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Discussion: An email from Journaling Expert Susan Derozier
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ForestForTreesTMS |
An email from Journaling Expert Susan Derozier
Jul 26 2010, 8:28 PM EDT
| Post edited: Jul 26 2010, 8:29 PM EDT
I recently received the following message from Susan Derozier, who instructs classes on therapeutic journaling and wrote the book Therapeutic Journaling. "Dear Forest, I was pleased to discover your site and note my book mentioned on it. Because I have done nothing to promote the book, I was especially happy you had discovered it. I noted the question asked at the end of your pages regarding using the dialoguing technique to connect with your inner child. In my opinion, it is probably not the best technique to use from the journaling standpoint. When one is using it they are normally trying to access information they don't have (ie. such as a dialogue with your pain or another person). Since everything about your inner child is already held within you, I think it could create a distortion rather than connect you with the authentic child self. I believe there are other ways to open the channel. I would suggest a wonderful book to you called "The Creative journal for Children" by Lucia Capacchione. In it she has exercises that will literally take you to that child place. I would suggest you create an atmosphere for yourself of things that might trigger connection. Do you have any music that you liked as a child? Could you put cartoons on the t.v. for background sound that might trigger a space. Are there any favorite items you might still have that you could put nearby to trigger visual reminders? Anything that might enhance the senses of that time in your life would be helpful. Continued... 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you?
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ForestForTreesTMS |
1. RE: An email from Journaling Expert Susan Derozier
Jul 26 2010, 8:29 PM EDT
| Post edited: Jul 26 2010, 8:38 PM EDT
Continued...A problem people have when wanting to access their child self is that they tend to want to see the child from still an adult point of view. You really need to "think" and "act" like the child to put you in your space. Years ago when teaching a class, I was doing a unit on the inner child. Everyone was all for it and loved the talking points and sharing stories. However, when I instructed them to actually do a child thing by making masks out of brown paper bags with faces drawn on them and then putting them on I was met with extremely angry resistance. It continued but I stood strong and they carried it through. By the end of the class people were completely wild in their masks and actually acting like grade school kids. It was only then that I could point out to them their actual resistance to give themselves completely to that child. From then on, their writing changed and deepened and there was much healing that came. Another gem of a little book is "Make Beliefs" by Bill Zimmerman which has all kinds of things to do write and draw that will literally take you into that child. I hope this is helpful to you. I do believe that dialoguing with another person (preferably a therapist) can be extremely helpful in accessing that child. I just don't think the single person dialogue writing is the best tool to reach your goal. Sincerely, Susan Derozier" 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Mindfulness |
2. RE: An email from Journaling Expert Susan Derozier
Jul 31 2010, 11:04 PM EDT
I am very interested in this. I am in the middle of the worst spasm I've ever had; never taken pain killers before and I am now--and I was just a 3/10 last week. That aside, I had a friend come over and give me a craniasacral treatment today. It was amazing--all these feeling of being lonely came up and abandonment as a child. I lived in 8 different houses before high school, and felt very alone with divorced parents. Plus, I always thought of my older sister as "the favored one." Anyway, after our treatment, I took out my journal and started writing from a very adult perspective. I really want to release these feelings and explore them through writing (I am a writer and teach writing after all), but I feel as if I am so used to thinking critically about the form of writing that I don't know how to write in this way. I often being within something like: There was a lot of sadness when I was little. I felt alone....."Any suggestions for getting beyond this? I want to keep things simple, so am just really looking for a handful of suggestions--and while I am sure these books are great, I have stacks and stacks of these sorts of books and would really just like 1-5 hints. THANKS Do you find this valuable? |
HilaryN123 |
3. RE: An email from Journaling Expert Susan Derozier
Aug 1 2010, 4:01 AM EDT
Hi Mindfulness,This is a completely random suggestion from a non-expert: have you tried journalling with your non-dominant hand? (Your left hand if you're right-handed.) I'm thinking there's no way you can write perfectly with the other hand, so maybe that would also bypass your critical thinking? (Hopefully you're not ambidextrous!) Some people also recommend this as a way of getting in touch with your Inner Child. Do you find this valuable? |
mizlorinj |
4. RE: An email from Journaling Expert Susan Derozier
Aug 2 2010, 11:48 AM EDT
I believe we need to journal from the CHILD's standpoint--not an adult viewpoint.FFT: The masks were a cool idea! Mindfulness: WHY did you feel alone? Explore. . . WHY was there sadness? Be specific, and as you're writing, more specifics may come to mind. they did for me. Do you find this valuable? |
heronlady |
5. RE: An email from Journaling Expert Susan Derozier
Aug 2 2010, 4:39 PM EDT
How wonderful that you have someone to give you craniosacral relief. That is a truly amazing treatment that I found extremely effective. It also makes sense that you had the release of memories as it is one of several body therapies that will do so.You are doing exactly what you should be in just writing whatever comes. I realize you are anxious to jump into the child experience but sometimes we need to just follow whatever words present. Sometimes it may not seem to make a lot of sense but believe me, it will. Our memories are literally held within the cells of our body. I always likened it to a prison cell which prevents escape. As you allow the words to come, try to let go of any expectations. When dealing with tremendous pain, I went for months for craniosacral work (3 X a week) and would take in my journaling after each session to share with the doctor. Then the dreams began which I realized were holding memories. It all became a piece of dealing with the pain. I can recall telling the doctor that at one point I could not tell the difference between the emotional and physical pain. That can be an important step to healing. The suggestion to use your non-dominant hand is an excellent one. Connecting it to your situation you might begin a dialogue and have you, the adult ask "why are you looking so sad?" and with your other hand the child can begin to answer "I'm all alone....." When doing these dialogues, try very hard not to pre-think them as they will take on a life of their own. The adult questions will be spurred by the child's lead after a time. It will be hard to overcome your usual form of writing and simply let all rules go. Don't worry about spelling or punctuation or paragraph size or complete sentences. Just let the words swim through and you will get there. Don't even worry about writing as the child yet until the adult can step back. Do you find this valuable? |
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heronlady |
6. RE: An email from Journaling Expert Susan Derozier
Aug 2 2010, 7:09 PM EDT
You might tap in more easily by drawing pictures as a child would. it may trigger writing. Try these: Ask the child to "draw a picture of sadness." Then have the child write about the picture. "draw loneliness" and write about what it feels like to be lonely. "draw a picture of family members" ..."write a child's poem called "I Need".....have your child write an autobiography that takes you through the losses you experienced and the emotions that followed. Make columns under the titles "I Like" and "I Dislike" and list your child's likes and dislikes. The more you do of these the more you will enter into that child space. I hope this helps.
