What is Journal Therapy? 

Many people misconstrue Journal Therapy as merely a new term for keeping a diary; but, in fact, significant differences in both subject matter and purpose exist between the two. While a diary chronicles trivialities such as juvenile secrets and desires or a journal is a place to delve intensive thoughts, emotions, and reactions to life. In a journal we record our inner journey ,we write with the intention not only of keeping track of the journey but also for exploring who we are and what we are here for. We write to learn more, to reclaim lost and shadowy parts of ourselves, to develop and access the fullness of our humanity. Journal therapy transforms the traditional diary into a unique thoughtful, reflective, and analytical method of healing. An effective means of providing focus and clarity to issues, concerns, conflicts, and confusions.”

History of Journal Therapy 

The concept of journaling has been with us since man first recorded the thrill of the hunt on his cave walls. As keen observers of predators and prey, our ancestors collected mental stories of hunting skills and heroic exploits that they shared among their clansmen in the form of oral stories.

However, the storytellers wanted a better way to preserve such important observations; and in time, they developed a more permanent and versatile form of communicating their thoughts—writing. Whether carved in stone, bark, or hide, our ancestor’s symbols soon took on meaning. This meaning brought with it a new authority; writing something down gave it importance and worth.

Since that time, man has continued to record his newfound knowledge and achievements in one form or another throughout history. The advent of the written word opened a plethora of new possibilities for those who could master the skill. Cave walls were replaced by paper, and observers became the scribes who left an incomparable eyewitness testimony of their time and place in the world.

Though the journal as a primarily factual record held tremendous value, a new use came onto the scene and, with it, a new articulation of what it meant to be human. The earliest outstanding example of the journal’s use for human expression is St. Augustine of Hippo’s Confessions (c. 400 AD). The work is a painstaking examination of Augustine's progress from juvenile sinfulness and youthful debauchery, to conversion to Christianity and the triumph of the spirit over the flesh. In Confessions, Augustine analyzed himself much like a modern-day psychiatrist and presented fascinating study of self that has become the basis for the reflective, autobiographical journal.

Journaling continued to flourish and met tremendous popularity in the Victorian Age. During the 19th century, it was expected of every young lady and gentleman to keep a journal as a vehicle for self-examination. The expensive, leather-bound Victorian volumes provided a safe haven for self-expression in an age that valued self-control and a tight reign on emotions. By the 1950’s, nearly every teenage girl in America kept a diary filled with their innermost thoughts and deepest secrets.

During the same time that millions of girls were pouring out their hearts and souls, Dr. Ira Progoff, a renowned psychotherapist, began pondering the value of such behavior in relation to his field. In his practice, Dr. Progoff encouraged several patients to use journals. He called these journals “psychological workbooks” and asked that the subjects record anything that came to mind, including emotions, anxieties, thoughts, and fears. The doctor soon realized that they were able to work through their particular feelings or situation much more quickly and easily, and he became convinced of journaling’s value as a powerful therapeutic tool. With his development of the Intensive Journal Method in the mid 1960’s and 70’s, the “father of modern journaling” established the journal as a valid therapy.

 Who can use Journal Therapy? 

The power of journaling is accessible to anyone with the ability of forming the written word. The utilization of journal therapy requires no special talent, skill, or experience; all you need is My Medical Journal, a pen, and a willingness to examine innermost thoughts and personal encounters with joy, despair, pain, and suffering. Preoccupation with the creative value of one’s writing is unnecessary; and spelling, handwriting, and grammar should not be major concerns. In fact, perfectionist goals tend to be an obstacle to the uninhibited expression encouraged in journal therapy. A journaler should trust their intuitions, follow their stream of consciousness, and remember that they are not writing for a grade or review by someone else.

Whether or not another person reads the words should have no bearing on the journaling process, for it is the act of self-expression that is most vital to the therapeutic effects of journaling. The true purpose of journaling is to transfer the nebulous workings of the mind into tangible expressions of emotion and experience; as writing, these expressions become valuable resources in the examination of self, personal growth, and overall healing. The deceptively simple concept of journal therapy offers the healing potential of the written word to anyone capable of putting pen to paper.

