Therapeutic Benefits of Journaling

By Denise Humphrey, Ph.D., www.DeniseHumphrey.com

Like talk therapy, journal and/or diary writing provides a safe, unbiased space for a person to express emotions openly and honestly. Journaling is a very useful tool for expressing grief and sorrow and can be tremendously helpful in assisting people through difficult and painful life experiences. Through journaling, we are are ble to get in touch with our deepest desires and explore our deepest pains. We can find resolutions to challenging problems, and painful emotions such as grief, sadness, fear, isolation, etc. can all be expressed in a private, yet therapeutic, format.

The exercise of writing is the most important component of journaling. Many people never turn back one page to re-read a single written word. It is the process that is therapeutic rather than the actual content.

Journaling is an excellent method of connecting with God, the Divine, a higher self or whatever higher power a person resonates with. The rhythm of writing and the flow of moving our thoughts from our consciousness to written expression quiets the mind and allows us to hear the answers to our questions. Much like meditation, journaling is an exercise in expressing and then listening.

The process of journaling can assist in the talk therapy process. Much of the work done in therapy can continue throughout the week in the journaling process. In order to get the most from your journaling experience, keep the following tips in mind: ignore grammatical errors and/or rules; do not reread the writing unless doing so is therapeutically helpful; express your most honest and raw emotions as freely as you can; keep your journal private — these are your sacred and most private thoughts.

Denise Humphrey, Ph.D
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Humphrey today! 972-239-2490

CREDENTIALS
•    Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology:  Fielding Graduate University
•    Master of Music in Piano Performance:  University of Notre Dame
•    Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance:  Southern Methodist University
•    License No. and State: 32345 Texas
•    Board of Trustees, Dallas Foundation for Psychoanalysis
•    Chair, Arts Committee for the Dallas Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology
•    Member, National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology