25 May 2011
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Therapeutic Journal Writing
Writers are often involved in therapeutic writing sessions where troubled people are encouraged to express themselves through writing to explore their feelings and emotions ...
For this kind of writing to work, sessions need to be led by someone who understands how to write which is why local writing groups are often involved. Kate Thompson’s book is a guide to journal writing as therapy – but be careful what we mean by journal. The word is often used to describe a diary, and therapeutic journal writing can take that form. But a journal can also be used by its writer to record separate and unrelated passages of writing about subjects that seem important or which are troubling them.
Therapeutic writing sessions can take place in groups or individually, and the book sets out frameworks for conducting sessions in either format. Sessions will often encourage the writing of stories using images and metaphors to lead people into their inner worlds.