Why Journaling Can Be a Game-Changer for Your Mental Health
As a therapist who works primarily with young women in New York navigating anxiety, self-doubt, and relationship challenges, I’ve seen firsthand how journaling can gently yet powerfully support emotional healing.
I recently had the opportunity to be featured in an article for Her Agenda to share my thoughts on one of the most underrated tools for managing anxiety, building self-trust, and reconnecting with yourself: journaling.
Whether you’re new to journaling or trying to make it a habit, this blog is for you. Let’s unpack what makes journaling such an effective tool for emotional wellness, and how you can make it work for your life.
What Is Journaling, Really?
Journaling is often misunderstood. People hear the word and immediately picture a lock-and-key diary filled with teenage crush confessions. But journaling is simply the act of getting what’s in your head—thoughts, feelings, worries, questions, out and onto paper. Or your notes app. Or a Google Doc. There's no “right” way to do it.
At its core, journaling is about making space for your inner voice. That voice can be scared, confused, angry, inspired, or curious. Journaling gives that voice a safe place to land. It doesn’t need to be beautiful, grammatically correct, or even coherent. It just needs to be honest.
What’s the Point of Journaling?
So many of my clients arrive in therapy feeling completely disconnected from themselves. They’re overextended, anxious, burned out, or stuck in patterns of self-criticism. Journaling can be a small but radical act of self-connection. It helps you slow down, notice what’s really going on inside, and start untangling the noise.
Here are a few reasons people turn to journaling:
To reduce anxiety or overwhelm
To sort through confusing or painful emotions
To process a breakup, friendship fallout, or life transition
To reconnect with their values and goals
To identify emotional patterns or habits
To feel less alone in their experience
It’s often the space where my clients say they finally start hearing themselves again, without judgment, without outside noise, without having to perform.
Types of Journaling That Actually Help
One of the most common questions I hear is: “How do I journal?” The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. What works for one person might not work for another. The key is to find a style that matches your attention span, emotional needs, and energy level.
Here are a few approaches I often recommend in my therapy practice:
Freewriting: Just start writing whatever comes to mind. Don’t edit. Don’t censor. Let your stream of consciousness flow without worrying if it makes sense.
Prompt-based journaling: Use thoughtful questions to guide your reflections. These are great when you want more structure. Prompts like “What do I need right now?” or “What’s a fear I’m holding?” can lead to major breakthroughs.
Gratitude journaling: Writing down a few things you’re thankful for each day can shift your nervous system into a place of safety. This is especially useful for clients struggling with anxiety or depression, where your brain is often wired to scan for what’s wrong.
Mood or habit tracking: If you’re trying to identify emotional patterns or triggers, this type of journaling can be incredibly revealing. You might notice certain moods show up after specific events, or that anxiety peaks at a certain time of day.
Letters you don’t send: Writing a letter to someone (or even to a younger version of yourself) can be cathartic. Whether it’s closure, forgiveness, or expression—this exercise can bring deep emotional release.
What the Research Says
There’s a growing body of research backing the emotional and physical health benefits of journaling. A study published by the University of Rochester Medical Center found that journaling can help you manage anxiety, reduce stress, and cope with depression by helping you prioritize problems, fears, and concerns, and track symptoms so you can identify triggers and learn better ways to control them.
Other studies have shown that expressive writing may even strengthen immune function and lower blood pressure over time. That’s the power of giving our emotions somewhere to go! Isn’t that amazing?
How to Make Journaling a Habit That Sticks
Journaling doesn’t have to be time-consuming or intimidating. If you’re new to it, here are some journaling tips on how to make it feel more doable:
Start small. Even 3–5 minutes a day can have a big impact.
Keep your journal somewhere visible—on your nightstand, in your bag, next to your coffee mug.
Pair it with a routine you already do, like brushing your teeth or winding down at night.
Use low-pressure prompts like:
“Today felt…”
“Something I’m avoiding is…”
“One thing that helped me today was…”
Most importantly: Let go of the pressure to be consistent or deep. Some days your entry might be a single sentence. That’s okay.
What I Tell My Clients Who Don’t Know Where to Start
I hear this all the time: “I don’t know what to write,” or “I’m not a good writer.” But journaling isn’t about being good at anything. It’s about being real. If you don’t know what to write, start by putting that down: “I don’t know what to write today.” You’re still showing up for yourself, and that’s the whole point.
Sometimes the most healing moments come from writing the things we didn’t even know we needed to say.
A Final Thought: Journaling as a Soft Place to Land
In my practice, I see how journaling creates a gentle kind of self-awareness. It doesn’t demand solutions or productivity. It just gives you a space to be with yourself. And in a world that constantly asks us to be more, do more, and figure things out now, that kind of softness matters.
So if you're struggling with anxiety, feeling emotionally disconnected, or just longing to feel more grounded—try journaling. Not to fix yourself, but to meet yourself. You deserve that space.
And if you're ready to take that support a little deeper, therapy can be a powerful companion on that path. Alongside journaling, it can help you make sense of your inner world, ease anxiety, and learn new tools to feel more connected and calm. If you're curious about what therapy might look like for you, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out today—we’re here when you’re ready.
