Journaling in Technicolor: Healing with Words and Chromotherapy
By Nella Rohan, ArtWell Staff Writer
Guided Healing
A couple of years ago, during the collective global trauma known as COVID-19, I led guided journal sessions with custom prompts accompanied by groovy instrumentals like Alchemist beats. I was nervous and a bit reluctant. While I knew how important and healing journaling had been for me throughout my life, I wasn't sure how receptive people would be to a public offering. After all, journaling is simply writing down thoughts and feelings to understand them better. Why would people need a docent for the process?
Surprisingly, many people showed up eager to engage, relieved to have someone offering prompts and holding space for them to explore their inner worlds. That day, I learned that people craved emotional release and appreciated having a safe container with like-minded individuals—all dealing with a kaleidoscope of issues yet seeking mental clarity and trying to make sense of their lives in the context of global upheaval.
The Power of the Pen
I began that session by discussing the psychological and physiological benefits of a regular journaling practice. In 2020, Greater Good Magazine published the article “How Journaling Can Help You in Hard Times,” which discusses a 2006 study that discovered journaling could significantly improve the health of those who are immune-compromised and even make vaccines more effective (Kira M. Newland, 2020).
The UCLA-Berkeley publication article also highlighted additional journaling benefits:
Mental Health: Manage anxiety by identifying triggers and anxious episodes
Reduce Stress
Boost Memory, Comprehension, and Working Memory
Boost the Immune System (people who journaled about upsetting experiences reported higher antibodies)
Boost Self-Confidence
Enhance Emotional Intelligence
Enhance Creativity
Develop Critical Thinking Skills
Improve Sleep
Heighten Academic Achievement
Color Your Mind: Chromotherapy and Expression
I then explained the importance of writing with pens in colors that resonate with your emotions or desired state—for example, using a red pen to underscore feelings of rage, anger, or frustration or writing with an aquamarine blue pen to foster a sense of peace and security. Color therapy, or chromotherapy, is an alternative remedy that uses colors and light to treat physical and mental health issues by balancing the body's energy centers or chakras. This practice is ancient; Egyptians used sun-activated solariums with colored glass for therapeutic purposes. Today, chromotherapy is leveraged as a powerful component of art therapy.
Beyond Words
We often stress the importance of arts education for students, but journaling—an often overlooked practice—is just as vital for creative expression. As a Teaching Artist, I incorporated free writing at the beginning of each ArtWell workshop to help students express emotions and ground themselves. Knowing how chromotherapy can compound journaling's healing benefits will shape how I introduce this practice to students in the future.
Journaling can also serve as a precursor to art projects. However, art journaling is distinct—an open-ended art form free from boundaries, rules, or expectations. Students can use a bound book or loose paper, focusing solely on creating for creativity's sake. Art journaling emphasizes self-expression rather than specific outcomes or goals. By combining colors, patterns, textures, words, and paint, students can immerse themselves in the process.
No Pressure, Just Play
This freeform approach is liberating and confidence-boosting. Without the pressure of presenting their creations for scrutiny, students can indulge in playful exploration. Art journaling provides a space to practice techniques they've learned without aiming for a particular composition.
Unlike traditional journaling, art journaling invites ephemeral materials like ticket stubs, photos, and other mementos. It blends writing, doodling, drawing, collaging, painting, and sketching. The focus is on letting the process flow.
From Pages to Person Growth
Journaling is underrated, especially given how accessible and affordable it is. Adding color therapy enhances its healing potential. Expanding journaling in our classrooms to include art journaling provides a freeing experience that allows students to process challenging emotions creatively. Combining collage, painting, writing, and other mediums, students can explore their inner worlds without pressure.
ArtWell’s programs give students the therapeutic benefits of artmaking without the stress of grades. Art journaling offers a private space for color, words, and self-expression. The health benefits—enhanced self-awareness, reduced stress and anxiety and alleviated trauma symptoms—are invaluable, particularly for students in Philadelphia neighborhoods affected by systemic challenges.
While journaling is no substitute for professional therapy, it is a powerful tool to help students begin to unpack and make sense of their world. It's a lifelong skill that fosters resilience, creativity, and emotional clarity.