20 Journal Prompts for Grief and Healing
Grief can feel like a tangled knot of emotions—sadness, anger, regret, guilt, even relief. Sometimes, those feelings are so layered and complicated that it’s hard to know where to start.
Journaling can help you begin.
Writing creates a private, non-judgmental space where you can express what’s swirling inside, explore the unique nature of your relationship with the person you lost, and begin making sense of your emotions. You don’t need to be “a writer” to journal through grief. You just need a pen, paper, and a willingness to show up for yourself.
These journal prompts for grief and healing are designed to help you move gently through your loss—whether you start days, months, or even years after someone dies.
Why Journaling Helps in Grief
When you’re grieving, your thoughts and feelings can feel like they have nowhere to go. Journaling gives them a home.
Emotional release: Writing helps you release emotions you might not feel ready to say out loud.
Clarity: Putting feelings into words can help you understand them better.
Connection: Recording memories preserves your bond with your loved one.
Perspective: Looking back at earlier entries shows how your grief changes over time.
How to Use These Prompts
There’s no right or wrong way to use these prompts. You can:
Pick one a day or one a week.
Skip a question if it feels too heavy—come back to it later.
Write without editing or censoring yourself.
Set a timer for 5–10 minutes and see what comes up.
Journal Prompts for Exploring Complicated Emotions in Grief
Grief often brings up emotions that feel “messy” or even contradictory. These prompts can help you put words to those feelings and see what they might be trying to tell you:
Identify the important moments in your relationship. For each moment, what felt left unsaid?
What moments did you identify an unmet need in the relationship, and how did you handle that?
What’s your relationship to repair and forgiveness? How does it differ when you apply it to yourself?
Were there any moments where you regret how you showed up? What would you do differently now?
What do you know about that person’s relationship to repair? What did they value?
If you knew you would be attuned to and exquisitely held, what would you let yourself feel that you don’t usually allow?
What would an ideal response look like to what you’re feeling right now?
Are there any aspects of this loss you can make space for yourself now?
What’s your relationship like to anger?
What conflicting feelings do you notice show up in relationship to the loss?
Journal Prompts for Exploring the Unique Nature of Your Relationship
Every relationship is made up of both beautiful and complicated moments. These prompts help you explore the full spectrum:
What parts of you are like that person?
What parts of you are not like that person?
What did you learn from them?
What did you not enjoy or respect about them?
What were the highlights of your relationship?
What were the moments you felt the most met and connected?
What were your greatest challenges or moments of disconnection?
What do you wish you could tell them now?
If you could have a day with them now, how would you spend it?
If you could redo a day you had in the past with them, what would you change and why?
Tips for Staying Consistent
Keep your journal somewhere visible, like on your nightstand or desk.
Use voice-to-text if writing feels overwhelming.
Set a small goal, like one prompt a week, to keep it manageable.
You Don’t Have to Journal Alone
Journaling is powerful, but you don’t have to do the work of grief in isolation.
If you’d like to share your reflections, be witnessed in your process, or explore your writing in community, consider joining a monthly grief support group or working 1:1 with a grief counselor.