Creative Journalling for Wellbeing

Person writing in a blank journal with a cup of coffee and polaroid photographs on the table.

Embrace yourself. One pen stroke at a time.

Imagine you’ve had a tough day. One where everything that could go wrong, went wrong. One where you tried to hold it all together. One where you barely make it through. But you have no one to talk to or at least no one who understands your struggles.

Now imagine, there’s a safe space — where you can be vulnerable, open, and honest about yourself and your life. A positive place without criticism, judgement, or fault-finding.

That’s what a journal can be for you. It’s your map to coming home to yourself, in your own hands.

Maybe you’ve heard of journalling. Perhaps beginning to journal was even your New Year’s Resolution… But how do you actually…start? What do you…you know, write? How do you face the blank page, and what all the emotions it brings up for you?

Photograph of coloured pens in a jam jar, shot from above, multicoloured lids on display

Introducing Therapeutic Creative Journalling™ — a self-compassionate, trauma-informed journalling style pioneered by wellness provocateur and dedicated journaller, Grace Quantock. It combines therapeutic writing, art journaling, structured and free-writing journalling styles to help you develop your own organic journalling practice. Therapeutic Art Journalling™ offers you a self-compassionate space you can access at any time. It’s a safe space where you can practice being more and more fully you.

Person painting roses on a blank book with a watercolour palette of paints open on the table

About your teacher

Grace Quantock in blue shirt in forestAbout your teacher, Grace Quantock is a psychotherapeutic counsellor, writer, and workshop facilitator. She has trained in workshop leadership with best-selling author and workshop leader Jennifer Louden. Grace’s journalling practice has helped carry her through serious illness, grief, and pain. Grace has studied therapeutic art; her practice is inspired by the work of Marion Woodman, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Marlene Schiwy, Aviva Gold, and Cathy Malchiodi.


Common questions answered:

  • What is journaling?
  • Should I do a bullet journal? Or do I mean a planner? Or a colouring book? Maybe hand lettering? Is a journal like a diary? A gratitude journal? A line-a-day journal? What’s the difference?
  • I started journalling but couldn’t continue. How do I start journalling again?
  • How will journalling actually help me?
  • How can I make time to journal? I’m so busy!
  • I don’t want to re-read my journal entries. Do I have to?
  • I never keep up habits, how can I make this work for me?
  • I hate my handwriting, how can I journal?

Person sitting on steps, holding an open book, photographed from chest down, wearing denim jeans and jacket.

How can journaling help me?

Journaling can help us:

  • Find a safe space to contain our emotions
  • Figure out decisions, practising discernment
  • Discover our voice and what is truly ours
  • Notice painful dynamics or patterns in which we are struggling
  • Create in a way that feels contained
  • Weed out the ideas and fears that are pushed upon us
  • Recognise where and how we need support
  • Practice mindfulness in a grounded, embodied way
  • Bring a writing practice into our self-care practice
  • Cope with a busy life and busy mind
  • Manage medical appointments and new information
  • Resource ourselves after depleting times
  • Develop an accessible daily creative practice

…and so much more.

Therapeutic Art Journalling™ is like a cup of good coffee with a friend who really gets you, but it’s available anywhere, any time. Even at 3am.

Sign up to the newsletter to be notified of upcoming workshops.

Upcoming Workshops


  • Sunday 31st March 2024 10am – 12 midday – Creative Journalling for Wellbeing 1: A Therapeutic Art Journal Workshop, via Zoom, get details and sign up here.

 

  • Sunday 26th May 2024 10am – 12 midday – Creative Journalling Workshop 2: Reclaiming Our Voices & Journal as a Sacred Container, via Zoom, get details and sign up here.

 

  • Sunday 30th June 2024 10am – 12 midday – Creative Journalling Workshop: Reflective writing – journalling for helpers and healers, via Zoom, get details and sign up here.

 

  • Sunday 25th August 2024 10am – 12 midday – Creative Journalling Retreat: Art & Story Retreat Day, via Zoom, get details and sign up here. 

 

  • Sunday 15th December 2024 10am – 12 midday – Gathering Ourselves: Creative Therapeutic Writing & Journaling to Resource in Tough Times, via Zoom, get details and sign up here.



table of art materials and candles shot from above

Previous Workshops:

Light shining through pine boughts that are a grey green in the light.

Gathering Ourselves: Creative Therapeutic Writing & Journaling to Resource in Tough Times

Do you struggle with the darker months?

Maybe you find winter a challenging time and are already dreading the shortening days. 

I’m gathering a group of women and femmes to come together and explore what we are taking with us into our futures.

We will work with the myth of Persephone and Demeter, creative therapeutic journaling and mindful movement. Using creative arts, writing, mindful movement and guided reflections, we will explore the harvest that you are carrying into winter. We will share resources that you can use in the darker days and explore what solace is for you and where it can be accessed.

If you are wanting to approach the winter from a new, healing perspective, come and join us as we explore ourselves in this deep and compassionate workshop.

Venue:

Via Zoom. You can sign up for a free account and read a simple how-to guide to Zoom calls here.

