The Power of Journaling: A Tool for Self-Discovery, Growth, and Connection

Journaling can be an insightful, practical tool for anyone looking to better understand themselves or navigate life’s ups and downs. While it’s not a magic fix, journaling offers a straightforward way to reflect on experiences, explore patterns, and clarify feelings. As a therapist, I encourage clients to use journaling as a tool for self-reflection and expression, whether for ongoing growth or for navigating specific moments in life. Some clients bring their journals into sessions—some to delve deeper into personal reflections, others to jot down notes as we go. I support both approaches! Therapy can be transformative, but real, lasting change happens when clients integrate breakthroughs from sessions into their lives. Journaling is one of many ways to help you do just that.

Morning Pages: A Straightforward and Transformative Daily Practice

Morning Pages, introduced by Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way, are a form of stream-of-consciousness journaling. Each morning, you write three pages longhand, ideally without stopping to edit or judge your words. Cameron emphasizes that this process should be completely uncensored; she even suggests waiting six weeks before re-reading them if you can’t resist. Personally, I prefer not to re-read them at all. It frees me from worrying about my handwriting and lets me express myself freely, without overthinking. I keep a separate journal for entries I might want to revisit.

Morning Pages can act as a “mind dump” that clears mental clutter, revealing underlying thoughts and feelings. Author Elizabeth Gilbert, of Eat, Pray, Love fame, has credited The Artist’s Way with helping her unlock creativity. 

Journaling as a Flexible Practice for ADHD

For clients with ADHD, journaling can be a valuable tool for grounding and organizing thoughts. But remember, the goal is consistency, not perfection. Even journaling once or twice a week is beneficial compared to not journaling at all. If daily pages feel overwhelming, try setting realistic goals, like jotting down thoughts once a week or when you’re feeling especially reflective. The practice doesn’t have to be rigid; even small steps help create new pathways for self-reflection.

Journaling Through Different Therapeutic Lenses

Here are two therapeutic approaches that highlight how journaling can deepen self-understanding, support self-regulation, and enhance relationships.

1. Narrative Therapy: Rewriting Personal Stories with Curiosity and Compassion

Narrative Therapy holds that we can “re-author” our stories to shift away from limiting beliefs and embrace more helpful, liberating narratives. Journaling is a prime space for this re-authoring, especially when approached with curiosity and compassion—two qualities shown to encourage neuroplasticity. Unlike shame or guilt, which can limit our thinking, curiosity and compassion create a mindset that’s more open to change, making it easier to challenge unhelpful stories and invite new perspectives.

2. Attachment Theory: Journaling as an Anchor in Times of Anxiety or Avoidance

Attachment Theory examines how our earliest relationships shape emotional patterns that carry into adulthood. As Sue Johnson explains in Hold Me Tight, humans are hardwired to fear abandonment—a “primal panic” that can feel overwhelming, particularly for those with anxious or avoidant attachment patterns. This fear is real and deeply rooted, but as adults, we have some agency over how we meet our attachment needs.

Journaling offers a safe space to explore attachment patterns and process emotions without reactivity. When we’re triggered by something that makes us feel insecure, writing down our thoughts can be a grounding exercise, helping us recognize our feelings, understand our needs, and approach communication more openly.

For those in survival mode or facing significant barriers (whether trauma, systemic oppression, or basic needs concerns), this type of self-reflection isn’t always easily accessible. Journaling can, however, support a sense of interdependence, helping us clarify what we need from others and what we can offer in return.

Additional Benefits of Journaling: Grounding, Mood Tracking, and Self-Compassion

Beyond reflection, journaling can serve as a way to anchor ourselves in the present. Here are a few practical ways to integrate journaling into daily life:

Grounding Techniques: Many people use journaling as a quick check-in before or after a stressful event. A simple prompt like “How am I feeling, and what do I need right now?” can help anchor you.

Mood Tracking: Tracking your mood in your journal can highlight patterns over time. This is especially helpful for identifying triggers and understanding your emotional responses, a useful practice for those working through attachment challenges, and/or managing ADHD.

Self-Compassionate Journaling: Journaling can be a helpful way to practice self-compassion, especially if you’re prone to self-criticism. Writing with kindness, rather than judgment, reinforces resilience and encourages more constructive inner dialogue.

Role Models Who Journal: Learning from Great Minds and Hearts

Journaling has been used by countless figures as a means of self-reflection and creativity:

• Frida Kahlo: Her journals are filled with her deepest thoughts and emotions, expressed in both words and art. Kahlo famously wrote, “I am my own muse. I am the subject I know best. The subject I want to know better,” capturing her journey of self-exploration.

• Leonardo da Vinci: His notebooks were packed with ideas, observations, and sketches, capturing the curiosity that fueled his groundbreaking work.

• Virginia Woolf: Woolf’s diaries reveal her reflections on identity, creativity, and the complexities of human experience.

Each of these figures used journaling to explore themselves and their worlds, offering us a glimpse into how reflection can deepen our understanding of life.

Research and Resources on the Benefits of Journaling

Several studies suggest that journaling has concrete benefits for mental health. Dr. James Pennebaker’s research on expressive writing found that journaling can reduce stress and improve mood. Writing by hand can even strengthen memory, as studies show that the physical act of writing engages brain regions associated with learning and retention more than typing or scrolling.

For those interested in exploring further, here are a few recommended resources:

• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (for Morning Pages and creativity).

• Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg (for a mindful approach to journaling).

• Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson (for understanding attachment and relationship dynamics).

Conclusion: Journaling as a Tool for Transformation

While journaling isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, it’s a practical tool that can support self-reflection, personal insight, and emotional growth. The benefits vary, but many find it a valuable addition to therapy, especially when used as a safe space for reflection, grounding, and even self-compassion.

Whether you’re starting with Morning Pages or exploring different therapeutic prompts, journaling can be a resource for growth and connection—both with yourself and with those around you.