I’ve been seeing a therapist for over a decade now and she’s been recommending for years that I engage in journaling as a healthy coping mechanism in order to help me work through and heal from my past traumas. I’ve decided to give in and do some journaling, specifically around this topic. Except… I had absolutely no idea where to start. I stared down at the empty page and racked my brain for a few moments before giving up and heading over to Pinterest to see what prompts were out there.
Pinterest saved the day, of course! I went through multiple articles and spent some time reading over many, many prompts as well as actually trying them out for myself. Some of the prompts were useful, others not so much. I spent a good amount of time researching these prompts because not only is healing tough, but it’s also very important in order to be able to live your life to the fullest. Additionally, I found some amazing “searching questions” while reading Triggers: How We Can Stop Reacting and Start Healing by David Richo. If you’re serious about your healing journey, I highly recommend you read this book while you’re at it!
All of this research led me to write an article for you: 12 Journal Prompts for Healing! I’ve narrowed down the prompts to the top twelve which I have found to be most helpful. So, grab an empty notebook, a pen and get started! The key here is to be as detailed as possible when answering each prompt. Also, some of these might be a little hard – which is good!! Remember, if these prompts “aren’t challenging you, they’re not changing you“. Keep this in mind when the time comes to dig deep into your thoughts on the prompts whose answers don’t come so easily to you.
12 Journal Prompts for Healing
1. Do I use a lot of negative or positive self-talk throughout my day? Elaborate.
2. How does my own story about my family of origin influence my sense of who I am today?
3. Was I allowed to fully experience feelings as a child, such as joy, anger, fear or sadness? What memories come to mind when pondering this question?
4. What do I need to accept about myself in order to love myself better?
5. How much and what of me reflects my own deepest needs, values and wishes?
6. Do I try to hide any parts of myself from others? Why do I hide these parts of me?
7. Have I ever offered my authentic self to another person and been rejected? If so, how did that make me feel?
8. What external experiences trigger a negative reaction in me? What causes me to react negatively to these experiences?
9. If I could write a letter to a person who has hurt me, what would I say?
10. What’s something that your parents did that damaged your idea of how relationships work?
11. What do I need to forgive myself for?
12. In what ways did your parents (or other family members) break your heart?
Ready for more information on healing and self-discovery? Check out one of the articles below to keep the momentum going!
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