Rodger Douglas
Doctor of Medical Heilkunst
Journaling
Doctor Sarno
Journaling can be enormously beneficial for your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing but randomly jotting down your thoughts in a notebook won ’t do much though. You need a method. Fortunately, Dr. Sarno developed a specific way of journaling that allows you to connect to your subconscious.
In the early 1970s, Dr. John Sarno worked at NYU Medical Center where he specialized in treating chronic pain. He noticed that many of his patients were not improving, and began to doubt the effectiveness of conventional treatments for these conditions.
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My early work in the diagnosis and treatment of back, neck, and shoulder pain syndromes was decidedly unpleas ant and frustrating. The conventional diagnoses and conservative (nonsurgical) treatment methods yielded disappointing and inconsistent results. John Sarno
After recovering from a recurring migraine it became apparent to Dr. Sarno that pain and other symptoms were the result of a process that begins in the subconscious mind.
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For a number of years I had experienced regular migraine headaches, complete with typical visual "lights" prior to the onset of headache. Someone suggested that repressed anger might be the basis for them. The next time I had the "lights" harbinger of a headache - I sat down and tried to think of what anger I might be repressing. I failed to find an answer, but for the first time in my life I didn't get a headache. It was powerful evidence that migraine headache was caused by emotional phenomena. John Sarno
He hypothesized that other symptoms might also be emotionally induced and when he put the idea to the test, by telling his patients that he thought their pain was the result of "tension," he was astonished to notice that those who accepted the diagnosis got better, and those who rejected it remained unchanged.
He decided to call those maladies that he believed were psychogenic (emotionally induced) Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS). “Myositis” means physiological alteration of muscles.
Dr. Sarno decided to look deeper and found three things that most of his patients had in common:
(1) They tended to be perfectionists or what he termed “goodists,” two traits associated with suppressed anger. A perfectionist is hardworking, conscientious, responsible, achievement oriented, and above all a worrier. A "goodist” is a person who has a compulsion to please, to be a good person, to be nice. A goodist avoids confrontation and is always willing to help someone, even if it means self-sacrifice.
(2) He found that 88 percent of his patients had a history of stress related illnesses such as migraines, hernias, heartburn, ulcers, hiatus hernia, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, eczema and frequent urination.
(3) There was not always a physical explanation for the pain, such as a torn ligament or ruptured disk.
The Role of the Subconscious Mind
Building off of this information he realized that it was actually the subconscious mind that was causing the physical symptoms. In an era of rampant Freud bashing Dr. Sarno turned to Freud for an answer.
Freud had noticed that there were three parts to the mind: the superego, the ego and the id. Sarno preferred the terminology of Transactional psychoanalysts who referred to the three parts of the mind as parent, adult and child.
The parent is that part of the mind that tells us what is right and wrong, how we must behave and act morally and ethically.
The adult is the mediator, the executive, the captain of the ship. Its role is to keep us functioning optimally and protect us from danger.
Then there is the child, and like a real child, it is dependent, irresponsible, charming, irrational and fun loving, but unlike a real child, perpetually angry.
While the parent resides mostly in the conscious mind, the child is almost always found in the subconscious mind. There is a constant conflict going on between the two.
Rage in the Subconscious
Sarno believed that rage in the unconscious came from three sources: a nger generated in childhood that has never dissipated, self-imposed stress that has accumulated due to a perfectionist or uptight personality, and reactions to the real pressures of everyday life.
Throughout their lives people encounter unpleasant situations that make them angry, but instead of facing these situations and releasing the anger some of them bottle it up. This anger then builds and builds and over time turns into suppressed rage. To distract themselves from this rage hidden within they may become hardworking, conscientious, and perfectionist as a way to distract themselves from this rage.
When this rage reaches a critical level it threatens to become conscious, so the brain creates a hernia, back pain, or some other symptom as a distraction to prevent a violent emotional explosion.
Journaling
Dr. Sarno found that all his patients had to do to stop their symptoms was to become aware of their origin. Once the hidden emotions become conscious the brain has no need to distract with pain or other symptoms.
To thwart the brain's strategy to protect you from rage Sarno encourage patients to do three things. Firstly, discard the "physical" reason for the pain, secondly, acknowledge the psychological explanation for the pain as normal, and thirdly, continue a normal life.
Discard the Structural Diagnosis
The pain will not stop unless you are able to say, "I have a normal (insert body part), and I now know that my (insert symptom) is a harmless condition initiated by my brain to serve a psychological purpose. The structural abnormalities that have been found on X ray, CT scan or MRI are normal changes associated with activity and aging."
