A daily record: actions, feelings, observations of nature. The central tool — helps the client see the relation between actions and feelings.
Step-by-step guide
- Explain the format: three columns — actions, feelings, nature
- Every evening — 5-10 minutes of writing
- Actions: what I concretely did (facts)
- Feelings: what I felt (without evaluation)
- Nature: what I noticed in the world around me
- In session: discuss the diary. Highlight "action in spite of"
When to use
- From the first session and throughout therapy
- The main tool of Morita Therapy
Key phrases
Three columns tonight. What you did — not what you felt about doing. What you felt — plainly, no grading. And one thing from the world around you: a tree, the weather, a sound. That is the whole diary.
Follow-up questions
What did you do today — small things count?
What feelings visited — name them, don't evaluate them?
What did you notice in the world outside yourself today?
Where in today did you act in spite of what you felt?
Alternative phrasings
If 10 minutes is too much, 3 sentences is enough.
We will read the diary together — but we will not analyze the feelings. We will notice the actions.
Warnings
- ⚠️ The therapist reads the diary and comments — but does not analyze the feelings.
- ⚠️ Focus on: "You acted in spite of anxiety". Do not evaluate the "rightness" of feelings.
Source: Morita, 1928; Kondo, 1953; Reynolds, 1984
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.