 How can Journaling be used? 

Most times journaling cannot take the place of another human being who can lend encouragement, support, or medication. Writing should not serve as a substitute for friends. If friends are unavailable, psychotherapists and other people in the health profession will listen to your problems and help keep your sense of reality intact. Journaling proves useful when used as an adjunct to traditional therapy, especially in between sessions.

While it is no substitute for psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment, journaling has its advantages as a self-administered therapy: it is cost-effective, quick, and can be practiced anytime, anywhere without judgment, embarrassment, or distrust. Journal therapy also hands the power to heal back to the patient.

How Does Journal Therapy Work? 

Much like traditional therapy, journaling heals through the process of self-awareness. “Putting thoughts down on paper with no concern for grammar, content or censorship, the general concept being that the process, not the product, enriches our lives by providing us with information from our conscious and subconscious thoughts, allowing for reflection and introspection.”

Writing the words out on paper is vital because it transforms the unseen realm of thought, feeling, attitude, belief and imagination to the seen world of physical form. Viewing, reading, and analyzing these words gives shape and substance to the feelings they express. This distances the writer from the problem, allowing for a reflexive examination of multiple facets of the personal struggle.

My Medical Journal is a way of putting our experience 'out there' where we can look at ourselves in the mirror of the printed word. The permanence of writing also allows the journaler to go back in time and take a second look at what he or she documented. “Often, over the months, or years, a new perspective emerges and the journaler can gain a further understanding of self. Breaking down troubling thoughts, feelings, and experiences into smaller, more manageable pieces, can help ease turmoil, defuse frustration, restore a sense of control, build confidence, and encourage understanding. The journal is a powerful means of self-expression, a promoter of personal growth, and a valuable companion on the road to healing.

Mental benefits

Psychotherapists use journaling to treat everything from anxiety and depression to sexual abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder. Its benefits to mental health cut across all ages, races, and intelligence levels, but seem slightly more effective in men than in women, probably because males are generally less likely to talk about their feelings (Fain, 2001). By providing an alternative and more intensive means of self-expression, journal therapy can profoundly improve mental wellbeing. For example, research shows that writing about a stressful experience may dull its detrimental emotional impact. Stephen Lepore, an associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University, found that students who wrote expressively about their emotions before an exam had the same number of intrusive thoughts as those who wrote about superficial things, but they reported fewer symptoms of mental distress.

 Physical Benefits 

Common knowledge of the journaling’s benefits is usually limited to the improvement of emotional and mental health, but recent studies suggest that journal writing can profoundly affect physical wellbeing as well. Scientific interest in the physical effects of writing therapy was sparked by the work of government polygraph operators when it was realized that a criminal’s heart rate and breathing is much slower immediately after a confession than before. Likewise, immediately after writing, blood pressure and heart rate decrease and the skin becomes drier, all indicative of relaxation.

In addition, Scientists at Southern Methodist University and Ohio State College of Medicine have demonstrated that subjects who wrote thoughtfully and emotionally about traumatic experiences achieved the following results: increased T-cell production (an indication of immune system stimulation); a drop in physician visits; reduced rates of minor illness, such as colds and flu; fewer absentee days; generally improved physical health. Recent research also shows that the simple act of writing down thoughts and feelings can even help those who suffer with chronic illness. A 1999 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that “patients with asthma or rheumatoid arthritis who wrote about the most stressful experiences in their lives experienced a reduction in symptoms…these gains were beyond those attributable to the standard medical care that all participants were receiving.”

The Mind-Body Connection

Researchers do not know exactly why writing about painful events can improve physical health, but the answer probably lies somewhere in the still mysterious connections between stress and disease. Numerous studies have found that prolonged emotional stress can weaken the immune system, promote heart disease, and worsen the course of arthritis, asthma, and many other illnesses. For example, a study found that elderly people suffering from depression had nearly twice the risk of developing cancer. Such information suggests that the mind-body connection is an important area to explore in fully understanding the process of healing.