🖊️ Journaling Through Trauma: A Beginner’s Guide for PTSD Survivors
- Diaana Tauqeer
- Jul 24
- 3 min read
💭 Why It’s So Hard to Talk About Trauma
PTSD doesn’t just affect the mind—it silences the voice. When you're living with trauma, especially after emotional or physical abuse, talking about it can feel terrifying. You're not just sharing a memory—you’re reopening a wound.
Often, we end up suppressing the very feelings that are screaming to be heard. We try to push the emotions, the thoughts, and the memories deep into what we call a "mind box.” But here’s the truth:
That mind box is like a dynamite case—quiet on the outside, but one trigger away from an emotional explosion.
🧘♀️ Why Journaling Helps
If you’re not ready to talk to someone, journaling is one of the safest ways to start healing. It’s like whispering your truth to a blank page—no judgment, no pressure, no exposure.
✨ Journaling:
● Lets your heart speak without fear
● Makes your mind feel heard
● Tracks your healing journey like a graph—up and down, but always moving
● Helps revisit trauma safely, when you choose to
● Turns your experiences into lessons instead of burdens
Avoiding emotions for too long can lead to emotional suppression, making you numb to feelings—and eventually turning you into someone disconnected from your own self.
✨ Journaling doesn’t erase trauma, but it helps reframe and regulate your experience of it.
🕰️ Journaling: A Ritual, Not a Rule
This isn’t a task to cross off your to-do list. You don’t need to write daily. You don’t need to write perfectly. You don’t even need to write more than a few lines.
🌸 You can:
● Journal daily, or whenever you feel called to
● Write for 2–3 lines or 10 minutes—whatever feels right
● Use bullet points, doodles, metaphors, or even another language
The goal is not perfection—it’s expression.
🖊️ “Write like no one will read it—not even you.”
✍️ Types of Journaling You Can Try
🔹 Freewriting – Let your thoughts flow unfiltered. Don’t worry about grammar or language—just spill it all out.
🔹 Prompt-based journaling – Use specific questions to guide your thoughts (see next section).
🔹 Gratitude journaling – Even in storms, small moments of safety exist. Write about them. Rewire your brain to recognize peace.
🔹 Letter writing – Write letters to your past self, your future self, or even your abuser. These are never meant to be sent—they're for closure.
🔹 Trauma timeline (advanced) – Place traumatic memories in order to understand your journey. This can be deeply healing when done gently.
🌿 Gentle Journal Prompts for PTSD Survivors
Here are some soft, grounding prompts to begin with:
🌀 “Today I felt triggered when… and I think it was because…” 🌱 “I’m proud of myself for…” 👶 “If my younger self could see me now, they’d say…” 🏡 “The safest place I can imagine is…” 💬 “One thing I wish I could tell someone, but can’t…”
Use any of these when you're unsure how to start.
⚠️ What If Journaling Feels Overwhelming?
That’s okay—and completely normal. Trauma can flood your system when accessed too quickly. If that happens:
🧘♀️ Tips for grounding:
● ✋ Use the 5-4-3-2-1 method: name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste
● 🛑 Take breaks—mid-sentence if needed
● 🤍 End every entry with something comforting (a hope, an affirmation, a prayer)
It’s okay to stop mid-sentence. Healing has no rules.
🕯️ Creating a Journaling Ritual
Turn journaling into your personal sanctuary.
🎶 Choose soft background music 🕯️ Light a candle 🍵 Sip on calming tea 🛋️ Sit somewhere that feels safe
📅 Pick a time of day where you won’t be disturbed
✨ This isn’t homework. It’s a conversation with your inner self.
📈 It’s Not About the Pages, It’s About the Progress
Healing is not linear. Some days you’ll write passionately, other days barely at all. That’s okay.
Over time, journaling can help you:
● Notice patterns
● Reclaim memories
● Release buried emotions
● Realize how far you’ve come
And if you feel ready, sharing selected entries with a trusted therapist can deepen your healing.
💬 Final Words from Turya Wellness
If you’re reading this and thinking, “I don’t know how to start”—then just start there. Write that sentence down. That is enough. You are enough.
Healing is not about forgetting what happened. It’s about remembering who you are despite it.
We at Turya Wellness are walking this path with you—one word, one page, one breath at a time.
✨ Optional Add-On:
● Downloadable trauma journal template
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