Journaling
Nowadays, we tend to live too much in our heads. There is, fortunately, a powerful tool that can help bring us back into our bodies and hearts, and that is journaling. I know it works because I have used it on myself and on my patients, and it has consistently produced wonderful results.
Create a Vision
I found that clients who began treatment by forming a clear picture of their goals were more likely to make positive changes to their lives. The first step on your healing journey is to imagine your ideal lifestyle. You might ask yourself what sort of life you want to lead, what your day will look like, who you will surround yourself with. The more detailed and vivid the picture you create, the better.
Dr. John Sarno
If I were forced to give up all the treatment modalities I use and choose only one; then without any hesitation I would choose Dr. Sarno’s method of journaling.
In the early 1970s, Dr. Sarno noticed that many of his patients were not getting better with conventional treatments. After doing a lot of research he discovered that many physical ailments were caused by repressed emotions. He found that he could provide long-lasting relief by addressing the underlying psychological causes of the symptoms through a combination of therapy and journaling.
Writing Down Your Soul
Dr. Sarno was a brilliant doctor but his instructions on journaling are rather broad and general. Writing Down Your Soul by Janet Conner is for me, by far the best instruction book on how to journal effectively.
In the midst of domestic abuse and poverty, Janet Conner decided to listen to her own inner voice, and it told her to start writing. As she did, her inner voice gained clarity and strength, and she felt an incredible connection to the divine, and almost immediately miracles began to happen.
Other Hand Writing
When Lucia Capacchione became ill she consulted with a gestalt therapist, and one of the tasks she was given was to journal, but with a catch. She was asked to write with her left hand. And then something wonderful happened.
“I had other dialogues: with body parts needing to be healed, emotions wanting to be released, dreams yearning to see the light of day, creative ideas wanting to be born, and inner wisdom giving me answers to life's questions.”
Through journaling and drawing with her other hand she eventually found the inner peace and health she was looking for.