Journaling for Kids – Featured on Care.com

Guess who was featured as a guest expert on Care.com with insight on how journaling can benefit children and teens? That’s right, JJC was a guest expert for the article in the link above.

“… putting thought into writing and fleshing out ideas allow the body and mind to process experiences in a way that simply thinking about them does not.”

Journaling is a powerful way to process emotions. Children and teens alike benefit from the power of journaling. One study of adults found improvement of mental distress with online journaling. Cambridge found similar benefits with expressive writing. The power in putting pen to paper (or fingers to keypad) is aligned with how therapy can help individuals. Expressing emotions, putting thought into writing, and fleshing out ideas allows body and mind to process experiences in a way that simply thinking them does not. Verbalizing is helpful, but the next best step is to physically express and emote ideas, visuals, and interpretations. This is how somatic therapy, play therapy, music therapy, and art therapy have become field norms when it comes to counseling. No longer is the expressive continuum weird, strange, or merely artistic. It makes sense that individuals have different learning styles. Would it also make sense that individuals have different healing styles? 

While you can purchase a journal with prompts, here are a few helpful starting points with no purchase necessary. Be sure to give yourself a comfortable work space and plenty of time to work. 

Anger
If anger were a color, what color would it be?
If anger were a smell, what smell would it be?
If anger were an animal, what animal would it be? Why?
Draw a picture or write a story about anger.

Fear
Write about a time when you felt afraid. Can you write a new ending?

Worry
Draw a picture of what worry might look like and label its parts.
Is there a time when worry was bigger than you? What happened?
What do you wish happened? Write about it or draw a picture.

All About You
Share the story of you.
What is important to know about you?
What are your favorite things about you?
Who are important people to you? 

Lonely
Write about a time when you felt lonely. What or how would you have changed?

Using journal prompts can help kids or teens focus on the work of processing big emotions. Journal prompts are a great way to help kids and teens resolve upsetting feelings.