

When people use writing to express themselves, Dr. A recent review of the scientific literature found that expressive writing can ease symptoms of depression, anxiety and other disorders increase psychological well-being and support resilience and recovery from trauma. Though diary-keeping has been a popular practice at least since the 10th century by women in the Japanese court, its therapeutic effects were first studied by James Pennebaker in 1986. “Wes and I had nothing to do with it,” Varshil Patel, who founded Therapy Notebooks with Wesley Zhao, said of Ms. The company received an early Instagram boost from an admirer: the actress Lili Reinhart, a star of the CW’s “Riverdale,” who has spoken openly about dealing with anxiety and depression. Therapy Notebooks has sold more than 100,000 copies of the Anti-Anxiety Notebook, which retails for $38, since it was released last summer.
Therapy notebooks how to#
“It’s hard to sift through academic literature to figure out how to deal with your anxiety.” And, he noted, “not everyone can go to therapy.” Hod Tamir, a clinical adviser to the book’s parent company, Therapy Notebooks. “When we were writing this notebook, we were thinking, ‘How do we put tools into people’s hands?’” said Dr. It takes a page, or several, from cognitive-behavioral therapy, featuring work sheets that aim to challenge cognitive distortions - the thought patterns that can make anxiety worse, such as catastrophizing (assuming the most disastrous possibility will play out) or self-blaming (“believing that you are entirely responsible for a negative situation,” as the book's appendix puts it). The Anti-Anxiety Notebook, a tidy blue-and-white volume, is one example. In the current age of self-care and self-optimization - not to mention digital overload - logbooks are resurging, this time as a means of supporting one’s mental health. So far, the notebooks have been fantastic at helping to reduce my mild remnants of anxiety and depression, as well as nudging my habits back on track.Over many centuries, journals have served as tools for recording history, as emotional outlets and as creative stimulants. I’ve done a fair bit of therapy myself in the past, and these would have been the perfect companions.Īlthough I’m no longer in therapy, I still need a little help every so often. Who would I recommend Therapy Notebooks for? I think anyone who wants to boost their mental health, with or without a therapist, would benefit from these notebooks. They’re created by mental health professionals to help you access trusted and evidence-based tools at a lower cost than therapy, figure out which strategies work for you, and boost your mental health.

Therapy Notebooks feel like a therapy session in a book, really.

Read on for my review of the Therapy Notebooks I’ve tried and tested this month:Ī quick note: I’ve bought and used the notebooks myself (and am recommending them because I think they’re great), but I may receive a commission if you make a purchase through the links included. My first thoughts? They are even more beautiful and well-made in real life than any photos (especially my own), as well as being super helpful, evidence-based self-care tools.
