How to “journal”

Ive never used journaling and something im not even really comfortable with. So how do you journal and any tips on how to start? Im sure everyone is different. Thanks

 

Dr. Hanscom recommends expressive writing, you can google his website.

 

I personally think the Journalspeak method (which is a slight modification of Sarno's) is pretty good and intuitive. There are Youtube videos about it on Nicole Sachs' own channel, and she's got a podcast where the early episodes act as sort of tutorials for the method as well.

 

A method of journaling which I like and prefer doing, which imo is kind of a little bit similar to Nicole Sach's 'Journalspeak', is Julia Cameron's 'Morning Pages', which is 'stream of consciousness' journaling. In this link Julia Cameron explains about it in a short video https://juliacameronlive.com/basic-tools/morning-pages/ (Morning Pages | Julia Cameron Live) 'Morning Pages' come from her book called 'The Artist's Way' but you don't need to be an aspiring artist to do them. They can be used by anyone who wants to clear out the junk from the corners of their mind.

 

I've been doing these for a few months now actually and I do use them just like Journalspeak - however, I don't really enjoy the insistence on "you must do it IMMEDIATELY" because it tends to make me feel quite anxious/rushed first thing. Just as a caveat/warning to anyone, Cameron is a lot less flexible about her approach than other journalling schools so it's important to kinda modify it as suits you.

 

I totally agree @tag24. I allow myself some time to 'come to' in the mornings before I do my Morning Pages and I sometimes even do them later in the day if I've been pushed for time (better I journal at some point during the day, than not journal at all is what I feel)... I guess what I mainly like is the free-flowing 'stream of consciousness' aspect of the Cameron approach, which gives somewhat more freedom than in JournalSpeak where you, at least initially, make lists in 3 columns of things to let rip and journal about.

 

I tried traditional journaling, but it didn't work for me at all, only led to more anxiety. But writing sporadically and not in the form of journaling, just communicating to other people, did. Try to find the right format of expression.

 

For sure. I think the journaling component of TMS recovery can sometimes be overstated, but mainly as a stand-in for some kind of "expression". I think some tool for authentically expressing yourself is universally helpful in this process, if not essential, but it doesn't have to be the written word - that's just what some people like. I've also heard of a lot of people using audio recordings or temporary logs which they delete afterwards, or as you mentioned above, just communicating and speaking with people frankly about your emotions and unpacking them a bit at a time. Any form of expression helps if it's honest and raw.

 

Me too. I journaled for a few weeks, but I am a biographical writer by profession so free writing was challenging for me. I did try and find my person expressive means, recognizing it wasn’t resistance, just preference.

 

I so agree. I've also written letters to myself -- as I am now, and to my younger self (at different ages) -- and found doing that to be very effective too.

 

Writing and getting to my subconscious has been the key for me. Thinking about it in my head or out loud give me only about 20% of the same effect.
When I put pen to paper I can get trancelike -- perhaps that is what hypnosis is like ( if hypnosis is real, I don't know)?
I get in the zone and then I let my little self, or my teenage self, or other parts of my unconscious speak. Sometimes I'll ask them questions and have a conversation. Other times I let them have the floor, so to speak. Sometimes I ask myself who wants to speak.
I realize it sounds cray cray and like I'm the proverbial "Sybil" with multiple personalities but if you think about it, we were/are those same little people, time has just passed. So why not get back into how I felt then and let it spill out on the page?
I write and write and write and write. It's fast and messy and mostly illegible. It's the act of doing it, not the reading of it.
Mostly without thinking. Just let it spill out onto the page.
Sometimes lots of swearing, often times I draw pictures at the end.....
A little girl holding a balloon with the word anger in the balloon and then releasing the balloon and it going up, up, up.
I'm a crappy artist but who cares, nobody is going to see it.
I usually go from letting out a lot of garbage to being more uplifting but I don't plan it. There is no agenda. At most I sometimes start with a particular question and then let it rip from there.
Unlike most I don't throw mine away. I can't do that. It feels too precious despite the fact that I've never re-read them.
I know for most people it's best to throw away so they don't censor themself but I don't censor myself. I get in the zone and let 'er rip.

Wishing you good luck @Bjv. I hope you get as much out of it as I do.