Center on Integrated Health Care and Self-Directed Recovery
  Center on Integrated Health Care and Self-Directed Recovery
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Team
  • Practice, Policy, & Science Exchange
  • Solutions Suite
  • Policy Academy
  • Science Showcase
  • Current Research & Evaluation
  • Completed Research
  • Give us Feedback
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Team
  • Practice, Policy, & Science Exchange
  • Solutions Suite
  • Policy Academy
  • Science Showcase
  • Current Research & Evaluation
  • Completed Research
  • Give us Feedback
  • Contact

Journaling - A Wellness Tool

Picture
Graphic showing Journaling Tool cover
Download the journaling tool for free

About the tool

Journaling is a method of recording your thoughts, experiences, and emotions in a notebook or other medium. The manual, Journaling - A Wellness Tool, describes the benefits of journaling. It introduces several methods, such as stream of consciousness, self-discovery, and gratitude. The manual teaches how to record one's thoughts or goals to feel better in each of the 8 Dimensions of Wellness. It also can be used by groups of people who want to start a wellness journaling project.

Who can use it?

Anyone who is interested in learning about journaling and keeping a journal can use this tool. Since it is self-directed, people can work at their own pace and according to their personal preferences.

How does it work?

In addition to creating a permanent record of your thoughts and feelings, journaling can provide a safe, cathartic release for dealing with the stresses of daily life. It also can stimulate creativity and allow you to re-live the events you experienced in a safe environment where you can process them without fear or stress. Research has shown that journaling has a number of health and mental health benefits. These include improved mood and feelings of well-being; reduction in depressive symptoms; reduction in blood pressure; improved immune system, liver and lung functioning; reduced absenteeism from work; faster reemployment after job loss; and improvements in memory and grade point averages.

The tool provides an overview of different types of journaling, including stream of consciousness; thought provoking; illustrative discovery journaling; gratitude journaling; and reflective journaling. It contains exercises to guide the user through each of these types. It also directs the user to online resources they can use to support and maintain ongoing journaling practices.

What resources are needed?

All that is needed to get started is a pen or pencil and a printer. The 16-page tool has color enhancements, but can be printed in black and white.  ​

What experience is needed?

No experience is needed to use this tool.

Preparing to use the tool

No preparation is necessary since the tool is designed to be used immediately.

Graphic that says,
Podcast length: 5 minutes
Download the podcast transcript
A free webinar on how to use the Journaling Tool (15 minutes)
Download the webinar transcript

Request technical assistance

Home
About
Contact
Contact Information:  Center Staff | Webmaster

Visit our other Centers & Programs:
UIC Center on Psychiatric Disability and Co-Occurring Medical Conditions
Illinois IPS Web Portal 
UIC Rehabilitation Research & Training Center on Long-Term Mental Illness
Employment Intervention Demonstration Program
UIC Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy

©2024 University of Illinois at Chicago