[nonamecomestomind]

So, T wants me to journal and said not to be just writing about events in my life. Only feelings, what I see as my motto (creed, whatever), she says to get deeper. WHAT? I don't really like writing and I am not good at it. I am usually very stable with once a month T to talk over a few issues. It's just been several weeks with lots and lots of negative things happening (mostly to do with my teen daughters) and because I told her all of them, now she gives homework.

How do you journal?

[Perna]

Do this for a couple weeks (it's free for 2 weeks), see if it helps: https://www.mytherapyjournal.com/

After that it costs but it's very inexpensive, only $35ish a year. If it helps you in 2 weeks you might be able to figure out how to just get a free private blog somewhere online and continue Write In Private: Free Online Diary And Personal Journal | Penzu

Originally Posted by nonamecomestomind

So, T wants me to journal and said not to be just writing about events in my life. Only feelings, what I see as my motto (creed, whatever), she says to get deeper. WHAT? I don't really like writing and I am not good at it. I am usually very stable with once a month T to talk over a few issues. It's just been several weeks with lots and lots of negative things happening (mostly to do with my teen daughters) and because I told her all of them, now she gives homework.

How do you journal?

Hi nonamecomestomind: Yes, I have something of a similar situation with my pdoc. I have to be careful what I say. Because if I do say anything for which there is a "prescribeable" medication, the next thing I know, I have a prescription for it! I think, sometimes these folks just throw things out there without really thinking about them!

I think, if it were me, I would just go into the next appointment & say I just didn't feel as though it was necessary. (After all, in a sense, you're the employer in this situation.)

However, if you do want to try doing something of this sort, if you're able to draw, perhaps you could create a drawing journal. If not, how about a scrapbook journal? Another idea might be a tape-recorded journal. (Do they still make tape recorders?)

Anyway, you get the idea. If you don't like to write, but you want to give journaling a try, see if you can come up with another way of accomplishing the same thing. Good luck!

[Soccer mom]

My T. told me to journal and then proceeded to tell me not to write "to do" lists, only feelings. Maybe she wants you to write FEELINGS vs about events. It's taken me awhile to get used to it but I do think it helps in between sessions.

[nonamecomestomind]

Thanks Perna, Skeez,SoccerM, I am going to give it a try. Last night's entry said "I got nothing. I haven't got anything. I have nothing." So it has to be better than that!

[Blue_Bird]

I journal how I'm feeling, what went on in my day. Then below that I pick or make up a journal topic and write in reply to that It helps me a lot.

[ThisWayOut]

I tend to wrote a lot, so my new t tries to utilize that when she can. Lately though I've been getting more intro the art journaling process. I've always collaged or drawn/painted when I couldn't find the right words. I'm trying to get t more interested in hearing about that stuff... if the writing doesn't work out for you, maybe you could try something more creative? Good luck!

[archipelago]

I have used a journal my entire life almost and can't imagine life without it. For me it is a grounding, supporting, and figuring it all out type of thing. So many realizations and even decisions and actions have come out of journaling. But then I do like to write. And I use writing to analyze and express because talking is actually not as easy for me.

I also do visual stuff, so agree with that suggestion if you are having trouble getting used to the idea.

I can recommend an inspiring book, Writing Done the Bones, that has influenced tons of people to free write. Once you let go of all those rules that school put in your head and just allow anything to happen, it is actually really freeing, easy, and even a relief.

Perhaps pretend you are posting here? or chatting online? don't bother with punctuation, capital letters, spelling or anything like that. Use colorful pens? Do it on the computer? Whatever might make it seem more like a fun thing instead of "homework." Just a few ideas.

[RTerroni]

I always write down what I want to discuss in a journal and usually end up discussing it during session.

