Write to yourself to open up the emotions and memories deep within you.

Write the first thought that comes to your mind about an object.
Put any object (e.g., a wooden spoon) before you and start writing about it. Look at the spoon and write whatever comes to mind. Do this without stopping, rereading, or crossing out any of your words. The object may trigger childhood memories such as grandmother stirring stew using a wooden spoon or maybe being beaten with a wooden spoon. What you wrote about the object can reveal a lot about the images hiding in your subconscious mind.

Write about a stressful or traumatic experience.
On a sheet of paper, write down all the details you can remember about a stressful or traumatic event in your past. As you recount the facts of the incident, visualize it and write down your emotions about it. Write down the impact this event had on your life. Allow yourself to feel sad, angry, blamed, etc. This will help you understand your feelings about past experiences and why.