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Journal Journey
A local creator turns her journaling practice into a tool for clarity and calm.
This article originally appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of Seattle magazine.
After 14 years of working in the tech industry, Sunetra Deshpande felt burned out, so she turned to journaling to streamline her thoughts. “It helped me refocus, find clarity, and manage my mental health,” she says. “What surprised me was how difficult and intimidating journaling can be for many of us who don’t identify as typical ‘wellness enthusiasts.’”
Inspired to find a more approachable format, Deshpande developed Journer, a notebook and guide with 75 prompts, six templates, and tips to help anyone start on their journaling journey.
“Unlike traditional guided journals, which can feel repetitive, or blank notebooks which provide zero guidance, Journer offers a unique mix of guidance and freedom,” she says, noting that the act of writing down your thoughts “can help reduce stress and anxiety, regulate emotions, boost happiness, and improve self-awareness and cognitive functions like problem-solving and memory.”
Deshpande donates 5% of all Journer proceeds to the National Alliance for Mental Illness.
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