not know it was ok to have mean thoughts. She excitedly told us that writing them down over the last week had been transformational.

Later in the course, she described feeling triggered at a family gathering. Instead of lashing out or withdrawing, she spent 15 minutes writing, which allowed her to rejoin the group and enjoy the day.

Expanding the Reach of Journaling

Encouraged by the success of these workshops, I’ve expanded my efforts online to reach more people. Journaling isn’t just about self-expression; it’s a proven tool for emotional and physical healing.

Whether you’re looking to manage stress, process trauma, or simply deepen your self-awareness, there’s a journaling practice that can work for you. Visit my services page to explore how I can support your journey and connect you with a community of journalers.

Journaling is powerful. It’s accessible, affordable, and backed by science. It’s helped me personally and professionally, and I’ve seen it transform lives. So, if you’ve ever thought about picking up a pen and notebook, now is the time. Your story, your healing, and your growth are waiting to unfold.