Putting pen to paper

Journals come in all shapes and sizes, and what goes into them is up to you

l Expressive writing When you need a safe place to dump your emotions, Dr Sophie

Mort suggests setting aside 15-20 minutes over four consecutive days. Pick a topic and start. Don’t worry about spelling, grammar or changing topics; just write until your time’s up.

l Letter writing

This is a lovely way to reflect on how far you’ve come and look back on things that seemed important at the time.

Try writing a letter to your teenage self, your future self or to someone you’re finding it hard to communicate with (nobody needs to read it, but it might help you start that conversation).

l Rage journalling

If you’ve had an argument or feel hurt, angry or frustrated about something, try writing about it for up to 15 minutes. “Reread it once, then tear it up, which gives a visual metaphor for release,” says Sophie. l Bullet journal (left)

A way of planning, organising, tracking and setting goals. They can be blank or feature dots on the page – the idea is to create something that helps clear your mind. This and the gratitude journal (right) are both the work of Helen at @journalwithpurpose. l Gratitude journal (above) A simple way into journalling.

All you need is a blank notebook where you can write down things for which you are grateful each day. Benefits include increased positivity and self-esteem and a less materialistic outlook.

l Nature journal (left)

A place to observe and record nature. “Whether you’re spotting plants growing from pavement cracks or listening to night birds calling in the wild, nature journalling is a tool to help you really notice what’s around you,” says Alex Boon who created this journal. @alexboonart on Insta.