The Reflective Journal

by Barbara Bassot

This is the second edition of Barbara Bassot's hugely popular book is a uniquely inspiring introduction to critically reflective practice. Using bite-sized theory combined with plentiful guidance and supporting activities, this book gives the reader a place to reflect on their learning and use writing as a tool for developing their thinking.

Critical reflection is an essential skill for anyone undertaking qualifying professional programmes such as social work, nursing, health, teaching, childhood studies and youth and community work degrees. Whether being taught as a discrete module or as a major theme embedded in all teaching, this is essential reading for anyone wanting to improve their practise and deliver the best service possible.

Genres: Nonfiction, Journaling, Counselling, Social Work, Research, Psychology

184 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 26, 2013

Reviews

[Nilguen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Reflective Journal is a great help to hone one´s reflective writing in preparation to an auto-ethnographic project, thesis or dissertation. In particular, I found the Driscoll´s ´What?´ model helpful when reflecting-in-action. Reflection-in-action is described as ´thinking on your feet´. The model, I believe, is simple and easy to remember with its three trigger questions. To reflect at a deeper level there is the Gibb´s Reflection Cycle, which helps deepen one´s learning from an experience. The Gibb´s Reflection Cycle emphasizes feelings and takes the reflective practice to a deeper level, rather to a critically reflective practice. Bassot cites that critical reflection happens when we identify and scrutinise the assumptions that undergrid how we work. Overall, a great guidance for reflective writing elaborationg useful tools and methodologies.

[Kotryna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would probably never have bought this book without a recommendation, but now I am very thankful to a person who was promoting this book non-stop.

The Reflective Journal offers a range of tools for self-reflection, mostly in a professional setting. What does it mean to be a professional? How to manage emotions at work? How to reflect on those emotions and make the right conclusions? How to manage stress? How to reflect on your own actions and reactions? How to supervise? How to survive in a team? How to give and accept feedback? And most importantly - how to move forward.

The tone of the book doesn't remind a cult, as some of the other books on leadership and self-management; it is rather an introduction to a conversation with yourself where there are no truths, just your own interpretations.

Some of the content might seem as self-reflection for dummies, but only because it is structured in a way of introducing the idea to those who never wrote a self-reflecting journal, even if they reflect a lot in their own heads. I would still recommend reading the whole book without skipping "the obvious" in order to understand the steps of the professional self-reflection and fill in the gaps that you might be doing.

I wish someone would have shown me this book in my early twenties - would have saved me a lot of time and trouble. But I guess it's never too late.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful! I feel much more confident doing my university required reflective writing now. I think it will help my personal life too :)

[Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a regular journal. The author tells about all kinds of different reflection models and theory's. I highly recommend this book if your are into journalling or when you help other clients with reflection. Either way, I love this book and use it on a regular base to learn something new about reflection.

[Marina Shinkorenko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very basic, lots of space in the book (literally, assume for the note?), just 2-3 things that I managed to get from it:
- reflection on stress types (emotional, cognitive, behavioural)
- reflection on the past/ the future
- reflection loops and models that all come to one pattern