Setting up a group

“Being able to see that other women were having similar worries to me and were able to express them in a journal as well as talk about them, was really helpful.”

Thinking of setting up your own Maternal Journal group or running sessions using our resources? Everything you need is on our website, including ready-made journaling guides resources and a toolkit.

We also provide bespoke online training for facilitators on Zoom, for groups up to x30 people run by MJ Producer, artist and midwife Laura Godfrey-Isaacs and we charge a fee of £350. Please contact laura@maternaljournal.org for more details.

Watch our quick animation that shows you all you need to know about setting up a group.

Please get in touch if you have questions or queries, and we will help guide and support you. 

Animation by Merlin Strangeway

How does it work?

A group is typically made up of pregnant women, birthing people and mothers and usually has around 6-15 members. The group will meet for a few hours together at a regular time. 

Each session is guided by a different journaling exercise - we have more than 80 to choose from: mini guides and longer guides which encourage exploration of creativity, emotions and experiences.

One of the best things about journaling in a group is sharing a safe space to connect with other people. 

A group can be facilitated by a midwife, birth worker, artist, mental health professional or experienced workshop leader. Please be aware that strong feelings can emerge during workshops, and they are not recommended for people with a history of severe mental illness unless you have the appropriate training & experience in perinatal mental health.

For more information and advice on how to run your group, please read our guiding principles and see our Toolkit for all the info you need.

If you set up a group, share your journaling with #maternaljournal.

Toolkit & Resources

We’ve created a Toolkit to guide you through every step of the process for setting up a Maternal Journal group – from running the group to choosing the best space and where to find support.

An introduction to Maternal Journal

Founding Mothers from the first Maternal Journal group share their experiences and thoughts on the project, produced by artist Martim Ramos.