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November 29, 2024 12 mins

50 Journaling Prompts for Trauma
Discover the transformative power of journaling as a healing tool for trauma recovery, inspired by the insightful work of Clara Penrose on the Lestallion website. Through this episode, we promise you’ll gain valuable insights into how exploring emotions through journaling can become a therapeutic journey, offering a safe space to process complex feelings. We'll dive deep into understanding the broader impact of trauma on your life—your relationships, your decisions, your beliefs—and how embracing these connections can help you break free from trauma's grip. Empower yourself to rewrite your narrative, release the past, and embrace forgiveness, particularly self-forgiveness, to pave the way for healing and a brighter future.

Empowerment through journaling is not just a concept; it's a personal gift awaiting discovery. With thoughtfully crafted prompts designed specifically for trauma recovery, this episode encourages listeners to take their first steps on a journey of incredible transformation. Healing is a personal testament to strength, and we assure you, you're never alone on this path—support is all around, from caring individuals to welcoming communities. As we wrap up, we share a message of hope, urging continuous exploration and growth, trusting in the gradual yet rewarding journey towards healing. Embrace the process, believe in the power of healing, and unlock your potential for a brighter, more resilient future.

LeStallion offers premium PU leather journal notebooks for writing, dedicated to all those who are pursuing their dreams and goals, or nurturing their personal development and mental health.

For More Info on LeStallion, check out:
https://lestallion.com/

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, everyone, ready for another deep dive?
Always Well, today we're goingto be exploring 50 journaling
prompts.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Oh, okay.

Speaker 1 (00:07):
And these prompts are all about healing from trauma.
Hmm, Interesting we're gettingall our info from this blog post
50 Journaling Prompts forTrauma.
It was published just lastmonth by Clara Penrose on the
Lestallion website.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
I see.

Speaker 1 (00:23):
Now I don't know about you, but I've always found
journaling to be kind oftherapeutic.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Oh, yeah, definitely.

Speaker 1 (00:30):
But have you ever thought of it as like a tool for
actual trauma recovery?

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Well, when you think about it, journaling provides
you with a safe space, you knowit's just you and your thoughts.
You can confront difficultstuff without any judgment.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
Exactly.
It's like having a privatesanctuary for processing all
those complex emotions.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
Especially after experiencing something traumatic
.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (00:49):
So the way this listalion post is organized it's
divided into sections, eachwith a different focus.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
Makes sense.

Speaker 1 (00:55):
The first one that really caught my eye was
exploring your emotions.
How interesting it's all aboutacknowledging and understanding
your feelings.
Even the tough ones, even thereally tough ones.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
I think that's where a lot of people get stuck, you
know.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
Totally.

Speaker 2 (01:08):
They try to bury those feelings, but it's so
important to actually feel them.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
Right.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
It's like you've got to untangle that web of thoughts
and experiences to reallyunderstand the impact of the
trauma.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
That makes sense.
Yeah, there are some reallythought-provoking prompts in
this section.

Speaker 2 (01:23):
I bet.

Speaker 1 (01:24):
Like one asks how do you feel when you give yourself
permission to grieve?

Speaker 2 (01:29):
Wow.

Speaker 1 (01:30):
It makes you stop and think right, Definitely.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
It's like when was the last time you actually
allowed yourself to grieve?

Speaker 1 (01:36):
Yeah, for real.
It's something we often avoid,but you know, honoring those
emotions, even the painful ones,it's essential for healing.

Speaker 2 (01:44):
Couldn't agree more.

Speaker 1 (01:45):
There's another prompt, and this one's a little
more action oriented.
It asks what is one small thingyou do for yourself to find
peace in the midst of emotionalturmoil?

Speaker 2 (02:02):
It's a good reminder that self-care can be really
powerful.
Absolutely those little acts ofkindness towards yourself.
They can make a huge differencein regulating your emotions.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
Yeah, you know, even something as simple as taking a
few deep breaths.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
Oh, yeah, or listening to calming music.
Right.

Speaker 1 (02:13):
Or just like spending time in nature.

Speaker 2 (02:16):
I think that's huge actually.

Speaker 1 (02:18):
Right.
So I guess the big takeawayhere, at least in this stage of
healing, is that all emotionsare valid.

Speaker 2 (02:24):
Definitely.
It's not about labeling them asgood or bad.
It's about recognizing thatthey're all part of the human
experience.

Speaker 1 (02:32):
They're trying to tell us something right.

Speaker 2 (02:33):
Exactly, and when we silence them, we're actually
missing out on these valuableinsights.

Speaker 1 (02:38):
It's like we're blocking ourselves from truly
understanding our own healingjourney.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
Precisely.

