Sometimes we all need to take a few minutes out and focus on our mental well-being. It can be an incredibly difficult thing to do in our fast paced life focussed mainly on using technology. Well there may be a way to help you out by using a brand new journal that has been released onto the market. Victoria C Neill is the author of the book Time To Check In – a guided emotional wellbeing journal that helps you on a day-to-day basis to process any difficult feelings and emotions that you are experiencing. . I spoke to the author to find out more about it.

Hello Victoria, tell us about yourself?

Certainly. I am an integrative therapist. My main approach is Person-Centred therapy. I integrate teachings from different psychological theories that may be of help to the client that I am working with. I love to laugh, so I enjoy comedy, and I even did a stint of improv comedy. Although it feels a long time ago! I also love music and film. Connecting with family and friends is important to me, but I am an introvert, so I also need time on my own to recharge after a lot of social interaction. 

You have just released the book Time To Check In – Congratulations! What can you tell us about it?

Thank you. Time to Check In is a guided journal to help work through difficult and challenging emotional times. It is also a journal to support positive mental wellbeing.

What made you decide to create a journal?

Journaling is a common tool used in therapy (although it’s not for every client). I noticed in my work that some clients wanted to journal but expressed feeling a little stuck as to how to go about it. I would then offer them suggestions, and over time, I realised that I had developed a template that might be useful to others too. 

You are an Accredited Therapist as well – how has that helped create this journal?

Accreditation is a quality standard, which means that I have achieved the requirements and experience for advanced practice as set out by the professional body that I belong to. The experience and knowledge I have developed over the course of my practice have enabled me to create the journal.

Why is it important for people to look after their emotional wellbeing?

Having good emotional wellbeing means that you can manage your emotions and cope with the challenges that come up in life. When we experience dips in our mental health and emotional wellbeing, our ability to manage our emotions and function in our relationships, home, work, university life, etc. is negatively impacted. 

Mental Health is such an important topic these days, how can your book help people?

The journal aims to help people manage their mental health by giving them a place to process and address their thoughts and feelings. Writing out what you’re thinking and feeling is a way of offloading and gaining clarification of what is happening to you emotionally. Re-reading what you have written down can also give you a different perspective on what’s going on. 

What are your favourite parts of the book?

That’s a hard one; I hadn’t really thought about it! Probably the reflective questions. I hope that they make people pause and really think about how the question relates to them.

What would you like people to get out of your book?

I would like them to feel that they have a place to reflect freely and address any issues that they are experiencing without self-censorship or worrying about judgement from others.

If people want to find out more about Time To Check In, where can they go?

The journal is available on Lulu.com, and I have posted the link on my Instagram, victoria_chabala.

Finally in three words, why should people purchase your book?

 Emotional wellbeing matters