SAVE THE DATES:
Join us in Barcelona for the third edition of the epic writing fest for the journaling community! More than 12 hands-on workshops, 25+ speakers, and a gorgeous space a short walk from the beach.
The only thing our community is missing? YOU!
Welcome to the unique international festival of journaling happening in Barcelona!
Learn from the best. Find your tribe.
Big names, intense but fun program, deep inner work and great networking.
What to expect at Barcelona Journaling Festival ’26
Inspiring panels, deep-diving journaling workshops, meeting international authors and teachers, and new meaningful connections.
The festival will be happening on the weekend, November 7-8 at BAU, Spain’s most influential arts and design college. Two days jam-packed with the most inspiring talks and practical workshops will help you elevate your journaling practice — or discover what it is all about if you’re new to this! — and connect with like-minded people. If you’ve been to our first festival in 2024 and 2025, you will love the latest edition — more speakers, more topics, same amazing vibe!
Curious about how last year’s event went? Have a look here!
A weekend to enjoy, explore & WRITE AWAY
- Meet the world-famous journaling experts and learn from the best!
- Feel the transformational, healing power of the
writing practices: get rid of your blocks & reconnect with your creative self.
- Fall in love with guided journaling— even if you have never done it before!
- Learn how you can deepen your practice as a
healer / coach / therapist by incorporating
expressive writing and other therapeutical
journaling techniques.
Enjoy fun, sunny Barcelona and make new friends!
Presented by…
Barcelona Journaling Festival is proudly presented by two Barcelona-based journaling coaches, Marusha Mozolevskaya, founder of Girls Who Write platform and Naked Words journaling circle, and Oliver Mann, creator of Shadow Journaling, a council member of the International Association of Journal Writers, and a certified JTTS Instructor.
MARUSHA
Marusha is the visionary behind the BJF concept. A passionate journaler and writer herself, she first dreamt of a cozy industry event in Barcelona, which she’s happy to call home, and then – BOOM! – it grew into a festival. Marusha is also the founder of the Girls Who Write platform and the Naked Words journaling circle in Barcelona.
Find more about Marusha here. Got ideas? Chat with Marusha: m.mozolevskaya@gmail.com
OLIVER
Oliver is the author of Shadow Journaling: A Field Guide to Personal Alchemy, co-founder of the festival and someone who swears journaling has saved his life. Oliver is also a Shadow Journaling Coach and Mentor working with clients in groups and 1:1.
Feel free to contact Oliver via email: oliver@unleash.ink
KAA
Kaa is the visual heartbeat of the festival. As our designer, she shapes the aesthetic world we all step into — from the tiniest icon to the big, bold banners that frame our shared moments. With a sharp eye, a poetic touch, and an intuitive sense of harmony, Kaa creates more than visuals; she builds feeling, mood, and identity. Just like her design, Kaa’s personal style is bold, edgy, and unmistakably her own — a perfect reflection of the fearless creativity she brings to everything she does.
ESTHER
Esther is our social media wizard — equal parts magician, strategist, and cheerleader. With quick wit and a playful touch, she turns the festival’s online presence into a space full of energy and connection. But behind the cheerful facade, she’s the one keeping everything sharp, steady, and professional, making sure the magic is matched with structure. Esther doesn’t just run our channels — she builds a digital home where the festival spirit truly lives.
Who is this event for?
Whether you’re a therapist, a wellness coach, a writer eager to explore your inner world, or just a journaling fan, come join us in this weekend of immersive journaling workshops and thought-provoking talks & panels.
Learn how to get the most out of your journaling practice from the masters in the field!i
Are you curious about journaling and the benefits it has?
Our speakers and workshops will help you get a soft start with a ton of practical application to make sure you’ll have tools to use when you go back to your daily life!
Are you a writer?
Try the most powerful tool of self-reflection to deepen your writing practice and add depth and imension to your characters.
Are you a coach or in the wellness industry?
Come and learn about journaling as a tool to help you expand your own life, and to help your clients, as well as connect with others in your field.
Are you a therapist?
Our guest speakers bring decades of experience in therapeutic writing, offering deep wisdom and practical tools refined over years of teaching. If you’re looking to deepen your practice, their insight will open new doors for transformation.
Getting There
Venue details and travel tips will be shared closer to the event.
Key Details
Dates: 7–8 November 2026
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Format: In-person, two full days
What people are saying
Meet the Voices of 2026
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Read More →: Jackee Holder
Jackee Holder
UK
Founder, School of Journaling
Jackee says: “Writing changes lives and lives are changed by writing.”
