Journal writing is a powerful tool for therapy, an excellent method for self examination and reflection especially for spiritual direction or development of self esteem and better self image. Journal writing allows for sharper clearer memories and diaries, but allows for more than reflections or recording daily memories, it allows for a new sense of direction and purpose. While diary writing can be equally important and can be a part of journal writing per se, there are other exercises that can be used with journals that can be very enriching. Looking at journal writing from three different perpectives, the diary method, the reality therapy method and the spiritual direction method, all illustrating effective means of writing different types of journals or integrating styles to have a more complete and complex journal.
Most people are more familiar with the idea of keeping a journal in the form of a diary.
The basic daily entry, with an internal dialogue with oneself or record of daily happenings or important thoughts. This is a good way of recording memories similar to a photo album but one painted with words. It allows for sharper memories, but also records important details. It can be important because there may be some dispute about the actual details of an incident and this can be useful to clear up what actually happened. Written records are better than personal recollection.