Get creative

Johnson says: “Being creative is a must for our mental health management. It helps us to process our emotions in a clearer and more focused manner; it is an energy boost and helps alleviate stress and low mood. Your journal does not have to be a ‘full on’ script – it can be bullet points, single words or sketches and drawings. Incorporating objects that have been of value or significance to you – a pressed leaf or flower, a sweet wrapper, a train ticket, a photo or picture cut out from a magazine, for instance – can all be useful and help ensure your journal is not rigid. Use different colours of inks, crayons, pencils, whatever you like, as these can reflect your moods in a non-verbal way too.”

Write with compassion

“Keep a reality check and recognise what’s going on, such as your thoughts, emotions, beliefs and influences,” says Roberts, “and acknowledge these with compassion, rather than criticism. A little self-critique is to be welcomed too, but condemnation can be so unhelpful. Enquire into whatever the journaling is revealing – any obvious roots for this way of thinking, for example, or any similarities in the past. Have things worked out or not? We can then start to see a clearing of what needs to be done now.”

Keep score of your mood

“Many people find it helpful to keep a regular score on their mood,” says Johnson, “so they can start to see patterns and what may influence that and realise that our emotions are transient and not always ‘stuck’, even though in that moment that is exactly what it feels like. So if 10 is great and 0 is rubbish, you can start to piece together what influences that, which can then help you to take action. Many of my patients share this in a therapy session and find it really helpful and insightful.”

Make space for gratitude

“Place more focus and gratitude on the everyday small things, develop a greater awareness, be in the moment and value what you have right now,” says Johnson. “Gratitude grounds us and makes us more aware, focused and connects us to each other in a caring and more productive manner. Even in ‘bad’ times, when we’re feeling hopeless and full of despair, making a conscious effort to find a small piece of something to be thankful for can just be enough to know there is hope beyond the pain. Noting in your journal whenever you can the small ‘wins’ such as having a good sleep, getting a parking space, a seat on the train, sharing a joke, hearing the birds sing, having a great cup of coffee, etc. Make this a regular focus in your journal as this will help and enhance your mood.”

Keep it secret, keep it safe

Johnson says: “Just ensure that however you decide to keep your journal, keep it safe from people you do not want to see it. A journal is a good place to vent and really get things off your chest. It is so personal it is sacred and should not be something that could cause you any harm, hurt or risk if someone got their hands on it.”

How to journal for mental health: 8 expert tips, from writing by hand to tracking your moods