30+ Journal Prompts For Trauma Healing: Write To Heal From Trauma

Healing from trauma is quite challenging because trauma isn’t linear. The recovery journey is full of ups and downs. There would be days where emotions may become too overwhelming and some days, it could be anxiety ruling your mind. Healing from trauma is complex but with the right tools, it can become less than a battle.

One such tool is journaling. Using journaling as a healing tool can help you identify your emotions, process unpleasant memories, and help you come to terms with your trauma. Using journal prompts for trauma healing and psychotherapy together can be a good option to understand the trauma triggers and reframe your beliefs that stem from the traumatic experience.

But does journaling help with trauma? Are there benefits of journaling for people healing from trauma or PTSD?

Let’s find out!

Does Journaling Help With Trauma?

Journaling is a method that can help you cope with any kind of trauma. In recent times, expressive healing or creative writing has been found to heal psychological and physical health issues. One of the best parts of journaling is that you can do this activity anywhere, anytime.

Other benefits of journaling can include better cognitive health, lower stress levels, and better immunity. Even in people with PTSD, journaling has been found to reduce symptoms such as anger, rage, and anxiety and other physical symptoms such as body tension and concentration.

Understanding your trauma can not only help you reduce traumatic stress but can also help speed up your post-traumatic growth. When you use journaling as a healing tool, you learn to reduce the symptoms of trauma and also how to cope with them in the long run. With journal prompts, you can also foster post-traumatic growth and bring a positive change in your life post-trauma.

Let’s look at some journal prompts for trauma healing that you can use to start your healing journey!

Journal Prompts For Trauma Healing

1. Journal Prompts For Trauma Processing

1. Write about a negative belief you have that you know is false. Write about why it isn’t true.
2. Write about your safe space including what it means to you and how you created it.
3. List at least 5 positive things the trauma has had on your life.
4. Write about what forgiveness means to you.
5. Write a letter to yourself (it could be your older self, the current you, or your younger self)
6. Write about a trauma response that you’re currently processing and how it affects your life.

2. Journal Prompts For Trauma Recovery

1. Write a summary of your day.
2. Write about the challenges you faced today and how you overcame them.
3. Write about at least one thing you learned today and would not want to forget.
4. Write about the symptoms you experienced today and how did you manage them.
5. List the self-care practices you engaged in today.

3. Journal Prompts For Trauma Triggers

1. What happened that triggered your trauma? (Tip: this could be used as a self-reflection prompt too)
2. Write about the emotions you’re feeling (or felt when the trauma was triggered)
3. List the negative emotions the trigger caused you to feel.
4. How does this trigger relate to or identify with your trauma?
5. Write about the steps you’re taking or took to cope with the trigger.
6. Have you ever tried therapy? Write about what you most need out of your session.
7. Write about what you know you’re in control of at this moment.
8. Write about when you feel at peace the most.

4. Journal Prompts For Inner Healing

1. Write about the emotions from the past you’re still holding on to.
2. Write about the ways your trauma has impacted your behavior and thinking process.
3. Write about the ways you’ve grown from your trauma.
4. Write about if and when you’ve downplayed your traumatic experiences. Why?
5. Do you hold negative feelings toward the person or event that caused the trauma? Why?
6. Write about the ways you’ve made progress and healed from your trauma.
7. Write about how you cope with uncomfortable memories, emotions, and thoughts.

5. Journal Prompts For Past Trauma

1. Do you believe that your trauma is holding you back from moving forward in life? Write about how it makes you feel.
2. Write about how you can show yourself the same understanding, compassion, and kindness as you would your loved one.
3. Write about the ways you still have healing to do.
4. List 5 things, people, or places that make you feel safer.
5. Write about the ways you’ve persevered despite the trauma you’ve experienced.
6. Write about your fears as a child, teenager, and adult and how you coped with them.
7. Write about your childhood. How was it when you were growing up? Was your childhood home stable or abusive?
8. Write about the relationship between your parents and yourself. How has their influence impacted your life?
9. Write about one thing you wish your loved one understood about you.
10. Write about the event that triggers your flight or fight response the most.
11. Write about the kind of support you needed when you were growing up but felt you did not receive.

Tips To Begin Journaling For Trauma Healing

Before you begin journaling, find a notebook and a favorite pen. You can keep more than one notebook too. One you can use for journaling for trauma healing and one for gratitude expression and other random thoughts and feelings. The idea is to start a journal with an intention. Your notebook is yours but you can choose to share your journaling with people you trust.

Here are some tips to begin journaling for trauma healing:

• Sit in a quiet place and find a time when you’re surrounded by fewer distractions. You can choose to write in your journal during your bus commute, during your lunch break at work, or in the evening before bed.
• Always try to take a few minutes before you begin journaling. Let yourself think about how your trauma has affected your life.
• Once you’re done writing for the day, pay close attention to how you’re feeling. Notice any change in your emotions and thoughts after your journaling.
• Try not to worry too much about grammar and spelling. Keep your focus on transferring your thoughts and feelings into the journal.
• Try to be as descriptive as you can. When you’re writing about your feelings, also write about the thoughts these feelings bring forth. How do your actions connect with these feelings? This can help increase your body-mind awareness and bring attention to your emotions and thoughts.
• Try to keep a track of your feelings so that you can come back and look at how your emotions, feelings, and thoughts have changed since you began journaling.
• Try to be kind to your thoughts. Let your words flow without any judgment. However, avoid rushing through your journaling. Think about the prompts you’re using carefully before writing about your experiences.

Wrap Up

Trauma healing isn’t just about processing your uncomfortable feelings but also about post-traumatic growth. Many people find journaling a useful (and healthy) tool to cope with trauma and so can you. If you’ve experienced a traumatic event in your life then using journaling as a healing tool can help you come to terms with it and learn how the trauma has impacted your life.

Combining journaling with psychotherapy can also help speed up your trauma healing.  If you’ve experienced trauma in your life, then it is recommended that you speak to a professional counselor or therapist for support and guidance.

Connecting with a therapist can help you learn to process the emotions trauma brings and cope with unpleasant emotions and feelings.

I hope this journal prompts for trauma healing and recovery can help you process your emotions, feelings, and thoughts. For more, you can write to us at info@calmsage.com or DM us on social media.

You can also share your favorite journal prompts for trauma and tips on journaling in the comments section below.

Take Care!