Speaker 1 (02:43):
Okay, so moving on.
The next set of prompts focuseson understanding your trauma.
Okay, we're going beyond justacknowledging the emotions.
Now, gotcha, we're reallydiving into how trauma can
impact different areas of yourlife.

Speaker 2 (02:57):
So it's about seeing the bigger picture.

Speaker 1 (02:59):
Yeah, like recognizing that trauma isn't
just this isolated event.
It creates these ripple effectsthat touch everything
Relationships, decisions,beliefs, even physical health.
Right right, it's all connected.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
And that awareness, that understanding of those
connections is key.

Speaker 1 (03:18):
I agree.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
It's like once you see those patterns you can start
breaking free from the group ofthe trauma.

Speaker 1 (03:23):
That's powerful.

Speaker 2 (03:24):
It is.

Speaker 1 (03:25):
One of the prompts that stood out to me in this
section asks what is one beliefabout yourself that has been
impacted by your trauma?

Speaker 2 (03:33):
That's a good one.

Speaker 1 (03:33):
And then it asks you to write about how that belief
has evolved and what it means toyou now.

Speaker 2 (03:38):
You know, trauma can really distort our self-image.
It can lead to these negativebeliefs that we carry around
with us.
So examining those beliefs,that's where the real work
begins.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
Yeah, because we start to see how those
experiences might have shapedour view of ourselves.

Speaker 2 (03:52):
Exactly.

Speaker 1 (03:53):
And even our view of the world.

Speaker 2 (03:54):
Right.

Speaker 1 (03:55):
And from there I guess we can make more conscious
choices.

Speaker 2 (03:58):
You got it.
It's like you're rewritingthose narratives.

Speaker 1 (04:01):
Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
Embracing a more positive sense of self.

Speaker 1 (04:03):
So it's like taking back your power.

Speaker 2 (04:05):
Exactly.
It's about owning your storyand realizing you have the power
to heal and create a brighterfuture.

Speaker 1 (04:11):
Okay, onto the next stage in this healing journey.
What's that Releasing the past.

Speaker 2 (04:16):
That's a big one.

Speaker 1 (04:17):
It is.
It's about letting go of thatpast pain, acknowledging that
it's shaped you but it doesn'thave to define you.

Speaker 2 (04:24):
And I think that's a concept a lot of people struggle
with.

Speaker 1 (04:27):
Totally.
It's hard to let go, but it'sso freeing when you do.

Speaker 2 (04:31):
It is.
Holding onto those hurts justkeeps you stuck.

Speaker 1 (04:34):
There's a beautiful prompt in this section that asks
what is one memory you're readyto let go of, and how will
releasing it help your healing?

Speaker 2 (04:43):
Makes you think, huh.

Speaker 1 (04:44):
It does, it makes you take inventory of what you're
carrying and decide if it'sstill serving you.

Speaker 2 (04:49):
Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (04:50):
And sometimes letting go involves forgiveness.

Speaker 2 (04:53):
That's right.

Speaker 1 (04:54):
And that can be tough .

Speaker 2 (04:56):
Forgiveness is a journey.

Speaker 1 (04:57):
It is.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
And it often starts with ourselves.

Speaker 1 (04:59):
You know it's so easy to get caught up in self-blame,
especially when we've beenthrough trauma.

Speaker 2 (05:04):
Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (05:04):
Like we blame ourselves for things that were
totally outside our control.

Speaker 2 (05:07):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (05:08):
But self-forgiveness is a game changer.
Huge when you can let go ofthat guilt and shame.
It opens up so much space forhealing.

Speaker 2 (05:15):
It's like a weight lifted off your shoulders.

Speaker 1 (05:17):
Exactly so for our listeners.
The main takeaway here is thatletting go is a process, not a
one-time thing.
It's a gradual release and somedays are harder than others.

Speaker 2 (05:29):
Oh, absolutely.
There will be ups and downs.

Speaker 1 (05:31):
But the important thing is to keep moving forward,
even if it's just one tiny stepat a time.

Speaker 2 (05:37):
You got it.
You just got to keep going.

Speaker 1 (05:39):
It's like we're untangling ourselves from the
past, you know.

Speaker 2 (05:42):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (05:42):
Creating space for a future that's not dictated by
those experiences.

Speaker 2 (05:46):
And that's so empowering.
It's like taking back controlof your own narrative.

Speaker 1 (05:50):
Totally, which brings us to rebuilding trust.

Speaker 2 (05:53):
Oh yeah, trust, that's a big one.

Speaker 1 (05:55):
It is, and after trauma it can be really hard to
trust again.

