Like HazelGirl said.

But I think you should open a new thread - I don't mean that I don't want the post here but I can't see a connection and I think the topic actually deserves its own thread. So people can give advice on it, my title is misleading for your question

About showing the journal: I don't bring mine in but if I have something on it that I want to tell her I will usually rewrite it on a separate sheet because she likes to keep it.
But I communicate better with drawings too and was afraid to bring in the "worst" ones and feared rejection like you. However she really appreciated that - even the "bad" things - and I think it's normal that we have to explain the drawings because they are extremely personal and can tell many different things.