Workshop Title: Trauma to Transformation: Journaling was the prescription my soul needed
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Read More →: Julie Shui
Julie Shui
USA/SPAIN
Certified Hypnotherapist and Founder of Wealth Identity Reset
Julie says: “I told my journal things I didn’t know how to say out loud.”
Workshop Title: Allow Yourself to be Filthy Rich
-
Read More →: Charmaine Pollard
Charmaine Pollard
UK
UK Certified Poetry Therapist and Author
Charmaine says: “Poetry transforms hidden scars into unstoppable motivation, and distant dreams into peak-climbing strategies.”
Workshop Title: A Line of Poetry: Using poetry as a tool for coaching
-
Read More →: Supriya Rakesh
Supriya Rakesh
India/Netherlands
Creative Facilitator, Writer, Educator
Supriya says: “The page is my safe space, a gentle witness who holds everything. On the page, I don’t have to hold back, hold in anything.”
Workshop Title: Orange Popsicle
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Read More →: Luca Buonaguidi
Luca Buonaguidi
Italy
Psychotherapist & Writer
Luca says: “Life is the art of encountering the Other”
Workshop Title: Ambulance Songs – Don't Forget the Songs That Saved Your Life: How a Journaling Case Spontaneously Became a Publishing Phenomenon and a Digital Community
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Read More →: Kristen Webb Wright
Kristen Webb Wright
USA
Author and journaling guide at Day One, podcast host
Kristen says: “Journaling is how I make sense of life as it’s happening – and how I remember what matters.”
Workshop Title: Capture Your Life: The Art of Noticing, Recording & Remembering the Life You’re Living
-
Read More →: Jon Sayers
Jon Sayers
UK
Certified Journal To The Self facilitator & poet
Jon says: “Pick up your pencil and let’s turn lead into gold.”
Workshop Title: The Long Game: Writing to Become
-
Read More →: Antoinette McDonald
Antoinette McDonald
South Africa
Storyteller | Speaker | Founder – DO THE HEART WORK
Antoinette says: “The stories we tell ourselves become the lives we live. Antoinette McDonald helps people change those stories.”
Workshop Title: What The Elephants Know: Wild Stories For A Bigger Inner World
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Read More →: Cassandra Le
Cassandra Le
SPAIN/USA
Multicultural Creator, Marketer, and Educator, Journaling Guide, and Founder of Plans to Progress
Cassandra says: “Writing gives you the space to create inner clarity, leading to outer opportunities.”
Workshop Title: SPARK session: Writing the Threads: Journaling, Ancestry & Belonging
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Read More →: Anca Croitoru
Anca Croitoru
ROMANIA / SPAIN
Collage artist
Anca says: “Collage and journaling together give voice to the unsaid and vision to the unseen.”
Workshop Title: Soul postcards
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Read More →: Miranda van der Vegt
Miranda van der Vegt
Netherlands
Journaling guide, nature-based coach and founder of Schrijftuintje (The Writing Garden)
Miranda says: “When writing, we naturally find our way to what truly matters to us.”
Workshop Title: Journaling as a Safe Space During Grief
-
Read More →: Yanina Shevchenko
Yanina Shevchenko
Russia/Spain
Visual Artist & Therapeutic Photography Facilitator
Yanina says: “Every photograph holds more than a memory. It holds a conversation between the past and the present.”
Workshop Title: Storytelling Through Found Photographs: One Photo, Many Worlds
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Read More →: Susanne Opstal
Susanne Opstal
The Netherlands
Filmdirector & Creative Mentor
Susanne says: “It’s time for a creative revolution!”
Workshop Title: The Director's Cut: Look at your own life the way a director looks at a film
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Read More →: Holly Len Downing
Holly Len Downing
spain
artist, writer, retreat home host
Holly says: “the tactile experience of creating beauty with our hands has never been more important that now.”
Workshop Title: Keeping a creative notebook: the interplay of words and visuals to explore meaning and beauty
-
Read More →: Marie Glad
Marie Glad
Spain/Sweden
Creative facilitator, Mindfulness teacher & Founder of ParadisiLife
Marie says: “Through sensory journaling, we awaken to the present moment as embodied beings in the living world.”
Workshop Title: Sensory Journaling
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Read More →: Grace Brennan
Grace Brennan
France
Writer
Grace says: “”Journaling reminds me to let go of past beliefs and focus on the future I want to build.””
Workshop Title: Beginner Author Basics: The Road to Traditional Publishing
-
Read More →: Darina Borisova
Darina Borisova
Bulgaria
Therapeutic Writing Facilitator, Specialist in Psychodynamic Group Work, and Founder of Feel Like Writing
Darina says: “I believe writing can be the beginning of healing when words are hard to find.”
Workshop Title: Writing What We Lose
-
Read More →: Carolyn R. Herman, M.A.
