Collage Journaling and Mental Health
I’ve recently ‘discovered’ collage journaling. In November of 2020 years of neglecting self-care came back to haunt me in the form of several health issues. Since then I’ve been on a journey to get healthy, and recently at the suggestion of my doctor, that has included my mental health in the form of therapy. A part of that therapy is journaling. My problem is that I’m really, really bad at sitting down and writing words in a journal. I’m much more apt to create art in a journal than write paragraphs. Which has led me to collage journaling for my mental health.
In a handmade journal I received for Christmas, I’ve begun creating collages, very similar to what I might put in a junk journal, and theme them according to what I might be feeling or discovering in my therapy sessions. I create a collage on the right-hand side and leave the left-hand side empty just in case I suddenly get motivated to write about it too. Below is an example of my latest creation in collage journaling therapy.
Sometimes those of us with a creative mindset need to adjust how we do things. Art journals and collage journals can be a great way to get what you’re feeling down on paper if you’re like me and can’t seem to find the words.
This is almost exactly what I do; only I combine it with Junk Journaling. I always leave plenty of room for writing or displaying photos. On occasion I paint or draw instead of collage but usually collage. I find that so satisfying.