Although bullet journaling is about saving time and space, when it comes to a mood tracker, research suggests that slowing down may have benefits. In this article, learn how I used my training as a mental health therapist and my personal experience as a bullet journaler to reimagine a new mood tracker layout for 2021 and beyond- based on peer-reviewed research exploring the intersection of journaling and mental health.
For more information on using this Bullet Journal Mood Tracker, see the article.
Bullet Journal blogs and hashtags are filled with mental health and self-care focused templates, but are these layouts actually effective for maximizing the mental health benefits of a bullet journal? In this article, I explore existing research on how journaling and expressive writing can benefit mental health and, from that research, outline three ways to maximize the mental health benefits of your bullet journaling practice. Along the way, I’ll show you a few of my worksheets and resources that are perfect for adding to a bullet journal.
On bad mental health days, basic self care can be hard. Really hard. I designed this resource to provide gentle structure and a mood-boosting sense …
Attunement and Containment – along with Rupture and Repair – are key building blocks for relationships that support the formation of healthy attachments. In this article, we’ll dive a little deeper into understanding containment and attunement and how these puzzle pieces fit into the larger concept of forming healthy attachments to the people we care about.
Each download includes the following two images as full-page PDFs, with full-color backgrounds and with print-friendly white backgrounds- for a total of 4 pages contained …
External boundaries are where we bump up against each other (like setting boundaries around our time or how we allow others to treat us), while internal boundaries are where we bump up against ourselves in ways that bring dissonance between competing desires (like wanting to take on a new project but knowing we can’t don’t have the resources to complete it). In this illustration, I tease out some of the nuances between internal and external boundaries.
When you’re new to therapy and aren’t really sure what therapy is supposed to feel like, it can be really confusing to try and figure …
Good attachments take work, and one of the hardest parts of building and maintaining satisfying and supportive relationships is repairing after rupture (i.e. conflict). It’s so hard, and conflict is so often avoided, that many of us have never experienced really good repair – or the way that it can deepen and strengthen our connection and trust with another person. Rupture is inevitable. Repair, however, takes work.
Trauma triggers are activated by experiences – big or small – that remind our brains and bodies of past traumatic experiences we’ve gone through. While triggers may be complex to navigate or understand, and while they never truly go away, good trauma therapy can reduce the impact of triggers.
I believe that some resources used in Mental Health treatment are unnecessarily cold, clinical, or technical. These hard-to-relate-to resources may risk pushing people away instead of inviting them to engage in both a healing relationship with their therapist and with information that could help their recovery.
My printable resources like this DBT card are different. Consciously designed to integrate the fundamental concepts and package them in an approachable, non-clinical, non-threatening way, these DBT inspired worksheets can make diary cards, homework printables, and skills-practicing as easy and fun as activity books.
The best time to do good crisis work is when you (or your client, child, partner, friend, etc.) aren’t currently in crisis. Take some time …
Writing long-hand about my own experience in therapy helps me continue to develop self-awareness and integrate my emotional/sensory experience with my thinking-brain. Recently, I’ve been …
In a culture where life is often lived digitally, mindfulness matters. While our brains are increasingly adept at sensing fake news or deciphering complex texts …
Dismantling mental health triggers often involves a little detective work. Although awareness of “being triggered” can be very obvious, for many people, figuring out specific …
How Do You Find A Therapist? Sometimes finding a therapist can be the hardest part of deciding to start therapy. It can be hard to …
This research study presents compelling evidence that trigger warnings may do more harm than good. While this study’s methods may overlook that a trigger warning …