Journal Prompts to Help You Process Your Emotions

Journaling is one of the best practices for feeling your feelings—which is especially important if you typically pretend your feelings don’t exist. Many of us weren’t taught how to process our emotions—or even to name and acknowledge them. Many of us were taught the opposite: Feelings are inconvenient, embarrassing, or dangerous. So, we walk around not knowing much about the emotions swirling inside our own brain and body. Journaling validates our emotions and reconnects us to what’s real. It removes the added layer of self-judgment—in contrast to talking about our emotions, which can lead to “editing ourselves,” said Lauren Cook, MFT, a Los-Angeles-based clinician working with individuals, couples, children, and families. Journaling also allows us to “release” our difficult emotions and discover insights about what our pain or discomfort means, said Nicolle Osequeda, M.Ed., LMFT, a therapist in Chicago. Similarly, when we journal consistently, we discover patterns about our emotions and behaviors, “making it a lot easier to identify triggers and help manage difficult emotions,” said New York therapist Tzlil Hertzberg, LMHC. The other great thing about journaling is that there’s no right or wrong way to do it, said Stephanie Moir, LMHC, a therapist in Tampa, Fla. This makes journaling a “creative and free process,” allowing “our minds to explore depths and perspectives that we may not be aware of on a daily basis.” Moir likened journaling to ...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Creativity General Grief and Loss Habits Mental Health and Wellness Self-Help Stress emotional processing Journaling writing Source Type: blogs