This initial realization is essential to thwart the brain's strategy, which is to keep your attention firmly fixed on your body and unaware of the threatening feelings in your unconscious.
Body/Mind Journaling
Dr. Sarno suggests setting aside 15 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening to journal about the possible causes of your depression or anxiety. Sit down and think about these feelings deeply to bring them from the unconscious into the conscious. When your thoughts reach the subconscious the brain will stop its protective mechanisms. There are a number of possible sources of these feelings:
past experiences
In your notebook make a list of all the experiences that happened in your past that made you feel angry, hurt, humiliated, anxious or depressed. This may include such things as being bullied, rejected, insulted, or feeling unloved.
current pressures
List anything that causes pressure: your job, your studies, your social life, your partner, your parents, your children, your health, or any other major problems in your life.
personality traits
Add the personality traits you may have that could contribute to your emotional pain: you expect too much of yourself, you drive yourself to be perfect, you have a strong need to please people, you want people to like you, you fall in love too easily, etc.
Once you have completed your list write an essay about each one. You can do this over several days or even months if you need to. It is vital that the information reaches the subconscious so here are some tips on how to get there:
Journaling Tips
tip one. vivid
Try to picture each experience as clearly and vividly as you can and write about it as if it’s happening now. The longer and more descriptive your essays the more likely they will penetrate the subconscious mind.
tip two. free flowing
A pen or pencil may be better for you than typing because they allow you to express yourself better, and you can easily doodle and draw pictures. There is no need to write neatly or even legibly. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar. If you make a mistake don’t go to the trouble of erasing it, just cross it out and continue.
tip three. language
Write from your heart and not your head. The head is like a professor giving a lecture, using formal language and proper grammar, he takes a detached and impartial approach as he speaks of past and future events. The heart on the other hand, uses casual expressions and is anchored in the present.
A Mysterious Blue Owl
and an unexpected journey
I’ll be honest: my love affair with Writing Down Your Soul by Janet Conner:began with shallow roots. I was scrolling through Pinterest when a midnight‑blue cover featuring a wise owl stopped my thumb in mid‑scroll. Pretty! I thought, and promptly ordered the book.
I’ll be honest: my love affair with Writing Down Your Soul by Janet Conner:began with shallow roots. I was scrolling through Pinterest when a midnight‑blue cover featuring a wise owl stopped my thumb in mid‑scroll. Pretty! I thought, and promptly ordered the book.
What arrived on my doorstep, however, turned out to be far more than shelf‑candy. Janet Conner’s Writing Down Your Soul: How to Activate and Listen to the Extraordinary Voice Within isn’t just another journaling guide. It’s a practical doorway into what Conner calls “deep soul writing”—a daily practice that shifts you from ordinary conscious reflection into the theta brain‑wave zone where intuition, insight, and even the Divine can speak back.
If you’ve filled mountains of notebooks with morning pages, gratitude lists, or grocery plans, soul writing will feel strangely familiar yet thrillingly new. Think of it as dialogue rather than monologue: you pose real questions, then let the pen answer from a wiser place within.
The Four Steps at a Glance
Show Up: Choose a fixed time and space. Light a candle, sip herbal tea, play soft music—whatever signals sacred writing zone to your nervous system.
Open Up: On the top line write an invocation such as “Dear Voice” or “Dear Divine,” then state your intention or burning question.
Listen Up: Write fast and uncensored for at least 15 minutes, letting the pen respond. Grammar police are barred from the room.
Follow Up: Reread, date, and highlight action items. Synchronicities love ink: note them in a margin log so you can watch the conversation become real‑world results.
A Guided Session (Try It Now)
Prepare the Space (2 min)
Sit comfortably. Roll your shoulders. Exhale.
Optional: place a hand on heart or hara to ground.
Ask (1 min)
Write today’s date and a salutation, e.g., “Dear Voice of Wisdom.” Pose a clear, open‑ended question such as “What does my body most need from me today?”
Write (15 min)
Keep the pen moving, even if it means scribbling “I don’t know what to write” until the flow returns. Trust the ramble.
Reflect (5 min)
Circle phrases that feel electric. Jot next steps in a separate column—book that massage, drink water, forgive yourself.
Close (1 min)
Say “Thank you.” Blow out the candle. Feel the subtle shift.
Total time: ~24 minutes—shorter than a sitcom, yet infinitely more nourishing.
