Atist Way Group with Suzi Blu

here... they're up to week 6... interesting comment by one participant saying that morning pages may be counterproductive for certain folk: She writes "I just read this from "The Way of the Journal: A Journal Therapy Workbook for Healing" by Kathleen Adams. It may help people struggling with the morning pages. I am in the process of healing from traumatic stress, as well as illness and anxiety. Hopefully this can provide some insight for people who are going through their own healing processes."A popular writing practice these days is "morning pages," a daily three-page free-write to be done immediately upon awakening. Again and again I have heard stories from clients and clinicians about depressives and traumatic stress survivors whose struggles intensified with morning pages. When this phenomenon is viewed through the lens of the developmental continuum and the tools of structure, pacing and containment, it quickly makes sense. Extended stream-of-consciousness writing first thing in the morning, when the membrane between the conscious and unconscious minds is most permeable, is a high-level journal therapy intervention that may not serve those whose "first voice" is often critical or fear-based. Applying guidelines of structure, pacing and containment quickly shifts the focus and alleviates potential problems. When clients follow suggestions to write one page instead of three, or walk the dog first (or shower or eat breakfast), or write “evening pages,” or intentionally bring in the balance of positive or humorous news, they report remarkable shifts back to writing that guides and resolves.”

I think back to Dianne saying (and Patty also) that journaling depressed them. Maybe this is why.