How to Use a Mental Health Journal to Improve Your Well-Being

From fighting burnout to improving self-esteem, treat journaling as your new therapist.

- Rebecca Hastings

Journaling has become super-popular in recent years, but it is not all about snapping pictures of your gorgeous layouts for the 'Gram-keeping a mental health journal can be really good for your mental well-being, too.

“Many people find journaling therapeutic, says UK-based Lindsay George, a psychotherapist and member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. “One of its key benefits for your mental health is that it helps with emotional regulation by managing stress and anxiety better, reducing feelings of distress, and increasing well-being.

Still not sure if keeping a mental health journal is right for you? Here are some ways the practice can help...

MAKING SENSE OF COMPLEX SITUATIONS

Writing your thoughts down in a journal can help you see things more clearly and untangle complicated issues. “Some people find writing a journal particularly cathartic, in that it acts as a way of emptying their thoughts and clearing their mind,” says Lindsay. “Others find it allows them to create more clarity, accountability, and an awareness of their responsibility in part to a situation that be preoccupying them.”

COMBATING BURNOUT