How to Use Explore, Unpack and Unravel

A psychologist-designed guide to help you begin—not perfectly, but meaningfully.

Why We Made This Journal

You’re not alone in feeling overwhelmed or stuck. In therapy, one of the most grounding tools we return to is structured reflection. Because when your emotions are everywhere, structure helps make sense of the noise.

Explore, Unpack and Unravel offers that structure. It’s not a diary. It’s a framework—drawn from real sessions, tested by real people, and built for real life.

What’s Inside the Journal

Every week, you’ll move through a 3-part emotional rhythm:

• Explore – Reflective prompts to notice what’s really happening beneath the surface
• Unpack – A space to identify patterns, triggers, and long-held narratives
• Unravel – Tools to gently challenge distorted thoughts and reframe your self-talk

The process is gentle, repeatable, and layered—because clarity takes time.

How to Begin (Even If You’re Feeling Stuck)

You don’t need to wait for motivation. Just open to Week 1, read the first Explore prompt, and write one honest sentence. That’s more than enough to begin.

• Set a soft rhythm—once a week is ideal
• If you miss a week, simply start again—no catching up required
• There’s no perfect way to use this—just your way

Therapist Insight: Before journaling, try grounding your body. A warm drink, deep breath, or calming scent can help soften the mental noise.

How Long It Takes

Each week’s practice takes around 15–20 minutes, twice a week. But you can stretch it out, speed it up, or return to the same entry more than once. The goal isn’t productivity. It’s presence.

Why This Process Works

You’re not just writing your feelings down. You’re using a therapeutic process grounded in:

• CBT – to identify and reframe unhelpful thought patterns
• Narrative Therapy – to understand the stories you’ve been living by
• Reflection Rituals – so inner work becomes sustainable, not overwhelming

Over time, you’ll begin to notice the links between how you feel, think, and act. And that’s when things begin to shift.

You Might Also Like

• Sunday Journaling Series – 56 weeks of softly-structured email reflections
• Essential Oils – for calming your senses before or after emotional work
• Therapy with Us – if you’d like to bring these reflections into the room with a psychologist

A Final Note

This is slow work. But it’s real. And every time you pick up this book, even if just for a few minutes, you’re honouring a part of yourself that’s ready to be seen.

We’re here, if you ever want to talk.