TMS journaling topics & themes

The emotional discovery technique I followed to heal from TMS is called JournalSpeak, taught by Nicole Sachs LCSW. It is a form of expressive writing therapy. As it involves a daily practice of journaling your difficult emotions, I know how tricky it can be to journal every day. Trying to identify stuff that we are so used to burying can be hard, I hear you. 

Once you start a practice like this you might have a few BIG topics that you know need addressing...some significant events in your life that really knocked you, but stress illnesses can actually be caused by a lifetime of smaller stresses getting buried that build-up, little things that might seem much less significant. If they were hurtful or caused you to stress at the time, then it’s worth giving them a voice, no matter how small they appear now.

Journaling is training you to feel

Writing out your innermost thoughts and feelings is training you NOT to bury your feelings, to notice your stressors and witness the effect that they have on you. Practising this gets you accustomed to looking at yourself, uncovering blocked emotions and feelings that you would usually automatically repress. This then gives you the chance to fully feel them, feel them physically and eventually let them go. (for more help with this, check out my Emotional Embodiment Masterclass series here).

Be curious about your triggers

Have a think about what sort of things trigger you in your current life. What type of subjects or scenarios really kick-off stress and anxiety for you. See where these thoughts and memories take you, they may lead you to something that needs to be healed or addressed. There will most likely be a reason that these things make you feel the way you do but you don't need to figure that out. It’s important to know that you don’t need to fix or find anything specific, so please don’t stress out even more by thinking you’ve not yet discovered that "DEEP THING".

Your original triggers will lose their grip

My journal topics lists look very different today than they did when I started this journey, which is proof to me that this work is not only healing, it’s totally transformational. As I really got to know myself I became a much better witness to my personality traits and the way I react and behave. Being more aware not only gives you the opportunity to address your triggers but over time it also changes their effect on you. It's such a sweet release to find the courage to face these things and in turn, witness their power over you fade away and lose their grip. There might be memories you can’t forget, but they will no longer control you.

Themes and topics to help you get going

It’s normal to feel blockages and resistance to mind-body practices when you start, I recently published a list of journal prompts and ideas for emotional release to help get you going with actual sentences and thoughts, but I thought I would share a list of themes that might resonate with you. I hope it helps to bring up some memories in your story and uncover some good stuff for you to hit the ground running in your own emotional discovery. 

I also have an online course "Come Home to Yourself - mind-body evening rituals", which includes various new journal prompts and writing exercises, new TMS themed meditations, affirmations, restorative yoga, breathwork and much more, created to help you through your own recovery just like I did. Find out more about my course here.

(in no particular order)

1. Any sort of abuse, emotional, verbal, sexual, physical, psychological
2. Alcohol/substance abuse in the family
3. Broken heart
4. Adultery
5. Grief
6. Family breakups, divorce/separation from parents/siblings
7. Loss
8. Guilt
9. Shame
10. Fears
11. Sadness
12. Overpowered by something or someone
13. Intimacy struggles
14. Never allowed to get angry, shushed
15. Anger/rage
16. Shitty boss/colleagues
17. Abandonment
18. Unfair treatment
19. Victimisation
20. Bullying
21. School problems/learning difficulties
22. Unworthiness
23. Manipulated by someone
24. Breakups of any kind
25. Difficult friends
26. Betrayal
27. Mistrust
28. Moving house
29. Health worries
30. Money fears
31. Work
32. Performance pressure
33. Competitivity
34. Lack of motivation
35. Disappointments
36. Future worries
37. Difficult children
38. Fertility struggles
39. Sexuality
40. Prejudice
41. Shame
42. Embarrassment
43. Uncomfortable confrontations
44. Feeling vulnerable
45. Conflicting thoughts (eg: I want something but I don't want something)
46. Complex relationships with family
47. Sibling rivalry
48. Loneliness
49. Shunned from a group
50. Unheard
51. Not believed
52. Belittled
53. Unworthiness
54. Not feeling good enough
55. Easily offended
56. Wearing a personality mask, not being authentic self
57. Dulling down events
58. Overreacting/catastrophising
59. Validation seeking
60. Perfectionism
61. Body-consciousness
62. Being easily offended
63. Blame
64. Self-pity

Emotional Embodiment is really important

Check out my Emotional Embodiment masterclass series for extra help with this! It's a 12 part guided somatic journaling course with writing exercises along with the appropriate movement, breath or meditation elements to allow emotional expression and processing to happen. Ideal for anyone looking to deepen their journaling practice or anyone lost on how to do it!

I also have an online course "Come Home to Yourself - mind-body evening rituals", which includes various new journal prompts and writing exercises, new TMS-themed meditations including a pre-journaling drop-in meditation, affirmations, restorative yoga, breathwork and much more, created to help you through your own recovery just like I did. Find out more about my course here.

Check out what to expect when healing from TMS and the journal prompts too, I’ve had some great feedback on those pieces. I also have a page about the unexpected side effects of JournalSpeak in case that gives you extra inspiration - I hope this helps you!

Check out my Recovery Journey Roadmap if you would like more details about exactly how I became pain-free! Reach out with any questions, or follow me on Facebook or Instagram for more resources and updates on everything chronic recovery.