What's the Purpose of Journals?

Summary

The Dr. Laura Podcast
Episode: "What's the Purpose of Journals?"
Date: April 2, 2026
Host: Dr. Laura Schlessinger

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Dr. Laura Podcast centers on the value and purpose of journaling. Dr. Laura answers a listener’s question about why people keep journals, who journals are really for, and what to do with them after years of writing. Throughout the episode, Dr. Laura explores the emotional, psychological, and practical benefits of journaling, giving listeners concrete advice, reflections from her own life, and her usual blend of humor and candor.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Journals as Tools for Self-Awareness and Emotional Processing

• Dr. Laura opens the show by addressing LJ’s email about journaling.
• Purpose of Journaling:
  • Promotes self-awareness: Writing encourages reflection on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
  • Quote: “Therapists like to tell people to start writing journals for a reason. Self awareness. If you’re sitting there contemplating what you’re thinking, feeling, doing, and you’re writing it down so your eyeballs can actually see—it's sort of the notion of 'do you hear yourself?' This is 'do you see yourself?'” (03:19)
• Journals offer a way to process emotions, giving space to vent privately instead of overburdening friends and family.
  • “Not everybody wants to hear your stuff again. And again and again and again when they’re not getting paid for it.” (03:58)

2. Recognizing Growth and Patterns

• Journals document change over time.
  • Looking back at past entries, people often note personal growth and solutions to old problems.
  • “You can go back and go, wow, I’ve grown a lot. I used to whine and complain and worry about X, Y, and Z and I don’t anymore. I found a way to deal with it and you can impress yourself.” (03:35)
• They help recognize persistent patterns that may need addressing.

3. Journals as Emotional and Cognitive Tools

• Journaling serves multiple purposes beyond simply recording events.
  • Venting and stress reduction: Expressing emotions in writing can be cathartic and reduce stress.
  • Gaining perspective: Seeing written thoughts can sometimes make problems seem less daunting.
  • Organization: Helps clarify ideas and plan solutions.
  • “When you write a paragraph and go back and look at it, you might say, well, that’s a bit dark. It’s not really that bad. Start thinking about it again.” (06:41)
• Goal setting and tracking progress: Journals can track personal achievements or changes.

4. The Private Nature of Journals (and How to Protect Them)

• Key Advice: Keep journals private to encourage honesty and protect sensitive thoughts.
  • “If you don’t leave it where other people can find it, it’s private... get a little safe... you can put your journal in there and lock it up or somebody is going to read it, guaranteed. If I come by, I’m going to read it. I’m not going to respect your privacy—it’s too juicy.” (06:19)
• Humorously suggests not labeling journals as “private—do not read,” since this only makes others more curious.
• Recommends small personal safes (bought at gun shops, in her example), noting they’re more manageable than large safes.

5. Practical Approaches to Journaling

• Journaling styles can vary:
  • Write about daily experiences, both positive and negative.
  • Document progress toward goals.
  • Use free writing to clear mental clutter.
  • Focus on positives to boost mood.
• It’s a highly personal practice; there’s no single right way.

6. Journals Versus Diaries

• Diaries are usually records of events, while journals tend to be more emotional, analytical, or therapeutic.

7. Dr. Laura’s Final Take

• Journaling is recommended as a valuable tool for self-understanding and managing stress, provided you take steps to maintain privacy.
  • “If you want a journal, I think it’s a good idea. My only caveat: lock it in a little safe.” (09:31)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On why to journal:

  • “It’s a tool where you can organize your thoughts and you make a record of your life and the events. Kind of like a diary but more emotional.” (04:27)

• On privacy:

  • “Don’t put 'private do not read.' That just makes people salivate over opening it up.” (06:16)
  • “If I come by, I’m going to read it. I’m not going to respect your privacy—it’s too juicy.” (06:27)

• On recognizing patterns:

  • “You can recognize patterns—ooh, I keep doing that, don’t I?” (06:53)

• On the benefits:

