Note-taking as a spiritual and emotional regulation tool

It might surprise you to know that I rarely "look at" my pastor while he is preaching. I find it easier to focus when I am taking notes (especially artistic ones) like the ones I took today in church from I Peter 1:3-9 (one of my all time favorite passages!)

I also recommend that my clients with high anxiety or focus concerns take notes. It's a great way to incorporate a sensory element, focus the mind, and help the nervous system stay more regulated.

Some research studies have indicated that doodling benefits memory recall, and may serve as a measure of emotional change, acting as a potential "aid in reducing burnout"

(Nash, 2021).

Another study, focusing on the use of art therapy (drawing), showed a "statistically significant difference between the educational study achievement grades before and after the therapy as well as an "improvement in the scale of feeling anxious and depressed with the use of (drawing)“ (Al-Rasheed & Al-Rasheed, 2023).

What about you? Do you take notes in church or meetings? Let me know.

-Carrie Breedlove MS, LPC

References:

Al-Rasheed, A., & Al-Rasheed, A. (2023). The value of painting as a therapeutic tool in the treatment of anxiety, depression & mental disorders. Journal name, Volume(Issue), pages. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xxx

Nash, C. (2021). Doodling as a measure of burnout in healthcare researchers. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 45(4), 565–598. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11013-020-09697-