Lauren Virant, MSSW LMFT can be reached at LaurenVirantLMFT.com. Jacqueline Hope Derby can be reached at JacquelineHopeDerby.com.
SOME TIPS FOR BETTER JOURNALING: 1
Jot down thoughts during the week on your phone or a posted note, so they’re not forgotten or ignored. Go back to those thoughts later to process or find clarity through journaling, says Lauren.
2
Start with a prompt: You can begin with “Today, I’m afraid about...,” “Today I miss…,” or “Today I long for…” to identify the difficult feelings in the body, says Jacqueline.
3
Write the good and the bad. “Gratitude is an important prompt,” Jacqueline says, but scribbling down the negative thoughts can be therapeutic, too. Attend to your thoughts, says Lauren, and give each thought an endpoint.
4
Bless the bad. “Thank it, and invite it to teach you something. Not everything has a meaning, but if it does, give it a meaning,” says Jacqueline.
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