Denise Chrisman

Not all girls like to write. If writing is a struggle and journaling becomes a forced, unpleasant experience, she will not benefit from it. One of the reasons we journal is to express our inner thoughts and feelings. There are other ways to accomplish this without writing lengthy passages.

Have her create a journal using pictures that spark an interest or evoke an emotion. These pictures can be drawn by hand or cut from magazines. She may want to write a few words about the emotion or simply label the picture. She may have pictures labeled "Anger" "Hurt" "Joy", etc. She may scribble or doodle. The point of the exercise is having her connect with her inner thoughts and getting her comfortable with her own thoughts and feelings.

If she chooses this type of journal, as with other journals it is necessary to respect her privacy. If she chooses to share, listen. If she chooses to keep her journal private, respect her decision.