Prompt Library
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Body Wisdom: “Where is pain trying to guide me?”
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Energy Management: “Show me how to spend my ‘spoons’ wisely today.”
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Purpose Check‑In: “What one action will move me toward my calling?”
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Relationship Healing: “What am I not seeing about this conflict?”
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Dream Decoding: “What message did last night’s dream carry?”
If you like journaling, you might appreciate this creative and intuitive method that feels emotionally nourishing. The Power of Your Other Hand by Lucia Capacchione invites you to pick up a pen with your non-dominant hand ~ and listen.
What comes out might surprise you. This simple practice opens up a gentle space to connect with your inner child, your body, or even parts of yourself that have been holding onto pain. It’s not about perfect handwriting or deep analysis. It’s about making room for feelings that don’t always come out in structured writing. For many people with fibromyalgia, this softer style of journaling can offer comfort, clarity, and a sense of self-compassion that blends beautifully with the more direct work of Dr. Sarno.
“When you write with your non-dominant hand, you access a different part of the brain—one that holds feelings, images, and body memories.” — Lucia Capacchione
Try this:
Using your dominant hand, write: “How are you feeling today?”
Then, switch to your non-dominant hand and let the answer come. Don’t judge it—just let it speak.
About Capacchione
When 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 remarkable 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 her left hand, she communicated with a whole cast of characters, including a frightened vulnerable child, a playful kid, an outrageous woman in red, and a wise woman.
Through journaling and drawing with her other hand eventually found the inner peace and health she was looking for.
How to write with your other hand
You will need some unlined paper and a pen or pencil.
Hold your pen or pencil in the hand you don't usually write with, and begin writing. Don't worry about neatness, legibility, spelling, grammar, or vocabulary. Let your feelings flow.
Read what you wrote. Then switch to your dominant hand and write down your reaction to what you wrote with your other hand.
Switch back to your non-dominant hand, and write a reply. Continue the dialogue by switching from hand to hand, noticing any new feelings and insights that emerge.
Speaking Up Exercise
Select a person or authority figure that you are having trouble with. Let this person write with your dominant hand. Use their typical "voice." The tone of voice may be authoritative, condescending, angry, or more
With your weaker hand, write your true feelings and reactions, making sure not to hold back. Let all your emotions flow. Continue dialoguing back and forth until both sides have had their say. This may take time.
Afterward, note any new insights and feelings you have about the other person in your dialogue. Observe any changes in your actual dealings with this other person.
You can do this exercise with real people in your life, people from the past, or even imaginary people, such as a critical inner voice or the procrastinator within.
Remember that this is simply an exercise in communicating with your subconscious. If someone were to write to a boss because they were overlooked for a promotion, I’d be very surprised if they were offered a promotion the next day. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if that person’s inner attitude towards work changed.
Your Heart's Desire Journaling Exercise
If you have a dream, desire, or secret wish, this exercise could help you uncover any conscious or unconscious blockages that keep on saying "NO" to that particular heart's desire.
Begin by writing down your dream or wish. Ask yourself what it is that you want but can't have right now.
Create two characters in your mind; one represents your Heart's Desire, and the other your Block. This might be the Artist versus the Perfectionist, the Traveler versus the safety expert, or the Dreamer versus the Nag.
The Block is stronger right now, so it writes with the dominant hand. Your Heart's Desire is weaker for now, so it writes with the weaker hand.
Begin a dialogue by having your weaker hand express its wishes. Be as elaborate and detailed as you can be.
Then let your stronger hand tell its story, explaining why it continually blocks your desire.
Keep writing back and forth until you notice a shift in power. Often, this happens subtly — your Heart’s Desire grows in confidence, or the Block runs out of valid arguments and begins to soften.
As the dialogue unfolds, you may feel a new insight arise, a sense of release, or a quiet conviction in your true direction. The Block may no longer seem so powerful, and its voice may begin to fade, losing its grip on your inner world. Let the writing continue until your Heart’s voice feels strong, steady, and free to dream once more.
create a vision
I found that clients who began treatment by forming a clear picture of their goals were much more likely to make healthy lifestyle change and become healthier.
The First Step of your Healing Journey
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. You will want to clarify what your routine will be, what your home will look like. The more detailed, vivid, and clear the picture you create, the better.
This is not the law of attraction or anything like that. It’s simply a way of motivating yourself and formulating a plan of action. There are a few different ways you can create your vision:
Contemplate your goals
The easiest strategy is to simply think about what you would like to change and achieve. However this method is not enough for most people and I found that it rarely works.