Speaker 2 (05:59):
Oh for sure, Trauma can shatter that foundation of
trust.
It makes you questioneverything.
Right Like your own judgment?
Yeah, your ability to formhealthy connections.

Speaker 1 (06:08):
It's like we build these walls up to protect
ourselves.

Speaker 2 (06:10):
And that makes sense, right?
We're trying to avoid gettinghurt again.

Speaker 1 (06:13):
Absolutely, it's a natural response.
But those walls, they can alsokeep us isolated.

Speaker 2 (06:18):
That's true.

Speaker 1 (06:19):
They can prevent us from experiencing genuine
connection.

Speaker 2 (06:23):
Which is what we need for healing right now Exactly
so rebuilding trust.

Speaker 1 (06:27):
It's a delicate balance.

Speaker 2 (06:28):
It is.

Speaker 1 (06:29):
It's about taking small steps and honoring our own
pace.

Speaker 2 (06:33):
There's a prompt in this section that asks how do
you rebuild trust in yourselfafter trauma?

Speaker 1 (06:39):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (06:39):
Write about the small steps you can take to
strengthen that trust.

Speaker 1 (06:43):
It's like we're starting to chip away at those
walls, brick by brick.

Speaker 2 (06:46):
Right.
And as we do that, werediscover our own strength and
resilience, and from there wecan cautiously start to extend
that trust outwards.

Speaker 1 (06:57):
Always prioritizing safety, though Always listening
to that inner voice.

Speaker 2 (07:00):
That's so important.

Speaker 1 (07:00):
It is.
There's no need to rush.
So the key takeaway here, Ithink, is that rebuilding trust
is a journey not a destination.
Exactly.
There will be setbacks, therewill be doubts, for sure, but
it's not about being perfectright.
It's about being willing totake those small steps, to be

(07:21):
vulnerable, to learn from eachexperience Exactly and to be
kind to yourself throughout theprocess Couldn't have each
experience Exactly and to bekind to yourself throughout the
process.
Couldn't have said it bettermyself, ready to explore the
next stage of healing.

Speaker 2 (07:30):
Let's do it.
I'm intrigued to hear what'snext.
So this next part is all aboutembracing healing and hope.

Speaker 1 (07:36):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (07:37):
We've already explored our emotions and we've
talked about how trauma impactsus.

Speaker 1 (07:41):
Right.

Speaker 2 (07:41):
We even talked about letting go of the past and
trying to rebuild trust.

Speaker 1 (07:45):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (07:45):
Now it's time to shift our focus to the future.

Speaker 1 (07:48):
Looking ahead.

Speaker 2 (07:49):
Exactly so these prompts.
They really encourage apositive outlook.

Speaker 1 (07:55):
I like that.

Speaker 2 (07:55):
For example, there's one that says what is one thing
you're looking forward to inyour healing journey?

Speaker 1 (08:01):
That's a good one.

Speaker 2 (08:02):
Right.
It kind of makes you thinkabout a future where healing is
possible.

Speaker 1 (08:05):
Yeah, like visualizing that end goal.

Speaker 2 (08:08):
And having something to look forward to can be really
motivating.

Speaker 1 (08:11):
Oh, absolutely, especially on those days when
you feel stuck.

Speaker 2 (08:13):
It gives you that little push to keep going, like
a light at the end of the tunnel.
Exactly.

Speaker 1 (08:17):
So it's not about ignoring the pain.
No, not at all, it's aboutrecognizing that healing is
possible.

Speaker 2 (08:23):
Even on the toughest days.

Speaker 1 (08:25):
There's another plump that asks how do you find
balance between honoring yourpain and embracing joy?

Speaker 2 (08:31):
Ooh, that's a powerful one.

Speaker 1 (08:32):
Right.
It acknowledges that you don'thave to pretend the pain isn't
there.

Speaker 2 (08:36):
You know it's okay to feel both.

Speaker 1 (08:38):
Like finding that middle ground.

Speaker 2 (08:40):
Exactly.
You can acknowledge the hurtwhile still searching for
moments of happiness.

Speaker 1 (08:44):
It's like yin and yang I like that analogy so it's
about finding that balance thatworks for you yeah, embracing
the full spectrum of humanemotions recognizing that even
in those dark times, there canbe glimmers of hope and those
glimmers.
They're what keep us movingforward totally, and they remind
us that healing is a journey.

Speaker 2 (09:05):
With ups and downs.

Speaker 1 (09:06):
But ultimately it's about progress.

Speaker 2 (09:07):
And celebrating those small victories along the way.

Speaker 1 (09:11):
There's a prompt that asks what is one positive
change you've seen in yourselfsince you started healing?

Speaker 2 (09:18):
That's a good one to reflect on.

