Journal with Ingrid

Coming Home to Yourself with Karen Hollenbach

• Ingrid • Season 1 • Episode 6

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In this episode, I journal and chat with the insightful Karen Hollenbach. 

Karen is an educator, mentor and writes for therapy. She is the founder of Think Bespoke, an educational consultancy and is a LinkedIn expert consultant. Karen likes to read, unlearn and garden. 

Karen opens up about her personal journey with journalling, from teenage “Dear Diary” entries to developing a meaningful reflective practice that supports her mental clarity, emotional wellbeing, and decision-making.

She shares how journalling has become a sacred space to slow down, process emotions in healthy ways, and reconnect with herself. It’s a practice that hasn’t just transformed how Karen moves through the world, but how those closest to her experience her, too.

Through journalling, Karen has:

  • Learnt to notice, name, and nurture her emotions with more clarity and kindness.
  • Discovered that pain and discomfort, when explored with compassion, can be powerful teachers.
  • Developed a deeper emotional vocabulary, one she now sees as a gift for herself and the next generation.
  • Embraced the idea that insight doesn’t always require action and that sometimes, simply noticing is enough.
  • Found a ritual of self-love and gentle accountability
  • Cultivated a sense of inner peace that her family has not only noticed, but thanked her for.

This is a generous conversation about slowing down, honouring what you feel, and letting journalling be the quiet companion that helps you come home to yourself.


About Karen Hollenbach

Karen is an educator, mentor and writes for therapy. She is the founder of Think Bespoke, an educational consultancy and is a LinkedIn expert consultant. Karen likes to read, unlearn and garden. 

Website: Think Bespoke

LinkedIn: Karen Hollenbach

Substack: Karen Hollenbach

Instagram: @thinkbespoke


Thank you for joining me for this journaling journey. I hope this episode gave you new insights, inspiration, or a fresh perspective to take to your own journal.

If you enjoyed this conversation, I’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts, tag me on social media, or leave a review. It helps others discover the power of journalling too.

If you’d like to start journaling or enhance your current journal practice, here are some ways you can get started:


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