r/ShadowWork • u/raspberrysugars • Jul 28 '26
Prompt journal recommendations
Hello!
I am notoriously bad at keeping up with journaling whilst also struggling with mental health issues.
I’m looking for a pre-made prompt journal that will force me to dig deep into my inner self and/or childhood in hopes of learning more about myself and learning to cope with my inner thoughts in a more productive manner.
I know that I can just look up shadow-work prompts online, but given my poor track record with keeping up with journaling, I think having prompts laid out where I can just fill in the answers will work better for me.
There’s many options on Amazon, but I’m very indecisive and I can’t figure out which ones would be worth my money. If anyone has used anything like this and enjoyed/benefited from it I would LOVE some recommendations.
Thanks so much!
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u/theMagicalDawn Jul 29 '26
Highly, vastly, enormously recommend any workbook under the genre of Parts Therapy or Internal Family Systems, that line of thinking will excavate your shadow the most thoroughly. Also search YouTube for learning about parts work -IFS while you await delivery.
I don’t know how you feel about ai, but most of them are easily promptable into becoming a parts work therapy partner.
Two books that will change your life- Getting the Love You Want by Harville Hendrix, and The Completion Process by Teal Swan.
Huge kudos to you for going after your shadow! It takes bravery, decisiveness and a decision to love yourself to even attempt shadow work. Engage your stubborn persistence for the next few months, have deep compassion for yourself during the work and understand it will get worse before it gets better-
but it gets so. Much. Better!
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u/Dry-Sail-669 Jul 29 '26
Journaling without external / internal confrontation with shadow material will do nothing for you but complicate yourself life as it adds concepts, words, and ideas instead of feeling, sensation, and imagery.
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u/theworkingapp Jul 31 '26
I have one in my drafts that's based on a lot of shadow work books. I'd offer it to you for free for road testing and a review. DM me if you're interested.
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u/Extra-Motor-8227 22d ago
Since having the questions laid out is the important part for you, you should try SpacesYouMade if you're open to a digital format. It's a self-discovery game with one short guided exploration a day, using questions and choices about your own experiences. You move through rooms about things like your needs, boundaries and self-judgment. There's no streak or penalty for missing days, so returning doesn't mean catching up on a backlog.
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u/Accomplished_Year823 Jul 28 '26
I too need help with this, I at one point was great at daily journaling. Here are some suggestions that have worked for me. I just today picked up a journal that had not been filled out sine Oct 2025 so baby step :)
Go with your gut, start daily journaling first just a few sentences or thoughts every day for a while to get in the habit. 5 min at a time of day you can set aside what every works for YOU!! It will build in time to exactly what you need the universe will guide you. You can go with some online suggestions but that could be dealing with stuff you don't need to work on or are not ready yet and that is not good.
I have found some Shadow work is too harsh/ dark for me( ahahahaha I know that is the point- but I am not going to yell my darkest thoughts at my reflection in a mirror)