Speaker 1 (09:19):
It's like taking stock of how far you've come.

Speaker 2 (09:21):
And recognizing your strength and resilience.

Speaker 1 (09:24):
It's like those little winds they plant seeds of
hope.

Speaker 2 (09:27):
Exactly, and they remind us that change is
possible.

Speaker 1 (09:31):
This section also talks a lot about
self-compassion.

Speaker 2 (09:34):
Oh yeah, that's so important.

Speaker 1 (09:35):
It's about being kind to ourselves throughout this
whole process.

Speaker 2 (09:39):
Not beating ourselves up for those moments of
struggle.

Speaker 1 (09:41):
Exactly Giving ourselves permission to make
mistakes.

Speaker 2 (09:44):
Recognizing that healing isn't struggle, exactly
Giving ourselves permission tomake mistakes.

Speaker 1 (09:46):
Recognizing that healing isn't linear.
Yeah, some days are harder thanothers.

Speaker 2 (09:49):
But we just got to keep showing up for ourselves.

Speaker 1 (09:50):
With kindness and understanding, you got it.
Thinking about these prompts,I'm struck by how much of this
healing journey is aboutself-discovery.

Speaker 2 (09:59):
You know it really is .
It's not just about dealingwith the trauma.
It's about rediscovering whoyou are underneath it all.

Speaker 1 (10:07):
Because trauma can really cloud your sense of self,
don't you think?

Speaker 2 (10:10):
Absolutely.
You start to questioneverything your values, your
beliefs, even your identity.

Speaker 1 (10:15):
And that's where journaling comes in.
It gives you the space toexplore those deeper parts of
yourself.

Speaker 2 (10:21):
Yeah, to reconnect with the things that matter to
you, your passions, your dreams,all those things that might
have gotten lost along the way.

Speaker 1 (10:29):
It's like you're peeling back the layers,
uncovering those hiddenstrengths and rediscovering
those forgotten parts ofyourself.

Speaker 2 (10:35):
And you might be surprised by what you find.
You might discover a resilienceyou didn't know you had, or a
newfound sense of purpose.

Speaker 1 (10:41):
It's like those experiences, as difficult as
they were, shaped you in waysyou're only beginning to
understand.

Speaker 2 (10:48):
Exactly.
And those lessons, thosehard-won insights, they can
become a source of strengthmoving forward.

Speaker 1 (10:54):
You turn those wounds into wisdom.

Speaker 2 (10:57):
Beautifully put.
That's the heart of healing,isn't it?
It's not about erasing the past.
It's about integrating it intoa larger story of growth and
resilience.

Speaker 1 (11:06):
Recognizing that those experiences, while painful
, have contributed to who youare today.

Speaker 2 (11:11):
And that realization.
That's where the real powerlies.
You're taking ownership of yourstory, acknowledging both the
light and the shadow.

Speaker 1 (11:19):
So, thinking about these prompts and their focus on
healing, do you think there's arole for creative expression
beyond just writing?
Could things like art or musichelp process trauma too?

Speaker 2 (11:31):
Oh, absolutely.
Healing isn't limited to wordson a page.

Speaker 1 (11:34):
Right, it can take so many forms.

Speaker 2 (11:36):
It's about finding what resonates with you, what
allows you to express thoseemotions in a way that feels
authentic.

Speaker 1 (11:42):
Maybe it's painting or dancing, or even just
spending time in nature.
It's about finding what speaksto your soul.

Speaker 2 (11:49):
Because sometimes words just aren't enough.

Speaker 1 (11:51):
So to our listeners, I encourage you to explore those
different avenues of creativeexpression, see what calls to
you, what helps you tap intothose deeper emotions.

Speaker 2 (12:00):
And remember, there's no right or wrong way to do
this.
It's your journey and you getto choose how you heal.

Speaker 1 (12:05):
Well said.
And on that note we're going towrap up our deep dive into
these journaling prompts fortrauma recovery.
We hope these prompts havesparked some ideas and maybe
even inspired you to embark onyour own healing journey.

Speaker 2 (12:19):
Remember, healing is a gift you give to yourself.
It's a testament to yourstrength and your unwavering
belief in a brighter future.

Speaker 1 (12:26):
So take those first steps, trust the process and
know that you are capable ofincredible transformation.
And never forget you are notalone on this journey.

Speaker 2 (12:35):
There are people who care, resources to support you
and communities ready to embraceyou.

Speaker 1 (12:40):
Thank you for joining us on this deep dive.
We hope you found it insightfuland maybe even a little bit
transformative.
Keep exploring, keep growingand keep believing in the power
of healing.
Until next time.
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