How This CNM Instructor Uses Journaling Workshops to Help Students Manage Stress

CNM English program instructor Dr. Jessica Maggie Brophy knows that students deal with a lot of stress at the end of each term. That’s why Jessica worked with Wellness CNM to create a journaling workshop at the end of this month that will help students end the term in a focused and calm way.

“Providing a healing and wellness-focused environment at a workshop has been a wonderful way for me to support students during vital times in the term,” she says.

Jessica earned her Journal to the Self certificate from the Therapeutic Writing Institute three years ago, and was looking for a way to share what she learned with students. When Wellness CNM launched last year, she knew it was the perfect partnership. 

This will actually be her third workshop for the 2023 Fall Term. She hosted workshops at the beginning and midpoint that helped students think about gratefulness and self compassion. The third and final workshop, “Don’t Panic: Journaling for Stress Relief” is happening on Nov. 28.

“This last workshop will include lots of short bursts of writing and timed writing exercises that will help students quickly clear their minds,” Jessica says. “This workshop will also be a great opportunity for students who have never journaled before because the exercises are simple and fast-paced.”

Ultimately, Jessica hopes these workshops provide students with a safe and empowering space for them to take a break and explore their emotions. 

“Journaling workshops like these exist so we can express ourselves, which is something we hear about a lot but aren’t always taught how to do,” she says. “I hope these workshops help students express themselves and that they leave with a sense of clarity, empowerment, and greater awareness. This last workshop is a great way for students to show up for themselves during a stressful time in the school year.”