[BonnieJean]

Originally Posted by Perna

Do this for a couple weeks (it's free for 2 weeks), see if it helps: https://www.mytherapyjournal.com/

After that it costs but it's very inexpensive, only $35ish a year. If it helps you in 2 weeks you might be able to figure out how to just get a free private blog somewhere online and continue Write In Private: Free Online Diary And Personal Journal | Penzu

It would be interesting to journal online. I checked out mytherpyjournal but it is a bit steep in my estimation:
"Cost for a Membership?
You have the option to select from the following memberships either today or after the 14-Day Free Trial Membership:

• $7.95 per month Annual Membership
• $11.95 per month 3 months Membership
• $14.95 per month 1 month Membership"

I'll look at the other link you provided.

[cat2992]

I am afraid to journal where someone would find it. Online seems safer. If I wrote down half the stupid crap I've done I'd be divorced and probably on the streets. Plus the shame I feel over admitting I actually did these things hurts me deeply, not to mention the collateral damage that would ensue.

I have used my art skills to draw my feelings and feel very sage doing do. My former T actually kept some of my art for a slide show presentation regarding depression and eating disorders. Yeah! Pile on another diagnosis.

Crafts, especially simpler repetitive crafts like crochet actually take me into the 'zone' where hours can pass until I realize that either my hands hurt or nature calls. Finer arts have brought me a lot of satisfaction ( and a lots of re-dos) but I do feel a sense of accomplishment when learning a new stitch and seeing the pattern develop. Now if I can quit making sweaters three sizes too big, I'll be good.

[Angst_guy7]

Well I stumbled a across an article that said journaling of any type can help with "mental health issues" in general. I did some research and found an electronic journal compatible with my phone (or tablet) and desk top. Although my entries are not necessarily about my anxiety/depression/over thinking etc often they are. My T says that just the act of journaling is very mindful because you are engaged in an activity that takes me out of my head so to speak. And anytime I do that its a good thing. I am an avid photographer so I got one that supported pictures. I will take a shot of a nice sky etc or something I did at work with my phone and it goes to my journal. If I am busy i will just do a quick entry and finish later. The best thing is that it syncs with all my devices so I can start on my phone and it syncs to the cloud and is put on my tablet and desk top computer as well. (if it was strictly phone based i could never do it as i am pathetically slow at entering information on my phone. The one I use is called Day One. Unfortunately its only available for Apple products and it syncs thru iCloud. However I know there are similar one for Android that sync with windows through dropbox. Another really cool feature is that it supports tags. So i can make an entry and assign a tag like Anger, black and white thinking, goal, talk to T etc. There is no limit to the tags. So after you make an entry you can tag it. When you enter a tag for the first time e.g. Anger the next time you go to enter it just typing the letter A brings all the A tags up and you just select it. With tags you can then do a search using only entries with that tag regardless if you made it yesterday or last year. Do a tag search for Anger and it pulls up all entries with that tag in date order; most recent first.
I find it really helps at times. And one of my most frequently used tags is Talk to T !!

[ThisWayOut]

I had a separate journal on my phone, but it recently crashed and the developer was no help (think it actually infected my phone with a virus), so I no longer use it (Memories on Android, not sure if it is available on apple, but DON'T use it!!)
Now I just journal on the private blog I had set up for former T (her agency email was not confidential so she did not want to use it). New T does not read it, but even if she did, I could save the journal stuff as private and only leave the stuff I want her to see as PW accessible... it works out pretty well, and I trust the site, so no more virus worries.

[justaname4me2]

I've been journaling for many years, but had stopped a couple of years before beginning therapy. I've since started a private journal on blogger.com, for therapeutic purposes, and am encouraged by T to 'free write'. He has suggested writing about things I wouldn't normal talk about, since it's anonymous and might be 'freeing'. I have written over 20 entries since January and have shared 3-4 of them with T in email. He's very welcoming and willing to accept email because I respect his boundaries and he knows it's a good outlet for me to express myself (I love to write). The last one, however, was pretty crazy and I'm nervous about seeing T on Monday....