Time and Date:

Date: Saturday 14th November 2020

Time: 10.00am – 1pm 

Over 16s only at this time.

You need to bring yourself and a fave pen/pencil and a notebook/ journal/exercise book/paper to write on.

Very limited places are available, given the deep nature of the work.

Book your place now.


Payment Options




Journal Cafe| A monthly journal club for accountability and support

bullet journal flay lay

Want support, solidarity, compassion and accountability on your journalling journey? Join our monthly journalling club. It’s a facilitated space to journal, explore and connect together. This isn’t a taught session, but a facilitated space to gather and refuel.

Venue:

Get monthly journal updates, prompts, mini-classes and support to enjoy at home. Delivered via Patreon, subscribe here

There is a charge for the eyeing of my scars: marginalised voices writing about our pain. Tuesday 28th July 2020

There Is a Charge For the Eyeing Of My Scars: Marginalised Voices Writing About Pain

In this workshop, we’ll reflect on and process the gaslighting, manipulation and abuse of marginalised stories being mined/stolen and shared. 

We’ll explore questions including: 

– What’s the appetite for our pain? Who is the audience? What’s trained their tastes until now? 

– What’s the cost to us of writing about our pain and trauma?

– How does our story fit into the wider conversations? Where is our value recognised (or not) in the world? 

– How can we centre our joy when we’re only asked about our pain?

– How can we write both pain and joy in a trauma-informed way?

– Equipping for editing: how to handle cuts to our personal history.

This FREE workshop is made possible by a Literature Wales and The Royal College of Psychiatrists Wales commission.

This workshop is exclusively for marginalised writers. Sign up here.

Cwmbran, May 2019: Creative Journalling for Wellbeing: Reclaiming Our Voices & Journal as a Sacred Container

A space to dive deeper into journalling. Exploring the journal as a sacred container to gather our lost or scattered pieces. To find, uncover, recover our authentic voices. To hear what we really want to say and be witnessed in that discovery.

Chepstow, March 19: Creative Journalling Retreat: Art & Story Retreat Day 

Join Grace on 20th March 2019 for Creative Journalling Retreat: Art & Story Retreat Day. This is a retreat day — day to pause, come home to yourself, and deepen your connection to your own voice. Because this event takes place on the spring equinox, we will be working with myths of spring, returning and re-emergence, and the myth of Persephone. Explore the accessible tool of creative journalling in a held, therapeutic space. This event will take place at the beautiful Gestalt Centre Wales, in the heart of Chepstow. Art materials and vegan gluten-free refreshments included.

Bristol, March 19: Queer Creative Journalling Workshop: Exploring Queerness Through Journalling.

Want to explore queerness and embodiment through creative journaling? A collaborative workshop using journaling to explore queerness with Elizabeth Cooper, founder of Queer Body Love Sunday, March 10th, 2019 in Bristol, England! Spots are very limited so we can create a cozy environment where you will be well-held. We’ll have vegan refreshments and you’ll also receive your very own journal.

Newport, March 19: Queer Creative Journalling Workshop: Exploring Queerness Through Journalling.

Explore reclaiming your voice with creative journalling at the Riverfront Theatre Newport on International Women’s Day 2019. Writer, psychotherapeutic depth coach and journalling teacher Grace Quantock is teaching a workshop to help you speak out (on the page and in the world). Delving into the history of women’s voices being dismissed or disbelieved in western culture, how writing can help us discover our voice in the maelstrom of painful messages in modern society and how to make your mark. This powerful experience can ignite your creativity and voice this International Women’s Day.

Cwmbran, Feb 19: Creative Journalling for Wellbeing: a Therapeutic Art Journal Workshop

Let’s explore how your journal can be a safe space — where you can be vulnerable, open, and honest about yourself and your life. A positive place without criticism, judgement, or fault-finding. It’s your map to coming home to yourself, in your own hands. Maybe you’ve heard of journalling. Perhaps beginning to journal was even your New Year’s Resolution… But how do you actually…start? What do you…you know, write? How do you face the blank page, and what all the emotions it brings up for you? This workshop introduces you to the core elements of Creative Therapeutic Journalling ™ and how to ignite your at-home practice that’s supportive and sustainable.

N.B: If you’d like me to bring Therapeutic Art Journalling™to your event, venue, therapeutic or retreat space, email grace AT gracequantock.com

P. S If you’d rather work individually, Grace offers inclusive psychotherapeutic counselling in Cwmbran and Chepstow via secure video conferencing or by telephone during Covid-19, click here for details or email grace AT gracequantock.com


Grace counselling

DISCLAIMER
Grace Quantock Trailblazing Wellness Ltd aims to describe and display our products and services as accurately as possible. However, we cannot guarantee their uses for your particular circumstances and purposes. Please do not accept that the product descriptions contained on this website are entirely accurate, current, or error-free. No refunds are offered as these are live classes. Occasionally, we may correct errors in pricing and merchandise descriptions. If allergies are a concern you need to check carefully before purchase that the items you are purchasing are suitable. Please check with a doctor or other certified medical professional.