As a clinical psychologist, I am a big believer in the power of gratitude. This blogpost cites a number of studies that help to validate the positive impact of having a gratitude practice. The studies are not the reason I am writing this blog post, however.

I am writing it for people like my patient Mr. Wilson (not his real name). This patient has been mild to moderately depressed for much of his life. I have treated him for three of those years, with little change. Partly in desperation, I recommended that he begin a gratitude journal. Six months later, he reports, “It has changed my life.” Now, he still gets depressed from time to time, so it is not a cure-all, but it has enabled him to see the world in a different way. He is still working hard in therapy and on other lifestyle changes, but he attributes much of his stabilization to the gratitude practice.

I am also writing this blog post for people like myself. I try to utilize all the strategies that I recommend to others in therapy so that I can speak with more authenticity and from a position of experience. I finally began keeping a gratitude journal last year. While I do find it helpful for mood, an added benefit is that I enjoy looking back to special days, mostly with my children. I find it is a way to preserve priceless memories since we know that children........

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