Carolyn R. Herman, M.A.
Costa Rica
Therapist and Journaling Facilitator
Carolyn says: “Journaling helps us connect to our inner wisdom, and doing so allows us to bring healing and awareness to our emotional selves and to move towards personal peace and self-compassion.”
Workshop Title: Are we comfy yet?
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Read More →: Roxanne Saffaie
Roxanne Saffaie
US
Author, Podcaster, Speaker, Strategic Coach
Roxanne says: ““I wrote my way out of every life that got too small for me—and into every life my future self was calling me toward.””
Workshop Title: The Eye of the Storm, Blue of the Flame: Holding Your Center When Life Gets Aggressive
-
Read More →: Rachel Ferguson
Rachel Ferguson
United Kingdom
Poet & Reflective Writing Guide
Rachel says: “”Life is for Loving””
Workshop Title: Life is for Loving – romanticising the day-to-day through journaling
-
Read More →: Laya Commenda
Laya Commenda
Austria
“The Rewrite Architect”, Founder & CEO, Developer of the Deep-Journaling-Method
Laya says: ““Writing was my first love. Neuroscience helped me understand why it transforms us.””
Workshop Title: Rewrite Your Script: The Journaling Practice That Makes Your Synapses Sparkle
-
Read More →: Karin Gråbæk Helledie
Karin Gråbæk Helledie
United Kingdom
Journalist, author, yoga teacher, journaling guide, and partner at Good Life Designed.
Karin says: “”I love the sound of pens scribbling in a room full of people, knowing that every word, whether it dances or stumbles, holds insight. It blows my mind how much we can get out of such a simple practice. Journaling grounds us, expands our thinking, and inspires us to be more fully ourselves.””
Workshop Title: A Yoga Class for the Mind: Journaling on and beyond the pages
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Read More →: Milo
Milo
United States
Founder | Whole Body Alchemy
Milo says: “Come home to your body, and stay.”
Workshop Title: The Body is the Author: Unlocking the wisdom the body carries
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Read More →: Marianne McDade
Marianne McDade
Australia & Spain
Communications & Identity Strategist
Marianne says: ““The truth may set you free, but first it might blow up your life. You owe it to yourself to see who you are on the other side of that.””
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Read More →: Linda Parys
Linda Parys
Poland
creativity & brand coach, journaling guide and LEGO® Serious PLAY® facilitator
Linda says: “Creativity is a verb. Imagine a more meaningful world around you and make it real in your own way.”
Workshop Title: Creative Mindset – notice, imagine, create.
-
Read More →: Frederick Meyer
Frederick Meyer
USA
Director of Writers.com
Frederick says: ““Love is the only gold.” —Alfred, Lord Tennyson”
Workshop Title: All Together Now: How to Create a Caring and Authentic Group Environment
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Read More →: Oliver Mann
Oliver Mann
Spain
Author and Shadow Journaling mentor
Oliver says: “Life begins once you close the notebook.”
Workshop Title: You Don’t Need Another Breakthrough: Why Self-Awareness Is Keeping You Stuck, and How to Break Free
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Read More →: Marusha Mozolevskaya
Marusha Mozolevskaya
Spain
Founder of Barcelona Journaling Festival and Girls Who Write
Marusha says: “Stop whatever you’re doing right now and look around. Notice the life that is blooming around you, regardless of what you’re going through. Look at it with loving eyes, even if they’re full of tears. Now write down whatever comes to mind – you might surprise yourself. Let it happen.”
Workshop Title: Modern Love: Navigating the Messy World of Dating Without Losing Yourself
Festival Schedule
The full programme for Barcelona Journaling Festival 2026 will be announced soon. Two days of workshops, panels, and experiences await.
Day 1:
EMBRACE THE CHAOS
Saturday, November 8
10:00
Hola!
Doors open at 10 am. Please arrive on time to get your pass and pick a seat.
Our venue: BAU · College of Arts & Design
10:30 – 11:00
Festival inauguration
A quick hello from the organizers Marusha Mozolevskaya and Oliver Mann & festival orientation
11:00 – 12:00
Opening keynote “Trauma to Transformation: Journaling was the prescription my soul needed”
An inspiring, deeply personal and experiential keynote in which Jackee traces her journey from trauma to transformation, sharing how reflective writing became a pathway to healing, growth and change — and continues to be so, especially in those moments when the world feels anything but steady.
12:00 – 12:30
Break
Grab a coffee or a refreshment, and back to the program! 🙂
12:30 – 14:00
All sessions run in parallel.
Pick your favourite!
