[dance59326]

When I'm writing a journal entry for when I'm upset or in any mood, I do not allow myself to reread what I've written in the past. I don't allow myself to reread my previous journal entries because it changes my viewpoints, overall mood, and what I will write in the future. It will also help you to push really hard things away, yet not totally delete them out of your memory. When I go to my therapy appointments, I always bring any journal entries that I wrote in the week since our last session, let her read them, then she can decide what to talk about as targets to see what skills I need to work on as well as being honest with her. After our session, I always tear them out of my diary so that I don't have the extra subconscious stress from what emotions I wrote about and all the emotional build up that I carry in my life. I really strive for this because this is the thing that relieves my emotional tension in the most helpful way. Has anyone done this??? I think that this is a very theraputic skill because of the fact that you do not re-hash all the difficulties that you have been feeling, yet can work your best to move past them.
Just a useful idea,
dance59326

[jerrymichele]

I can't write a journal because I always seem to modify it; for fear of someone reading it.

[dance59326]

When I write out my journal entries, I don't actually keep them inside my journal. I write them when I need to for self-help reasons, but then give all my journal entries and things/notes that I have made during the week into my session with my
therapist
I give her the papers and stuff. She will then take them, read them to see what we need to discuss during my session and I don't have to wory about modifying
my papers
To keep anyone from reading my entries, I keep them in either a combination lock
box that is decorated or in a sealed envelope hidden very well.
I tend to alternate where I hide my papers in discreet locations examples: in my matress box-springs, behind my refrigerator door, under all the clothes in my
pants drawer inside one of the folded pairs of pants, etc.
I also feel a lot more secure if I know that I've hiden my personal things in odd locations because you don't have to wory about someone finding it or reading it.
best of wishes, dance59326

[thinker22]

I used to share my journal (kept in a computer doc) with my old online therapist. Now that I have an in person therapist and a p-doc, I never share it with either of them. It's probably too huge anyway. Kept it for about 2 years and it's like 140 pages now. Even a week's worth would probably be overwhelming as I throw in all kinds of random things like dreams, physical problems, my pets, my temperament, appetite, etc. I'm not sure if they'd want me to share anything. I'm just supposed to chart my mood between P-doc sessions. Feels like dumping or something. Argh. I hate to be a burden even if it's only in my head.

[Vaarsuvius]

I've written in a journal fairly consistently for at least five or six years now and I've found that it really does help me sort my thoughts out. For me, stuff that happens in real life is interspersed with ideas for stories and other doodles. I'll actually go back and see what I've written fairly often, as seeing how I've handled decisions in the past help me make decisions that I am faced with in the present.

I'm not too worried about people finding out what is in my notebook, but I rarely let it far out of my sight. There have been times when I've let a very close friend know some of its contents. It just depends on what I've been writing and who it is.

[dance59326]

Originally Posted by Vaarsuvius

I've written in a journal fairly consistently for at least five or six years now and I've found that it really does help me sort my thoughts out. For me, stuff that happens in real life is interspersed with ideas for stories and other doodles. I'll actually go back and see what I've written fairly often, as seeing how I've handled decisions in the past help me make decisions that I am faced with in the present.

I'm not too worried about people finding out what is in my notebook, but I rarely let it far out of my sight. There have been times when I've let a very close friend know some of its contents. It just depends on what I've been writing and who it is.

Awesome

[Icecreamman31]

I've tried keeping a journal on my laptop in private documents, but as I have recently moved into a new apartment with some friends... my laptop is the only form of connection to the internet. For fear of my friends thinking I'm some kind of loon, I deleted a majority of my writings (along with half a book I was writing on accident ). Paper just iritates me, journals and binders seem unorganized and wasteful. Good thing is I have a great memory. Bad thing is I have a great memory... so my thoughts fester until I pretend they're gone for good.

[danixomarie]

i love to journal, writing is one of my strenghs and when i need to get it out there, i just write it down on paper. It feels pretty amazing!!`

[dance59326]

awesome, that's great

[googley]

I tend to only write when I am feeling really bad. I don't re-read what I wrote usually, though every once in a while I do. I usually keep it to myself. There was one time my T and I had a rupture and I had her read what I wrote about it as it was easier to share my feelings that way. It was faster as I did not think I could share all my feelings verbally. It allowed my T to quickly know what I was thinking so that we could then talk about it without my having to try and organize it.

I find that it is helpful to write as it helps me to organize my thoughts.

[dance59326]

I do exactly that, but I "voluntarily" let her read it. That his how we spend our session time together. I let her read the enteries, but do not let her read them out loud no matter what. I find that it's best for me to not re-read because then I feel much worse/better when I "revisit" those moments and days. When She reads them, we pick from a list of the top 3 or 4 priorities that we need to talk about, beginning with the most important one that she finds to be the most pressing issue. After my session with her, I write a session reflection. I talk about if/if not our session was good, what did I forget to let her know, and then analyze our session with what skills I did use while I wrote those entries during the week and what could I have done if I had to be put back in that situation as far as skill usage that would be positive.
Great to hear from you, PM me anytime
dance59326

[Rmdctc]

Ive tried never really worked for me. Hope it works for yall though!