Hi Tigergirl,

Yes, I've journaled for years...Funny thing is that I almost canNOT journal on paper and definitely NOT on fancy journaling paper or books! Can't stand to mess them up!! I always journal on the computer where I can free flow my ideas or what's going on in my day and then after it is all out...I tend to re-read it and begin to cut and paste the relevant stuff together so I begin to see patterns or important ideas that are percolating.. My mind is often swirling with thoughts and emotions that just get bigger and badder until I get them out and onto the paper. Sometimes it is almost a necessity..

Then I often will add to them or begin to fill them in using just the right words that I want to use to describe what's going on. I can't do that orally as I'm just not as good a communicator in that way. I also have a two page list of emotions that I use for reference to make sure that I dig through and get very specific within my mind as to what is exactly going on. I used to send my journals to my T or at least segments of them to him to read so that he already knew what had been going on with me before I ever hit the door, and we could just take off running in our sessions together.

I haven't been journaling as much lately, and it has hurt me personally and I think slowed down my therapy as well... I still write him some emails sometimes as to what is going on and some of the bigger issues, but it is not as detailed, and I do spend more time letting him know what is going on rather than talking about issues or problems. I desperately want to start the habit again. I think it has to be a habit and ingrained and practiced regulary to really work...

I don't normally go back...but every once in a while..when I know life is bringing up the same lesson, but perhaps in a different form...I will search back for where I dealt with it before looking for what was going on and even what T said then to help me make it better... I also sometimes use it for reference especially with family members with faulty memories like mine... Most of the time..it just remains locked up for my own reference or sense of well-being and accomplishment.

Don't know if this helps or not...

Huggles,

Wysteria Blue