This module will help you learn about the use of journaling to improve mindfulness and manage stress. The facilitated journaling activity has three ways to journal":

  • Repeated Reflection - these pages ask you to think about your day; fill it out once a day for four separate days within a two-week period.

  • Facilitated Reflection - these pages have questions on specific topics; answer questions on the topics that interest you (you can leave the topics blank).

  • Open-Ended Reflection - you can also use the blank pages in the journal to share your free-flowing thoughts.

Access a downloadable version of the journal by clicking here.

Journal Files

Use these files to download the complete journal, or just Part 1 or Part 2.

Benefits of Journaling

Journaling is a healthy way to express yourself and a journal is a helpful tool in managing your mental health. Journaling can help manage anxiety, reduce stress, and cope with depression.

Journaling helps control symptoms and improve mood by:

  • Helping to prioritize problems, fears, and concerns

  • Tracking any symptoms day-to-day so that you can recognize triggers and learn ways to better control them

  • Providing an opportunity for positive self-talk and identifying negative thoughts and behaviors

When you have a problem and you're stressed, keeping a journal can help you identify what’s causing that stress or anxiety. Once you’ve identified your stressors, you can work on a plan to resolve the problems and reduce your stress.

How to journal on your own

Mental Health Therapist and life coach Rashawnda James shares how journaling can be a wonderful tool for helping with anxiety and depression.

Try these tips to help you get started with journaling:

  • Try to write every day. Set aside a few minutes every day to write. This will help you to write in your journal regularly.

  • Make it easy. Keep a pen and paper handy at all times. Then when you want to write down your thoughts, you can. You can also keep a journal in a computer file.

  • Write whatever feels right. Your journal doesn't need to follow any certain structure. It's your own private place to discuss whatever you want. Let the words flow freely. Don't worry about spelling mistakes or what other people might think.

  • Use your journal as you see fit. You don't have to share your journal with anyone. If you do want to share some of your thoughts with trusted friends and loved ones, you could show them parts of your journal.

Source: “Journaling for Mental Health.” Health Encyclopedia. University of Rochester Medical Center. Access at: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentID=4552&ContentTypeID=1