Self Help Journal

What is a Self Help Journal Template?

A Self Help Journal Template is a worksheet with numerous prompts to help individuals work through their thoughts and emotions. It can also be a useful tool to activate a conscious effort to practice skills such as gratitude and mindfulness. 

The great thing about these self help journals is that they can be adapted to the overall goal that individuals utilizing this tool are trying to achieve. Self Help Journals may include pre-written prompts in which the individual takes time out of their day to answer. However, self help journals can also include prompts written by the individual or no prompts at all. Here at Carepatron, we’re all about making the lives of healthcare professionals easier, so we’ve created a Self Help Journal Template that includes pre-written prompts. Our Self Help Journal also has space for any prompts you wish to include. 

Self Help Journals have a range of positive benefits for individuals who are partaking in this activity. 

• Helps to cope with stress
• Develop healthy habits
• Explore their creative side
• Self-reflection and mindfulness
• Manage anxiety
• Cope with depression
• Gives the individual a greater sense of one’s self

Individuals can use the Self Help Journal Template by spending at least 5 minutes writing under the prompts of writing down whatever they want to. They must take time to reflect on their state of mind and emotions during this time. 

How Does it Work?

The great thing about the Self Help Journal Template is that it is up to the individual to make the most out of the template. This template also works a lot like our other mental health worksheets. We’ve created a step-by-step process to make comprehending this template easier.

Step One: Obtain the Template

Navigate to the Carepatron templates webpage to obtain a copy of the Printable Self Help Journal Template. Here, you can either choose to send through your client a downloadable copy or print it out for them to take home.

Step Two: Converse with Your Client

It is important to remember that not everyone will know what a self care journal is actually supposed to be doing for them in terms of their psychological status. This is why it is important to talk with your client about how they work, what kind of things they may include in their journal, and tackle any questions they may have about the template.

Step Three: Fill in the Self Help Journal Template

We’ll leave it up to you to decide whether you want to fill in the template with your client or maybe set it as a homework task. We believe that it’s up to you to make a better-informed decision, plus - you know them better than we do. Regardless of the way the template is completed, it’s a good idea to retain a copy for yourself as well.

Step Four: Check-In

As with our other mental health journal templates, we recommend doing a weekly check-in to reflect on your progress and any changes you may have experienced.

When Would You Use This Template?

There are a variety of reasons when you might choose to implement a Self Help Journal Template into your mental health care. 

Goal Setting

Self Help Journal Templates can be utilized as a goal-setting tool. Individuals can use this template to create their own goals which they can work towards. It is important to remember that these goals may differ from person to person, but it’s alright because the Self Help Journal focuses on individualistic values. 

Mindfulness & Reflection

This template can also be flexible to incorporate mindfulness and reflection strategies to build an inclusive Self Help Journal. Individuals can use their journals to practice mindfulness in their everyday routine by active reflection on their day as well as incorporating prompts to aid this reflection.

Stress Management

Self Help Journals can be a large help when it comes to stressful situations. Individuals who are attending therapy may be practicing other methods of stress management, but keeping a self help journal can also have great impacts on their mental wellbeing. 

Personal Development

Self Help Journals can also be used to highlight personal development. Highlighting important strengths and values in an individual can also aid other aspects of their life. Reminders of these values can aid as a great resilience factor in individuals who are struggling with self-esteem and other psychological issues. 

What do the Results Mean?

The results of this Free Self Help Journal Template can vary depending on the overall goal of the journal. Here are some possible results that your clients may experience. 

Increased Self-Awareness

When we journal, we often take time to reflect on our day or our actions. Especially when completing a self help journal, there may be an incredibly heavy reflection aspect to this journal. Individuals may experience increased self-awareness, which the active practice of mindfulness can influence. 

Stress Reduction

The Self Help Journal Template can be used as a stress reduction tool. The prompts included in this template can support individuals to reframe their thoughts and emotions when it comes to situations that they may find distressing. Clients can use this journal in the future as a stress management tool. 

Personal Growth

The overall aim of these support journals is to enhance the lives of individuals who utilize them. It’s important to remember that these self help journals will enhance the well-being of users in an individualistic way. Outcomes are dependent on the overall goal that was identified. It’s also important to remember that personal growth looks different for everyone!

Progression Documentation

Finally, another positive possibility of utilizing the Self Help Journal Template is that it can be used to document progression through therapy. It can also be good to revisit how the individual may have reacted to certain situations in the past and acknowledge the hard work they have achieved through these journals. 

Research & Evidence

As the world moves towards a more patient-centered wellness goal in both physical and mental health practices, various research studies have been directed at the usefulness of journaling for psychological well-being. 

A study commenced by Smyth et al. (2018) found that participants who were undertaking an online journaling program for 12 weeks had a significant impact on their initial anxiety and depression scores. The journalling was associated with lower anxiety scores. Participants were also found to report better resilience. 

Another study that focused on expressive writing for individuals diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) found that it was associated with lower scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Krpan et al. (2013) found that these results were clear even only 5 days after the intervention. Not only did Krpan et al. (2013) find that expressive writing had an almost immediate effect, but they also found that the writing results had a persistent result after 4 weeks. 

Similar to Carepatron’s other mental health journal templates, there have been studies that display that gratitude has also been a major influence in self help and working towards positive personal growth. A study conducted by ​​Jo A et al. (2021) showed that making an active effort to include gratitude into journaling has a positive impact on the person’s well-being. 

References 

Jo A, I., John M, M., & Nicola S, S. (2021). The Association between Gratitude and Depression: A Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Depression and Anxiety, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.23937/2643-4059/1710024

Krpan, K. M., Kross, E., Berman, M. G., Deldin, P. J., Askren, M. K., & Jonides, J. (2013). An everyday activity as a treatment for depression: The benefits of expressive writing for people diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders, 150(3), 1148–1151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2013.05.065

Smyth, J. M., Johnson, J. A., Auer, B. J., Lehman, E., Talamo, G., & Sciamanna, C. N. (2018). Online positive affect journaling in the improvement of mental distress and well-being in general medical patients with elevated anxiety symptoms: A preliminary randomized controlled trial. JMIR Mental Health, 5(4). https://doi.org/10.2196/11290