I find it most helpful to free-write. I find things come out of my pen that I wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

I journal a lot. I think it is helpful to just write down whatever comes to mind freely and naturally. In doing so, you can sort out and clarify your truest thoughts.

i agree with the above, just write freely without too much thought and sometimes it is astonishing what emerges from the inner mind. good luck with it, i hope it helps.

Good idea, and good question. I can't say I've ever tried i before, would love to hear how it goes or others experiences

I find journaling to be extremely helpful. Writing things down was literally all I could do in my darkest moments. I just write the free-flowing stream of thoughts that have been racing through my head or which I've been ruminating on. Getting these thoughts down on paper helps get them out of my head, so to speak, where they can churn around and torment me.

I have journaled since high school, and it helps me focus better about what I am going through. I learned to add scrapbooking types of activities to help my journals more of memory books. For the past few years, they were only prayer journals, but I am beginning to write whatever I am thinking and feeling now. It's very helpful to look back at them once in a while to see how far I have come. Don't make it complicated. Just enjoy expressing yourself about what's happening in your life.

There's a lot online about mood journaling... I don't do it now... One of the things that I think is really important and that they can help is to be more aware of triggers... What went on the day your mood started to slip etc....x

Don't put pressure on yourself, if all you can think is 'the wall is white' write that and keep writing. relaxation is the key to getting it all out.

Thanks everyone. I have a pretty journal. And that's it. For some reason I am so reluctant and I can't fathom out why? Something to take to therapy tomorrow