If you’re like most people, you’ve learned to bottle up
"unacceptable" emotions, such as anger, fear, frustration, and
grief. Sometimes, of course, the cap slips off. Then these
emotions are let loose at high intensity, though not necessarily
in the right direction. One safe way to decant any emotions—even
the most hurtful, terrifying, or sad feelings—is journal
writing. A blank sheet of paper and a pen can offer enormous
release and, possibly, insight into hidden conflicts. Writing
about traumatic events can have physical benefits, too,
according to psychologist James W. Pennebaker, who began
studying this issue in the late 1970s. A series of studies
required one group of people to write down their deepest
thoughts and feelings about the most traumatic event they
recalled. A control group wrote only about trivial events. Both
groups wrote for 15 minutes a day for four days. In one study,
the group that expressed deep emotions reported feeling better
and also had significantly fewer doctors’ visits and sympto