Journal WritingJournal WritingBen EcksteinBen Eckstein

Kim ChristiansenKim ChristiansenDiana MartinezDiana Martinez

Tiffany LeTiffany Le

HistoryHistory• The word The word journaljournal comes from the comes from the

French word French word journeejournee, meaning from , meaning from sunrise to sunset.sunrise to sunset.

Dr. Ira ProgoffDr. Ira Progoff• 11stst psychologist to study the use of psychologist to study the use of

journal writing.journal writing.• Developed a seminar “Intensive Developed a seminar “Intensive

Journal Workshop.”Journal Workshop.”• Found access to a higher Found access to a higher

consciousness, which encouraged a consciousness, which encouraged a search for meaning in his life.search for meaning in his life.

Progoff’s ExperimentProgoff’s Experiment• Setting: NYCs welfare and Setting: NYCs welfare and

unemployment programs.unemployment programs.• Goal: study effects of journal writing on Goal: study effects of journal writing on

personal growth.personal growth.• Outcome: of the 300 people enrolled in Outcome: of the 300 people enrolled in

the study, 90% had improved their job the study, 90% had improved their job status and housing conditions.status and housing conditions.

• Rationale: journal writing contributed to Rationale: journal writing contributed to an enhanced state of self-reliance.an enhanced state of self-reliance.

Good for the Soul, Good for Good for the Soul, Good for the Bodythe Body• James Pennebaker at Southern James Pennebaker at Southern

Methodist University, 1989, 1990.Methodist University, 1989, 1990.• Showed an increase in immune Showed an increase in immune

function along with journal writing.function along with journal writing.• Heightened immune function of T-Heightened immune function of T-

lymphocytes was seen. (T-lymphocytes lymphocytes was seen. (T-lymphocytes are white blood cells involved in are white blood cells involved in clearing pathogens from the body.)clearing pathogens from the body.)

Study: Emotional and Physical Health Benefits of Expressive Writing• 13 studies were done with healthy individuals,

with the results being an overall benefit to their psychological and physical health.

• Smyth’s review suggests that for mentally and physically healthy individuals, the effects produced by expressive writing are substantial and similar to the effects of other psychological methods that are usually more time consuming and costly.

Study: Emotional and Physical Health Benefits of Expressive Writing• In the first study on expressive writing (Pennebaker

& Beall, 1986), college students were told to wrote for 15 minutes on 4 consecutive days about ‘the most traumatic or upsetting experiences’ of their entire lives, while the control group wrote about superficial topics (such as their room or their shoes).

• The participants who wrote about their deepest thoughts and feelings reported significant benefits from both objectively assessed, and self-reported physical health four months later.

Overall Results From Expressive Writing•The overall benefits of expressive

writing potentially result from some combination of immediate cognitive and/or emotional changes, longer-term cognitive and/or emotional changes, social processes and biological effects, rather than being accounted for by any single factor (Pennebaker, 2004).

Various MethodsVarious Methods• Unsent LetterUnsent Letter• Dream’s MethodDream’s Method• Poetry TherapyPoetry Therapy• Buzan’s MethodBuzan’s Method

Dream’s Method•Before you go to bed, review the day’s

events and how you felt about them.•As you fall asleep remind yourself to

remember your dreams when you awaken.

•When you wake up, wait a few minutes to review your dreams.

Dream’s Method• Keep a notebook by your bed with a pen/pencil to

record your dreams or dream fragments that you remember.

• Return to your dream images and ponder what they represent. Jung felt that every dream were a source of information.

• If you have recurring dreams, write the ending to the dream or scene. Doing so will help to at least reduce the stressor that causes this type of dream, as this may not fully resolve the issue. Recurring dreams tend to represent serious unsolved issues that need to be addressed and taken care of.

Poetry Therapy• This is a form of a complimentary journal

writing style. Here they write their own poetry, which gives them a sense of control and a way to make ‘order out of chaos.’

• This type of therapy is generally used as a way to treat emotional disorders, and can help with awareness and emotional catharsis.

Buzan’s Method• This method accesses both right and left brain

cognitive functions. Here you draw a line to the left of center on a page, where you write thoughts or perceptions, which would be things like, “I have to feed the cat before I leave the house.”

• In the middle of the other side of the page you draw a small circle and write “I feel” inside it. From there you draw lines out when you feel an emotion. On each line you describe how you feel in 3 words, and you do this for 15-20 minutes. Whatever comes to your mind, you write it down as a thought or feeling.

• This serves as an eraser to ‘clean the blackboard of your mind.’ the mind then can become uncluttered and achieve a state of mental stability.

Unsent Letter•Here, you write a letter to someone that

you are ‘upset’ with. You write down all your feelings be it anger, sadness, etc.

•BUT you don’t give it to them. •The purpose of this is to help you relieve

emotion baggage. •Provides an opportunity for the tree C’s:

– Catharsis, Clarity, and Completion.

