During one of our organization’s Mindful Monday sessions, my co-facilitator Lindsey and I facilitated a “Safe Place Journal” workshop paired with junk journaling for 22 staff members representing diverse roles across our organization. Because staff spend so much of their time supporting others, we wanted to create a space where they could slow down, reflect, and focus on their own wellness through mindfulness and creativity.
We began the session with a guided meditation that invited participants to imagine a place where they felt safe, calm, and grounded. As I facilitated the meditation, Lindsey and another colleague, Yolanda, walked around the room softly playing chimes, helping create a peaceful atmosphere that allowed participants to settle into the moment and disconnect from the stress of the workday.
After the meditation, each participant received their own journal and was introduced to the practice of junk journaling. My co-facilitator shared examples from her own journal and explained how each page or spread can look completely different depending on the person’s mood, memories, interests, or even colors they feel drawn to in the moment. We also talked about the purpose behind the practice and how creative expression can support mindfulness, emotional processing, and self-care.
As participants began creating, the room shifted from quiet reflection to meaningful conversation and shared creativity. Some participants exchanged ideas while others worked quietly and intentionally through their pages. One participant shared that traditional written journaling has always felt difficult and overwhelming for them, but junk journaling felt much more approachable because it allowed them to express themselves creatively without the pressure of finding the “right” words.
What felt most meaningful about the workshop was seeing staff members give themselves permission to pause and engage in something purely for their own well-being. By the end of the session, many participants were excited to continue using their journals beyond Mindful Monday as a creative outlet they could return to whenever they needed a moment of calm or reflection.
