CLARISSA Stein returned from an overseas trip with a broken wrist feeling isolated and disconnected.<\/p>\n
She came across an online journal writing program and realised keeping a journal improved her wellbeing.<\/p>\n
Ms Stein is now looking to pay it forward by conducting journal writing workshops in Dereel and Haddon.<\/p>\n
\u201cJournal writing can help with personal wellbeing through reflection on experiences and emotions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Each class will start with 10 minutes of reading journal entries written by authors as a way of introduction<\/p>\n
The workshops\u2019 participants will then be invited to spend another 10 minutes writing in their personal journals.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose wishing to share their thoughts, by reading aloud, will be listened to without criticism,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will provide feedback based on our own non-critical common human experiences because connection within the group helps maintain motivation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Stein believes journaling is a great way towards helping and enhancing self-care and well-being through meaningful conversation, personal growth, self-expression and mutual support.<\/p>\n
She said she has always kept a diary of daily activities but spending time writing in her journal is more of a reflection of her sentiments and thoughts than list of things she\u2019s done.<\/p>\n
Traditional diary writing, where daily events and happenings are recorded from an exterior point of view differs from journal writing which offers an effective means of providing focus and clarity to issues, concerns, conflicts, and confusions.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is used by a lot of psychologists and is considered to be a method of suicide prevention,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy workshops will run for an hour and will be limited to eight participants who should bring a medium sized notebook or journal and a pen with them.\u201d<\/p>\n