Record your dreams
If you are a talkative person consider making an audio recording. All you need to do is open the voice memo app on your phone and record your vision and goals. The advantage of this method is that it’s an excellent way to express your emotions. The emotional nuances in your voice. Play your recordings now and then to remind yourself of what you want to achieve.
Write down your vision
Sitting down with a pen and notebook is the most popular method. Because decluttering is very much a visual activity several of my clients like to draw pictures of how they’d like their homes to look. Others like pasting pictures or magazine cut outs into their notebooks. I always recommend taking a few ‘before photos’ of your home, and once you are done decluttering you can compare them to the ‘after photos’ of your home.
Create a vision board
If you are a visual person or have an artistic side you will enjoy creating a vision board. All you need to do is paste a collection of pictures onto a board and stick it on your fridge. If you prefer to keep your goals private make a digital vision board or create a Pinterest vision board. The great thing about Pinterest is that you can make your board private.
Create a Mind Movie
If you’re comfortable with technology, try making a Mind Movie - a short video that brings your future to life. This is a technique popularized by Dr. Joe Dispenza, who believes that repeatedly watching a vivid, emotionally charged vision of your ideal future can help rewire your brain and prime your body for change.
Start by collecting images, video clips, and uplifting music that reflect the lifestyle you want to create. Then use a simple video editing app (like iMovie or Canva) to put them together in a short 2–3 minute clip. Add affirmations or key phrases like “I wake up feeling rested” or “My body moves with ease.”
Play your Mind Movie daily, ideally in the morning or just before bed, when your subconscious mind is most receptive.
You don’t have to believe every image right away. The point is to feed your nervous system a steady stream of positive, embodied impressions. It’s like mental rehearsal for the life you’re building.
The Desire Map
I've read quite a few books on setting goals, and all of them had something valuable to contribute, but for me the information inside a book needs to touch your heart, otherwise you'll read it, do the exercises for a week or two, and then give up.
One exception is The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte. For her, it all began one New Year's Eve while sitting by the fire with her husband. They were setting goals for the coming year, but none of them felt right. “And yet something was still missing. It felt full, but empty. Eager but not ... energizing.”
So, she asked her husband, “How do you wanna feel at work?” He answered, “Courageous. Confident. Adventurous.”
At that moment things shifted for them. They started the exercise over, and this time, instead of discussing their external goals, they talked about how they wanted to feel, and what they would do to elicit those feelings.
The process of goal setting became so much more engaging for them. Instead of planning on buying things such as a new computer or a bigger sofa, they decided to do things, like having a dinner party once a month or making their own pasta.
LaPorte's approach to goal-setting and life planning is centered on the idea that all our goals, ambitions, and intentions are ultimately driven by our desire to feel a certain way. She encourages her readers to identify their core desired feelings - how they want to feel in various aspects of their lives (e.g., career, relationships, health). These feelings serve as guideposts for making decisions and setting goals.
Goals with Soul: Rather than setting goals based solely on external achievements, LaPorte advocates for setting "goals with soul"—goals that are aligned with your core desired feelings and bring a deep sense of fulfillment when achieved.
Her book, The Desire Map, involves a series of exercises and reflections to uncover your core desired feelings, clarify your intentions, and create actionable plans that prioritize those feelings.
Living Your Core Desired Feelings: LaPorte emphasizes that the journey is as important as the destination. Living in alignment with your core desired feelings means making choices and taking actions that honor those feelings on a daily basis.
Doctor Sarno's books and one more
I strongly suggest reading one of Dr. Sarno’s four incredible books: Healing Back Pain, Mind Over Back Pain, The Mindbody Prescription, or my particular favorite The Divided Mind. I you want some light reading please try my picture book, Emma Meets Dr. Sarno.
This book is one of my most precious possessions. My dogeared copy is underlined and full of notes from cover to cover. I bought it on while living in a small town in Japan.
Mindbody Prescription
One of the most important aspects of psychosomatic phenomena is that knowledge and awareness of the process clearly have healing powers. Thousands of people have become pain-free simply by reading Dr. Sarno's previous books. How and why this happens is a fascinating story, and is revealed in The Divided Mind.
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.
Although the Divided Mind is the most influential book I feel that the Mindbody prescription is a better book. I have a kindle copy and found the Divided mind a heavier read and more intellectual. The Mindbody prescription describes Doctor Sarno's ideas in an earlier to understand way.
I'd like to introduce this delightful little book about Doctor Sarno's work. It's mine.
