★ PTSDIY · Field Manual ★ Part III ★
Chapter 15
Journaling and expressive writing
Get it out of your head
FM 15-JRN-101Run time 15–20 min
15-1.Mission brief
Thoughts that circle in your head can feel endless. On paper they become finite, something you can look at from the outside. Writing is also private, free, and available at 3 a.m.
15-2.Intel
Expressive writing studies show modest benefits for stress and health in general populations; results for PTSD are mixed on their own. A structured version, Written Exposure Therapy (Chapter 20), is strongly supported for PTSD when done with a therapist.
15-3.Field procedures — three formats
| 01 | Daily logThree lines: what happened, how I felt, one thing that went okay. Builds the habit. | 3 min |
| 02 | Expressive writingWrite about a difficult experience and how it affected you, nonstop, for 15–20 minutes, three or four days in a row. Spelling doesn't matter. Nobody reads it. | 20 min |
| 03 | Values letterWrite to yourself a year from now about the life you're building. Bridges to Chapter 33. | 15 min |
15-4.Rules of engagement
Writing about trauma usually feels worse briefly before it feels better. If it floods you or you lose time, stop, ground (Chapter 5), and switch to present-focused writing. Deep trauma writing is best done inside Written Exposure Therapy with support.
15-5.Common faults & corrections
| ✕ | Fault: Rereading and ruminatingCorrection: Writing is for getting it out. You don't have to read it again. |
| ✕ | Fault: Editing as you goCorrection: Don't stop to fix sentences. Keep the pen moving. |
Companion episode — [IN PROGRESS]
PTSDIY · FM 15-JRN-101 · Part III15