Immediate EffectsImmediate Effects• Release of toxic thoughts from your Release of toxic thoughts from your

mind (unsent letter, thankful list, mind (unsent letter, thankful list, happy list, etc…)happy list, etc…)

• Release of thoughts, feelings and Release of thoughts, feelings and perceptions that liberates the mind perceptions that liberates the mind and softens or expands the walls of and softens or expands the walls of the ego.the ego.

Immediate EffectsImmediate Effects• Old thoughts are permitted to leave, Old thoughts are permitted to leave,

empty space they once occupied empty space they once occupied allows for expansion of awareness allows for expansion of awareness and depth of thought.and depth of thought.

• Increased understanding of ourselves Increased understanding of ourselves in our many environments.in our many environments.

• Personal confessionPersonal confession• Ownership of feelingsOwnership of feelings

Long Term EffectsLong Term Effects• Pattern identification Pattern identification • Illumination of precursors to stress.Illumination of precursors to stress.• Impartial view of what was written, Impartial view of what was written,

an objective perspective.an objective perspective.

Only three essential elements Only three essential elements are needed for effective journal are needed for effective journal writing:writing:• 1. A notebook dedicated solely to the 1. A notebook dedicated solely to the

journal.journal.• 2. A pen or pencil2. A pen or pencil

Only three essential elements Only three essential elements are needed for effective journal are needed for effective journal writing:writing:• 3. A quiet environment, so that you 3. A quiet environment, so that you

can collect your thoughts and put can collect your thoughts and put them onto paper.them onto paper.

• A good goal to start with is 15 to 20 A good goal to start with is 15 to 20 minutes for each entry, at least 3 minutes for each entry, at least 3 entries per week so that you can see entries per week so that you can see the benefits of journal writing.the benefits of journal writing.

Steps to Initiate Journal Steps to Initiate Journal WritingWriting• WhatWhat

• Try to identify those concerns and problems that Try to identify those concerns and problems that cause the most frustration, grief and tension.cause the most frustration, grief and tension.

• WhyWhy• Ask yourself what emotions are elicited when Ask yourself what emotions are elicited when

these stressors are encountered.these stressors are encountered.• HowHow

• Allow the writing process to augment your Allow the writing process to augment your creative process to further resolution.creative process to further resolution.

Best Application of Journal Best Application of Journal WritingWriting• Good-quality journal writing has Good-quality journal writing has

several purposes. The first is to act several purposes. The first is to act as a personal sounding board- to as a personal sounding board- to cleanse the mind overloaded with cleanse the mind overloaded with perceptions, emotions and toxic perceptions, emotions and toxic thoughts. Journal writing is a great thoughts. Journal writing is a great way to vent anger. Pinpoint how and way to vent anger. Pinpoint how and why different feelings are surfacing.why different feelings are surfacing.

Best Application of Journal Best Application of Journal WritingWriting• Cleansing negative feelings is an Cleansing negative feelings is an

effective way to find clearer thoughts effective way to find clearer thoughts and feelings so you can map out and feelings so you can map out strategies for resolution. These strategies for resolution. These applications of journal writing can be applications of journal writing can be used as an offensive tactic in the used as an offensive tactic in the face of stress.face of stress.

Tips Hints and SuggestionsTips Hints and Suggestions• CenteringCentering

– Before you begin to write, take a moment to Before you begin to write, take a moment to relax. Close your eyes, take a few deep relax. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and try to unwind.breaths and try to unwind.

• Label your journal entries. Identify each Label your journal entries. Identify each with the day, date and year.with the day, date and year.

• Uncensorship.Uncensorship.– Don’t censor yourself. Write whatever Don’t censor yourself. Write whatever

comes to mind without editing your comes to mind without editing your thoughts before your put them down onto thoughts before your put them down onto paper.paper.

Tips Hints and SuggestionsTips Hints and Suggestions• Spontaneity. Spontaneity.

– Let your thoughts be free-flowing. Get Let your thoughts be free-flowing. Get whatever thoughts you have down on whatever thoughts you have down on paper and then sort them out however you paper and then sort them out however you chose. chose.

• A private place. A private place. – Journal writing can be done anywhere, but Journal writing can be done anywhere, but

having a designated place of solitude lends having a designated place of solitude lends depth to self-disclosure.depth to self-disclosure.

• A private journal. A private journal. – Your journal is for your eyes only.Your journal is for your eyes only.

Cool StuffCool Stuff• The 1000 Journals Project started in The 1000 Journals Project started in

August 2000 San FranciscoAugust 2000 San Francisco• 100 journals were distributed in 100 journals were distributed in

random places in San Francisco and random places in San Francisco and are still being passed around to friends are still being passed around to friends and strangers.and strangers.

• www.1000journals.comwww.1000journals.com• www.1001journals.comwww.1001journals.com