revisiting the benefits of visual journaling

"Visual journals are places to play with ideas, 

to contain emotions and life's dramas, 

and to serve as a source of self-care..."  - Cathy Malchiodi

visual journal entries by young children
in the Create Everyday Classroom

 "...like an actual diary, they are meant to document day-to-day experiences, activities, and emotions and are often autobiographical in nature. Although they are defined as an art form, visual journals have been used for centuries as records of ideas and imagination...the regular practice of creating via an art journal can reduce your heart rate, increase serotonin flow and immune cells, and decrease stress responses."

- Psychology Today

In art classes with the topic of Visual Journaling, we create entries based on prompts like this:

more benefits of visual journaling from Rich Goidel: