Pandemic Grief Journal Prompts

Last month, my friend and colleague Liz Fitzgerald (LCSW) and I co-hosted an event to mark the anniversary of the pandemic called Compassionate Witnessing For Our Collective Pandemic Grief. We had nearly 100 participants from all over the world come together to share their stories, engage in reflective journaling and practice a guided self compassion meditation led by Liz.

We shared a few journaling prompts for participants to choose from centered around grief related to the pandemic. I wanted to share those prompts here for those who weren't able to attend the event but still want to engage in some self reflection on their pandemic grief.

I want to name the fact that grief work is hard. It's messy, non linear and ongoing. Some of these prompts may bring up a lot of feelings for you, and that's okay. We wanted a few different prompt options so that people could choose what most resonated with them. Feel free to try some or all of these, modify them in any way, or even use them as a starting point to create your own. My personal favorite is the last option, write a love letter to yourself.

A lot of my clients have shared with me that they aren't sure how to process grief or don't know where to begin. I hope these prompts are a helpful starting point for you.

Journal Prompts

• Write about some of the losses associated with and/or exacerbated by the pandemic, examples may be related to: 

  • Loss of self (identity, confidence, personality…)

  • Loss of security (emotional, physical, financial, trust, health, socio-political concerns…)

  • Loss of meaning (goals, faith, spiritual connectedness, will, ability to dream and be creative, lifestyle, activities/hobbies, belief in potential, sense of possibility and access to joy…)

  • Loss of relationships (community, religious/spiritual affiliations, death and access to grieving rituals, loss or changes in relationships…)

• Write a poem or song about your experience with grief and loss over the past 5 years. If you’re so inclined, perhaps you might want to draw, paint or create some other form of art to express your feelings. Use whatever medium or mediums speak to you.

• What has changed for you since the start of the pandemic, your perspective on life and relationships, your values, etc. Have there been any positive changes?

• Write a love letter to yourself — reflect on how you have changed and grown since the start of the pandemic and the lessons you have learned; give your past and/or future self advice and words of encouragement, wisdom and/or compassion. Imagine what you might most want to hear from a wise and caring other, and offer those to yourself.