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Penny4Them |
7. RE: An email from Journaling Expert Susan Derozier
Aug 5 2010, 1:11 PM EDT
Dear Susan,Thank you so much for sharing such sage advice about journaling. I journaled a few years ago, specifically to recover from TMS, and found it very beneficial, although sometimes journaling caused me to have to go thru more physical pain to get to the relief. Today I don't journal very often. I still have my anger-filled-journal from years ago and I grapple about what to do with it. Throw it out? Lock it up? (Funny, but this is what I used to do with my negative feelings BEFORE I recovered from TMS. I suppose that's why I'm torn about ridding myself of it.) It is very much my "Shadow" and I worry that my children or someone else may someday find/read it, and take things out of context. Do you have any advice as to what we should do with it? I feel a strong compulsion to burn it, but it served me so deeply, I feel like somehow this would be wrong. I don't read it any more, so I wonder what your thoughts are. Penny Do you find this valuable? |
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heronlady |
8. RE: An email from Journaling Expert Susan Derozier
Aug 5 2010, 2:52 PM EDT
Dear Penny, Almost anyone who journals in a deeply personal and honest way has this concern. The answer can be just as personal. I, personally, have not destroyed my journals and have instructed my daughters that they are to be disposed of should/when something happens to me.The fact that you don't go back and reread it now does not mean that at some point in your life you may rethink things and see a need to revisit some part of that past. Though it contains memories of pain and hard work, it also contains a map of your courage and tenacity. Only you can make the decision as to how you want to handle this. If you do decide that you need to dispose of the journals, I hope you will make a ritual of it and allow yourself the opportunity to honor and mourn the life held within. Cheers to you for the work you have done. Those journals are a flag to success! Susan Do you find this valuable? |
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ForestForTreesTMS |
9. RE: An email from Journaling Expert Susan Derozier
Aug 5 2010, 8:07 PM EDT
That's a great response. I think a lot of people have questions on what to do with their journal and on how to keep it private. I think what you said can be really helpful to people when they start journaling, so I went ahead and added part of this thread to the educational program under day 4. It's at http://tmswiki.wetpaint.com/page/Educational+Program+Day+4Forest Do you find this valuable? |
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treetrunks |
10. RE: An email from Journaling Expert Susan Derozier
Aug 9 2010, 1:30 PM EDT
I have found these posts regarding journaling very helpful!! I journal everday and have realized that I am not respectful of my thoughts and inner exploration. I sometimes write in an old notebook or a legal pad and then throw away what I have written. It does not feel right whenever I do that. I just came to the realization that I need to keep what I have written in a proper book and hold on to what I have written. I discovered that I am not honoring my reflections and feelings by throwing away each page. I know I am afraid that someone will discover my writings but if I just keep it together and find a proper place to retrieve this book of personal writings, that my journal will be intact and will help in my healing. Profound.....
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heronlady |
11. RE: An email from Journaling Expert Susan Derozier
Aug 9 2010, 2:22 PM EDT
I am sorry to hear that you have thrown many of your writings away. However, today is a new day. I would suggest to you that you get a 3-ring binder and also dividers in it with pockets. Those pockets can hold those slips of paper (among other things) that you write on when away from your journal. You can have both lined and unlined paper and be sure to date every entry. That is extremely important. I would also suggest you not just keep your painful entries but also document happy or beautiful moments. They will be important to go back to when things seem dark.You were very astute to see how we tend not to honor our own thoughts, emotions or experiences as much as we tend to offer that respect to others. That has now changed for you. Congratulations on new beginnings! Do you find this valuable? |
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mizlorinj |
12. RE: An email from Journaling Expert Susan Derozier
Aug 12 2010, 11:46 AM EDT
| Post edited: Aug 12 2010, 5:00 PM EDT
Recently I found an old journal, my first in fact, and after looking at the list on the first page, I decided to throw it out as I did not feel I needed it any longer. I found 2 other small notebooks and I shredded them so I could feel the releasing of what was on those pages too. I did find one page in one that I tore out because I did not feel I had totally come to terms with the topic, so additional writing is needed. Dr. Eva Selhub in her book The Love Response suggests putting your hands on the pages and saying out loud "I now release you" or something to that effect which I like. I also like the idea of burning the pages! I'll do that in the winter in the fireplace! I don't want to hold onto journals of things I have released. A personal choice! :-) Now, my GRATITUDE journal, that is a keeper!! Best wishes to everyone! 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
