I’m happy to report that I have completed my most recent training in the field of writing therapy, to become a Certified Instructor of the Journal to the Self® Workshop – the only one in Ireland!
‘Journal to the Self’ by Kathleen Adams is a classic book in the field of personal development, and one that has surely helped thousands upon thousands of people since its publication in 1990. It is also a text that many therapists will be aware of from their training.
The Journal to the Self® Workshop offers a unique opportunity to engage with what is usually a self-guided exploration in a facilitated group setting. This means that the potential benefits of engaging with the book and its various tools for journaling can be bolstered through the additional power of group experience – sharing and being heard, witnessing and being witnessed, or simply being present to a sense of community with others who also use writing and journaling to make sense of things.
Many people (including therapists and clients) that are drawn to the idea of journaling often start with less awareness around the multiple ways this can be done. This 12-hour course introduces participants to 20-odd journaling techniques that can be used in different ways at different times for different scenarios, giving the journal-writer a ‘menu’ to choose from, as opposed to feeling like they must always order the same thing (metaphorically speaking). So for example, where someone might generally write in their journal in a stream-of-consciousness kind of way, learning different pathways might prompt them to approach whatever it is they wish to explore from a different perspective, say by creating a dialogue, a list, a word cluster or a timed write. Different approaches can yield different insights, so having various tools in the tool box is likely to be more beneficial than only ever having access to one.
I’m excited to have another workshop opportunity to introduce people to the wonders and many benefits of journaling (or broaden the horizons for those that already do it and are curious to learn more). Watch this space for scheduling announcements!
Simon
Nozomi Counselling & Psychotherapy 