My T suggested it my first session and she commented that I got really tense when she said that...clearly journaling isn't my thing but it has been helpful for me in the past. In high school I was in a class that required us to journal twice a week, it could be about literally anything and my teacher would read them at the end of the week. At that time in my life, I had never told anyone about some childhood trauma so I actually wrote about it for my first journal entry. I really enjoyed journaling then because it was easier for me to say stuff via writing and I really needed someone in my life who would listen to me. The fact that my teacher read it was what I really liked about it.

I don't really journal now. I'll write some stuff after every session and when my T encourages me to think about something during the next week, I will usually write about it a few times to help me remember and process it, usually in the form of lists.

Journaling has its place but for me, it is more in list form or as notes after sessions.