Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
It is time for dinner! Learning how to create safe spaces in your environment can begin at the dinner table. With the decline of everyday family mealtime, it has to be an intentional setting to bring people together. Are you willing to create a safe space for family or friends? Is it time to recreate a safe space at a dinner table?
For a few minutes, let us revisit a previous blog conversation about safe spaces (July 17, 2021; My Own Safe Space – For Real). Since that time, I have evolved in my thinking. I find that there is a connection to safe spaces and journaling. First, embrace the ideal of journaling as part of one’s wellness/mental health program. In the beginning, the purpose of my journaling was to share thoughts with my grandsons. It was a safe space to share with them. As life brings changes, so does the purpose for journaling. Journaling can be a useful tool for distressing and reflecting because it is intentional writing.
What is the Connection between Journaling and Safe Spaces?
Research shows that journaling clearly increases goal achievement, improves mental health, enhances creativity, and encourages greater self-awareness. So, let’s talk at the dinner table with those same initiatives in mind. Gather your group and “Set the Dinner-Table.” Your family or friends deserve that quiet time for a safe space of sharing.
Let’s start with examples of open-ended questions (who, what, where, when, why, and how).
The Magic of Open-Ended Questions
Visualize your setting. Each place setting is tailored to your guests. Draw their attention to a crafted journal. Toast them with questions that draw attention to positive or negative events; help each person to understand root causes of hidden trauma or challenges; encourage; build trust among this group; provide a safe space for listening and sincere care. Celebrate your progress.
Here is a guide for each type of question:
- Elicit insight into relationship(s) (The Who)
- Lead/identify facts (The What)
- Enable discussion about the place/environment (The Where)
- Bring about the timing of a problem, including what happened, immediately before and after it (The When)
- Identify reasons/causes (The Why)
- Enable a person to talk about feelings and/or processes (The How)
The Journal for the Next Table Setting
Give your group a strategy for the next dinner: Here is the journal item that Melissa’s set for our family session.
REAL – Our Strategy (given from Melissa)
R – You are relevant; I promise to show up and be present for your growth and greatness.
E – Empathy; I will make every effort to show empathy to help you through your situation.
A – Apologize; I apologize for making you feel unsafe that you could not come to me.
L – Listening; I promise to practice active listening to learn; I want you to be heard.
Do not quit before truly starting.
For more blogs like this one, we suggest our posts:
To learn more about the power of journaling, you might find articles that you like from Journaling Insights. This website details the benefits of journaling supported by research.