Journaling
By Kelly F. Dennis, MS LPC

Daily Journal

          Every day, preferably at the same time, set a time for 15 minutes and “purge on paper”. During this exercise, it is important to just write whatever comes to mind. Don’t worry about grammar or spelling…just write. You can write about your day, your feelings and thoughts. In addition, you can make guesses as to why you think you feel the way you do. At the end of the week, look back over what you have written and notice any patterns.

Safety Journal

          The philosophy behind the Safety Journal is that by focusing on experiences, memories and images of safety, you are developing a "vocabulary" for your own inner safety. You discover that you already have many ways of feeling safe, secure and peaceful.

          On the surface, it seems that we experience feelings of safety because the external circumstances are just right – we are at home, we are with a loved one, etc. On a deeper level though, these feelings of safety, comfort and peace come from within. And, because these feelings come from within, they are always available to us. The Safety Journal is a powerful method of awakening and strengthening these feelings.

          To start the Safety Journal, choose a new, special notebook – one that is especially pleasing and attractive. If you keep a journal or diary now, create a separate journal for Inner Safety. This is a special journal for writing notes about safety, comfort and peace – experiences, memories, fantasies and images. You can also include drawings and pictures – feel free to use your imagination and creativity.

          It takes only a few minutes a day to create the Safety Journal. You can work on it anytime, but it's a good idea to set aside a special time, so that you get in the habit of writing in it everyday. One especially good time is before going to bed at night. That way, you can think about experiences you had during the day that gave you a feeling of safety and comfort.

  Here are three ideas for entries in your Journal:

     1) What were some times today (or yesterday) that you felt safe and comfortable? Describe one of the scenes. What did you see and hear? Was there any taste or aroma? How did you feel?

     2) What are some of your favorite memories of feeling safe, secure and peaceful? Choose one memory, and describe the scene as richly as you can.

     3) Create a fantasy of a scene that would feel completely safe, serene and peaceful. Describe it in great detail. For example:

          “I'm lying in the sun on a beautiful Caribbean beach. I can hear the waves gently breaking on the shore, and I can hear seagulls off in the distance. The water is turquoise and the sand is pure and white. The sky is powder blue with cumulus clouds billowing all the way to the horizon. I am lying on my stomach on my beach towel, and the midday sun feels incredible on my skin. I feel loved and completely relaxed. I smell the pure, crisp salt air. A warm, gentle breeze caresses my body. I know that I am completely safe.”