  • “Journaling is a personal practice. It’s supposed to help you de-stress and better understand yourself and your life.” (08:02)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------| | 01:01 | Episode opens and Dr. Laura reads LJ’s email | | 03:19 | Dr. Laura explains the self-awareness benefits | | 04:27 | Distinction between diaries and journals | | 06:06 | Privacy advice and humorous anecdotes about safes | | 08:02 | Options for journaling practices and focus | | 09:31 | Dr. Laura’s concluding thoughts on journaling |

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Summary

Dr. Laura uses her signature wit and insight to explore the many purposes of journaling—from emotional venting and stress reduction to gaining self-awareness and tracking personal growth. She encourages listeners to journal if they feel inclined, but with one clear warning: keep your journal private and secure! For Dr. Laura, the value of journaling is as much about personal catharsis and reflection as it is about documenting life’s journey.

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Useful for:

• Anyone considering starting or returning to journaling
• Those seeking tools for self-understanding and stress management
• Listeners interested in Dr. Laura's practical, no-nonsense advice

Transcript

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[B]

Look, if you've got prescriptions, the Walmart app is your place to manage them, transfer your scripts, refill them and have them delivered straight to you. Migraines, managed allergies, alleviated dermatology, Derma delivered Ding dong. Is that your pizza? Nope. Walmart Pharmacy delivery with a refill. Switch to Walmart and manage your prescriptions in the app. The Walmart you thought you knew is now new delivery. Not available for all prescriptions. Exclusions apply.

[C]

So it's a safe private. If you don't leave it where other people can find it, it's private outlet. Don't put private do not read that. Just makes people salivate over opening it up. Just put it someplace. Get a little they have little safes where you can go to a gun shop and get a little safe and you can put your journal in there and lock it up or somebody is going to read it, guaranteed. If I come by, I'm going to read it. I'm not going to respect your privacy. It's too. It's too juicy. So don't do that. Lock it up. So for a lot of people, they get to vent. That can reduce their stress, manage symptoms, because instead of just sitting there, woe is me. I hate life. You're writing and looking at it, and somehow when you write a paragraph and go back and look at it, you might say, well, that's a bit dark. It's not really that bad. Start thinking about it again. I think it can be very good. You're documenting your thoughts, your experiences gives you some opportunity to gain perspective on yourself, your actions. You can recognize patterns. Ooh, I keep doing that, don't I? It's a tangible record of memories, special events, but that's more like it's a diary. But a journal can be sort of both. Writing about the challenges you have gives you opportunity to think on paper, find solutions, write down goals. I'm just winging it here, trying to think of. I mean, it has its place. So you want to start journaling. A lot of ways to do that. You can explore your thoughts and feelings about your daily experiences. You can just write whatever comes to your mind to clear the mental clutter. It's just, you can focus on positive aspects of your day to try to boost your mood. You can document your progress in whatever it is. So journaling is a personal practice. It's supposed to help you de stress and better understand yourself in your life. I think I covered a lot of ground, so if you want to do that, fine. My only caveat, lock it in a little safe. I don't know where else my little safe I got at the gun shop when I bought another gun. Yeah, and I don't use it for guns. That's a separate issue. Use it for other things because they're sort of small, easier to handle than Fort Knox level things. So if you want a journal, I think it's a good idea. My number, 1-800-375-2872. If you like this podcast, be sure to rate it on Apple podcasts or your favorite place to listen to my podcast, of course. I'd love if you gave me five stars. And be sure to share this podcast with a friend on Facebook or your preferred social media platform.

[B]

Look, if you've got prescriptions, the Walmart app is your place to manage them. Transfer your scripts, refill them, and have them delivered straight to you. Migraines, managed allergies, alleviated dermatology, Derma delivered. Ding dong. Is that your pizza? Nope. Walmart pharmacy delivery with a refill. Switch to Walmart and manage your prescriptions in the app. The Walmart you thought you knew is now. New delivery not available for all prescriptions. Exclusions apply.