El Paso Community College opened its doors today to a workshop centered around the craft of journaling as a means for mental health support. This event, held at the Northwest campus, was not just an academic endeavor but a communal gathering designed to provide participants with insights into how the simple act of journaling could be a significant tool in managing mental health, combating stress, and navigating personal trauma.
The workshop was guided by Tony Procell, an English professor at EPCC, who shared his extensive experience with journaling. As reported by EPCC News, Procell has kept journals since 1982, amassing over 150 volumes of personal reflections. "It's something that I have done since 1982, so I have over 150 journals that I have amassed," Procell said, illustrating his commitment to the practice. Now, shifting from an initial faculty-focused event, he opened the conversation to a wider demographic, encompassing students, faculty, staff, as well as members of the general public.
According to EPCC News, Procell's journey with journaling began in his high school years and evolved to become a thrice-weekly ritual. "It's basically my reaction to life's stimuli," he explained. His experience highlights journaling as an effective strategy for dealing with various mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, mood swings, and PTSD. Procell’s approach emphasizes that journaling isn't just about chronicling daily events, but about understanding thought patterns and triggers to foster personal growth and achieve life goals.
"Journaling can help you reflect on past experiences, which helps you identify triggers, and assists you to plan life to reach life dreams, that sort of thing," said Procell, as obtained by EPCC News, underscoring the introspective and forward-looking aspects of the process. He describes journaling as a "physical representation of our thoughts" that allows for self-evaluation and development. This aspect becomes an integral part of his teachings, as participants learn to materialize their internal dialogues onto paper, thus enabling them to revisit and reflect upon their cognitive paths.
