On a recent site visit, one counselor asked if there’s such a thing as taking too much time responding to journals. She said she stays up until 11:30 at night working on them.

Her supervisor said, “It does take time, but we don’t want you going to bed at midnight.”

She responded, “Go to bed? Are you kidding? That’s how late I was working at my office.”

 “Well then,” a ‘supportive’ peer smiled and chimed in, “make sure your husband has corndogs heated up when you come home.”

“Forget that,” she replied. “I’m gonna lose my husband if I keep this up.”

Kudos for her effort and dedication. Kidding aside, though, responding to journals does take time and puts another demand on counselors, many of whom are already overwhelmed with work. Unfortunately, we can’t dictate work schedules or add hours to the day (though there are certainly times we wish we could). We do, however, have some helpful ideas.

First, a little reassurance for counselors new to journaling: You’ll get better and better at it. You’ll get familiar with the material and also get quicker at getting a sense of the type of comments that tend to be helpful.

Now, a reminder: Although it’s hard to carve out time for journaling responses, it does help to reconnect to the purpose of journaling and its benefits. Supportive journaling gives clients an opportunity to reflect upon their lives without an audience and without being in the presence of someone who expects an immediate response. We’ve found that clients will write things in journals that they would not readily disclose during a counseling session. Plus, journaling is an excellent tool to stimulate thinking and a great way to connect personally. By establishing a written relationship that complements the face-to-face relationship, journaling deepens and adds a new dimension to the client-counselor relationship. This is why journaling is an essential part of The Seven Challenges program.

Basic Approach to Journaling

Think of responding to journals as a conversation

As a starting point to set your mind at ease about this different way of communicating, think of what you would say if you were in the presence of the person.

Be brief

A journal response is a way to start a dialog to engage clients in reflecting about their lives. Sometimes, a word, brief sentence, or even brief acknowledgement is enough. You are asking questions or making observations to evoke more thinking and create an exchange, not attempting the impossible (full blown conversation in writing).

Be selective

You don’t need all the details about everything. You will want to be responsive throughout the journal, but watch closely for client comments that seem important and might have particular significance. That’s where you want to focus your attention.

Journaling Tips

Show your presence

Because you’re not with the person, you lose the ability to nod your head or give other non-verbal signals that show you’re listening and paying attention. You can’t say “aha” as a client speaks, but you can write it in the journal.

For example:

• Good point.
• That’s interesting.
•  I see what you mean.

Be empathic

Similarly with journaling, you lose the opportunity to give non-verbal signals that you understand your client’s point of view. So, in journaling you have to rely on the written word.

For example:

• I get it.
• I understand what you’re saying.  
• I can see your pain.

Ask for clarification

You may not understand what a client is trying to communicate with a response. So, you ask for clarification.

For example:

• What do you mean by this?
• Can you please tell me more?
• I don’t quite understand. Could you please explain what you mean by _____?

Be curious and expansive

Show curiosity and help clients expand their thinking.

For example:

• This is interesting. Please tell me more.
• What was happening at the time?
• I’m curious. What came next?

Show you care and be supportive

Journals offer an opportunity to show you care and be supportive.

For example:

• I’m sorry it was so painful.
• I hope you feel better.
• I hope I can help you feel better (or fix this) (or figure this out).

Sneak in compliments

Be generous and watch for any and all opportunities to offer compliments.

Provide validation and offer support

In journals, you can help people feel acceptant of themselves and their experiences.

For example:

• I see why you did what you did.
• That sort of thing hurts.
• Anyone would feel bad in that situation.
• No one should be treated like that.

Identify themes

Journals offer an ideal opportunity for clients and their counselors to identify personal themes that are harmful to individuals. They become evident as client responses tend to reveal patterns of thoughts, feelings, behavior, attitudes, and behavior. A counselor can simply point them out and even reference back to previous examples from earlier pages in client journals. All it takes is a simple sentence or two or three. Point out themes that you notice in the responses.

For example:

• I notice that you keep mentioning you are angry in many situations.
• I notice you tend to use drugs to feel comfortable in social situations.
• Family problems keep popping up as a source of stress.

Follow mention of themes with questions to engage client responses:

• Have you noticed this?
• What do you think?
• Is this something you might want to talk about in our therapy sessions?

Read, record, then respond

Program Specialist Mike Panico suggests quickly reading through the journal up to the point where you’re reviewing. Then going back and adding your responses.

Another program specialist, Roy Eiremann, suggests reading the client’s journal and recording your reactions out loud. This helps capture themes and questions in real time. It reduces the burden of holding everything in your head. You can then use those recordings to shape your written response.

Final Thoughts

Journaling isn’t meant to be easy for clients or counselors. It asks for and benefits from reflection, intention, and time — in systems that don’t always make room for those things. But when done well, journaling can create a space where clients feel heard, understood, and supported in their change process.

We often get asked how much time to spend and how many responses on each page. This actually sidesteps the core issue. A more useful way to evaluate your journal work is to ask: Have I engaged my client in an active dialog that is productive? Have I won them over? Are my clients opening up? Have I gained their attention and really helped them?

As you can see, effective responses are often numerous but don’t need to be wordy. Focus on the basics, take your time, and avoid rushing — because, as the saying goes, “garbage in, garbage out.” Like any skill, with practice, you’ll find yourself becoming more efficient and more confident. Enjoy the learning process. Take pride in your work. And no, you won’t be stuck eating corndogs at midnight replying to journals.

As always in The Seven Challenges, you’re not alone. Bring your questions, frustrations, and wins to your support calls. That’s what we’re here for.