How to Start a Journaling Support Group

What does a “group” have to do with a singular activity like journal keeping? I maintain that a group is the best format to study journaling, share the entries in member’s journals and support each member in their journaling journey. The members of the group will motivate each other to enhance their journaling and each member will be available to hold the other members accountable to their journaling discipline.

You can start with 2-3 committed people and grow to about 6-8; more people tend to make the sharing occupy too much time. Committed, however, is the operative word: people who are committed to attend every session and committed to journal on the intervening days. Beginners or experienced people can provide good group members; a willingness to share with others is the primary prerequisite.  Meeting about 1 ½ hours per week, a support group can provide the essential thrust to keep the members energized for the week.

General rules are:

• Although sharing of their journal writings is a key element of the group covenant, “passing” is also allowed by the members.
• Members should be in a supporting and witnessing mode; not to judge or criticize another’s writing.
• Absolute confidentiality is a must; a person’s journal writings are private and can’t be repeated or discussed outside of the group. The breaking of this rule will destroy a group as well as seriously affect the members.

A simple format for a session could be:

• Welcoming Prayer and Candle Lighting.
• Group Sharing of Discoveries of journaling during the week.
• Description of the Journaling Topic for the session.
• Individual journaling on the Topic.
• Group Sharing of: the Journal Process and the journal entries on the Topic.
• Closing Prayer.

This format will fit nicely in about 1 ½ hours for 6-8 people and can easily provide that extra encouragement necessary to keep a journaling person going on, and on, and on.

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