Found an interesting intersection between journaling and storytelling at a site called New Life Stories.
The gist of the process is to use journaling to work through loss, fear, and uncertainty. Writes the site’s author (presumably Ellen Moore, PhD, whose name appears at the bottom of the page): “In a very real sense, we are the stories we tell ourselves. The stories we create will impact the way we experience the world. As we continue to outgrow our old lives, often through loss and tragedy, we need larger, deeper, more compassionate stories to deal with new and unfamiliar contexts. This is just such a time in history.
Moore shares my feeling that 9-11 heightened our need to tell our stories: “Our new life stories may be darker since the world changed forever on September 11, 2001. By including awareness of the more tragic aspects of life, however, our stories may be richer, fuller, more profound.”
Moore offers a journaling newsletter and other resources, including a solid FAQ list about how to journal.