The Inner & Outer Gap: A reflection practice for groups or solo journaling

Explore the gap. Reflect with care.

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When we feel hurt, dismissed, or misunderstood, it’s often because something didn’t match: what we hoped for, and what actually happened. This is the gap — and it’s where emotional insight begins.

The Inner & Outer Gap is a journaling and group reflection practice that helps you pause, name the moment, and explore what’s underneath. Through short, one-sentence “Gap Cards,” you reflect on a disconnect — and gently explore the emotions, meanings, and expectations around it.

Use it on your own, with a partner, or in a group setting. All it takes is one honest moment.

What it helps you do:

• Name and process emotional disconnects with clarity
• Write your own Gap Cards based on real experiences
• Reflect on unmet expectations and underlying stories
• Practice emotional presence, not blame
• Discover insight, healing, or release in moments that linger

Who it’s for:

• People navigating relational tension or emotional overwhelm
• Therapists, coaches, or facilitators guiding group reflection
• Journalers exploring personal growth and emotional patterns
• Couples or close friends deepening communication and trust
• Anyone holding onto a moment that didn’t land right

Values:

• Emotional honesty meets gentle reflection
• Exploring the space between hope and reality
• Creating space for awareness, not fixing
• Supporting repair, clarity, and compassion — one moment at a time
• Tools for living with emotional depth and relational care