Eating Disorders and Trauma: Journaling for Recovery

Eating Disorders and Trauma: Journaling for Recovery

I’d like to introduce you to Erica Faulhaber, who is a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate and an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician. I supervised Erica while she was working with me at my previous office location in Denver. She is a knowledgeable and compassionate therapist, who specializes in trauma recovery. You can contact Erica with any comments or questions, including how to get started with individual sessions (see bottom of article).
– Dr. Dorie

Journaling can offer a cathartic release from issues you are going through in life and also what you are experiencing in therapy – whether it is for eating disorders and trauma, or something else. During therapy sessions with me, clients often bring a notebook or ask for a notepad to write down key points or homework. I also encourage clients to be open to journaling outside of the therapy office. Eating disorders and trauma(s) can elicit a myriad of unanswered questions in which continuous exploration is necessary. So why not keep that notebook or journal handy to document your journey, including triumphs and struggles? Approach journaling with curiosity by becoming a detective on your own life.

Too many people overthink the process of journaling, and feel a pressure to write a specific number of words or paragraphs, but it’s much simpler than that. Push aside that critical voice that shouts,  “You cannot write,” “You have awful grammar or punctuation,” or, “Your journaling needs to be perfect.” Be raw! Let it go! Take a few deep breaths and mindful moments, then write down simple one-word answers. If words do not come naturally, you can jot down a picture to answer each question you come up with. Here are a few journal prompts to get you started:

1. I am…
2. I need…
3. I love…
4. I want more of…
5. I want less of…
6. I enjoy…
7. I see…
8. I smell…
9. I feel…
10. I taste…
11. I think…
12. I believe…
13. I wish…
14. I wonder…
15. I fear…
16. I am learning…
17. I am grateful for…

Start small and remember nobody is looking at this unless you share it with him or her. Take comfort in knowing you have the control and the content can be whatever you want it to be. There are no hard-fast rules with journaling – it is another outlet for you to release whatever is coming up inside for you. For eating disorders and trauma recovery, try journaling to liberate your thoughts, emotions and behaviors when needed.