Movement Reflection Journal

A space to notice, narrate, and normalize change.

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🔹 Purpose: To help patients reflect on their movement experiences—not just what they did, but what they felt, feared, overcame, or realized in the process.

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🔹 Why This Matters: Healing isn’t just physical—it’s perceptual. The nervous system updates through experience, but reflection cements that learning. This tool invites patients to notice progress that pain scores miss.

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🌀 How to Use:

Patients fill this out after a movement session, experiment, or clinical visit. Works well in home programs, graded exposure work, or movement variability challenges.

🔍 Reflection Prompts:

📖 1. Today I moved…

☐ Freely

☐ Cautiously

☐ With some fear

☐ With more confidence than usual

☐ In a way I haven’t moved in a while

📖 2. What did I notice in my body?

(Write one or two sensations, surprises, or patterns)

Example:

☐ “Less guarding on my left side.”

☐ “I tensed up before the movement, but not during.”

☐ “It felt smoother than expected.”

📖 3. What emotion came with this movement?

☐ Curiosity

☐ Fear

☐ Relief

☐ Frustration

☐ Empowerment

☐ Other: __________

📖 4. What did I learn about my system today?

(Reflection prompt for neuroplasticity and reframe)

☐ “My system is more adaptable than I thought.”

☐ “Pain showed up, but I stayed curious.”

☐ “I can move in ways I was avoiding.”

📖 5. What’s one thing I’d like to try differently next time?

(Encourages experimentation, not perfection.)

Next time I’d like to try:__________________________

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✅ Optional Daily Closing Cue:

“Today, I taught my nervous system ___________.”

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🧠 Final Thought:

Movement teaches the body—but reflection teaches the mind. When patients pause to notice what shifted, even slightly, they begin to rewrite the story pain once told. This journal isn’t just about what happened. It’s about what it meant—and what’s now possible.

This resource is part of The Wondering Clinician Toolkit. It’s not medical advice—just a tool to support learning, reflection, and healing. Always consult your clinician when needed.