- What We Carry: Journaling Your Roots & Legacy (Cassandra Le)
- Eye of The Storm: Holding Your Centre When Life Gets Aggressive (Roxanne Saffaie)
- Writing What We Lose. A Writing Exploration of Loss, Absence, And What Remains. (Darina Borisova)
- Ambulance Songs: Don’t Forget the Music That Saved Your Life (Luca Buonaguidi)
- The Director’s Cut: Look at your own life the way a director looks at a film (Susanne Opstal)
- Are We Comfy Yet? Get unstuck and expand your emotional comfort zone (Carolyn R. Herman)
14:00 – 15:30
Lunch break
15:30 – 15:45
PUMP IT!
Quick energy-boosting session (TBA) to shake off the post-lunch brain fog
16:00 – 17:30
All sessions run in parallel.
Pick your favourite!
- What The Elephants Know: Wild Stories For A Bigger Inner World (Antoinette McDonald)
- A Line of Poetry: Using Poetry As a Tool for Coaching (Charmaine Pollard)
- Allow Yourself To Be Filthy Rich. Money, Identity and What’s Possible (Julie Shui)
- A Yoga Class for the Mind: Journaling On and Beyond the Pages (Karin Gråbæk Helledie)
- Journaling as a Safe Space During Grief (Miranda van der Vegt)
- Soul Postcards. A Collage + Journaling Workshop (Anca Croitoru)
17:30 – 18:00
Coffee & connecting break
18:00 – 19:30
Writing your way through trauma, identity crises & life’s curveballs
- Roxanne Saffaie Eye of The Storm: Holding Your Centre When Life Gets Aggressive
- Cassandra Le Writing the Threads: Journaling, Ancestry & Belonging
- Marianne McDade Radical honesty as a path to healing
19:30 – 19:45
Tiny break
19:45 – 20:30
PANEL
Embracing The Chaos: how to stay in love with life when everything seems to be fucked up?
More info coming soon.
20:30 – 21:00
Hangout!
Chat away with the likeminded journalers from around the globe
Day 2:
REWRITE YOUR STORY
Sunday, November 9
10:00
Hola!
Arrivals, coffees, socialising
10:30 – 11:00
Tuning in
Objectives for the day, setting up goals and intentions
11:00 – 12:00
Keynote “Rewrite Your Script: The Journaling Practice That Makes Your Synapses Sparkle” by Laya Commenda
What if writing could do more than change your story — what if it could change the brain that keeps telling it?
Join Laya for a fascinating exploration of neuroplasticity as the backbone of journaling practice, followed by an experiential writing session where you’ll put the science into practice — on the page and in yourself.
12:00 – 12:30
Break
Grab a coffee or a refreshment, and back to the program!
12:30 – 14:00
All sessions run in parallel.
Pick your favourite!
- The Long Game: Writing to Become. Journaling With Jung To Uncover Your Unique Path In Life (Jon Sayers )
- Orange Popsicle. A Playful Voyage Through Childhood Memories (Supriya Rakesh)
- Modern Love: Navigating the Messy World of Dating Without Losing Yourself (Marusha Mozolevskaya)
- Capture Your Life: The Art of Noticing, Recording & Remembering the Life You’re Living (Kristen Webb Wright)
- Creative Mindset Notice, Imagine, Create (Linda Parys)
- Keeping a creative notebook: the interplay of words and visuals to explore meaning and beauty (Holly Len Downing)
14:00 – 15:30
Lunch break
15:30 – 15:45
Quick energy-boosting session to shake off the post-lunch brain fog
16:00 – 17:30
All sessions run in parallel.
Pick your favourite!
- Beginner Author Basics: The Road to Traditional Publishing (Grace Brennan)
- The Body is the Author: Unlocking the wisdom the body carries (Milo)
- You Don’t Need Another Breakthrough: Why Self-Awareness Is Keeping You Stuck, and How to Break Free with Shadow Journaling (Oliver Mann)
- All Together Now: How to Create a Caring and Authentic Group Environment (Frederick Meyer)
- Sensory Journaling. See, Smell, Touch, Sense, Taste, Hear – And Write! (Marie Glad)
- Storytelling Through Found Photographs: One Photo, Many Worlds (Yanina Shevchenko)
17:30 – 18:00
Coffee & connecting break
18:00 – 18:45
Falling in love with your life, against all odds
- Rachel Ferguson Life is for Loving – romanticising the day-to-day through journaling
- Antoinette McDonald Mess, Meaning & Making: Lessons in Creativity & Courage from Johannesburg
18:45– 19:00
Tiny break
19:00– 19:20
Festival Closing Gratitude Practice
Let’s celebrate the two days of connection, journaling and the community we’re building together!
19:20 – 21:00
Socialising time
Chat away with the others and make new friends!