Using Writing As A Tool To Enhance Therapy
Writing can be a great way to deepen the work of therapy. At one point or another, the idea of writing to get in touch with and express your feelings will usually come up in counseling. Therapists have recommended that clients keep journals, lists, diaries, logs, and other documentation of their lives in order to help process and deal with a variety of stressors and issues. Using writing in therapy is a low-cost, time effective way to deepen the skills and exploration that clients begin in talk sessions. Writing can be done alone, it can be used to share thoughts with another, or it can be done in group therapy - it’s an incredibly powerful and versatile therapeutic tool. But why is writing such an important part of the therapeutic process??
There are a few theories as to why writing can be so beneficial for mental and physical health. The concept of “catharsis” means getting something off your chest, or an intense emotional expression or release that results in a feeling of peace and calm after it is expressed. The act of writing can be considered cathartic because it allows for the written release of the emotions and experiences that felt traumatic and stressful for the person. Once that written expression and disclosure is complete, the person naturally feels relieved of the stressful burden. Catharsis can be an extremely powerful and rewarding feeling. Additionally, the act of writing about traumatic events can aid with the intellectual processing of the memory and produce a documented, integrated narrative about the writer and their experiences. As a result, the writings can further help the writer solidify their perception and feelings of those experiences and find meaning in them in a positive manner. In short, writing can help express deep emotions while also helping the writer understand them in a cohesive way.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, writing has documented health benefits. Writing boosts immune functioning by relieving stress, specifically when people are focused on writing about positive meaning in their lives. Research also shows that writing has also been shown to improve irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, reduce blood pressure, decrease pain, reduce anxiety and depression, reduce PTSD symptoms, improve physical symptoms of cancer, and improve lung function in people with asthma.
Along with these specific health benefits, ongoing therapeutic writing can help clients with their mental health as well. Journaling allows for writers to take a closer look at their past experiences and find a new perspective, make meaning of their wins and losses, and identify the “silver lining” in their stories. Writing can often be a place where people can discover important epiphanies or insights about oneself or the others. Without the focused introspection of writing, people might not have found the time to look deeper at themselves and their environment.
Writing can be a helpful addition to therapy for working on the following issues:
Addiction
Relationship and communication issues
Chronic pain and illness
Grief and loss
Anxiety and depression
PTSD and trauma
Eating disorders
OCD
Guilt and shame
Forgiveness and estrangement
If you’re curious about journaling, here are some different journaling approaches to get started!
UNSTRUCTURED EXPRESSIVE WRITING
This freestyle or “stream of consciousness” approach can be a good place to start. It’s a very open-ended and simple approach and the idea is to just write what comes to mind - put a pen to paper and let the thoughts flow!
Find a suitable writing space and tools - either pen and paper or on an app or computer.
Begin by writing about whatever emotionally expressive topic that comes to mind in a flowing and easygoing way.
Keep the flow of writing going for 20 minutes nonstop.
Don’t worry about spelling or grammar.
Take time to reflect on how you feel after your writing time and make a plan for future writing moments - a couple times a week is a good start.
Gratitude journaling is a focused style of writing where you are seeking and documenting positive things in your life and the world that you appreciate and are thankful for. It is a great way to keep a good mindset and to pay notice to the joyful things in life. By regularly writing about what you are grateful for, you are sending a consistent message to yourself through your writing that the world is a enjoyable place where there are many things to be happy about. Here are some tips for keeping a gratitude journal:
Decide if you’re going to use a notebook and pen to write by hand or if you will find an app to use on your phone. There are plenty of options for both.
Choose a time that feels best for you, when you’re likely to be in the most positive mood and/or unfrazzled situation.
Start simple - a list of 3 things you’re grateful for each day, a list of people you appreciate that you add to as you go along, a tally of gifts you’ve received, etc. Search the internet for inspiration if you feel stuck.
Keep your eyes open for bits and pieces to be grateful for as you go through your day. Being mindful of moments where you feel grateful will give you memories for your writing and keep you looking out for positivity.
Add details if you’re struggling with building the habit - if you’re only getting to write every so often, make each entry full of memory, evidence, adjectives, descriptions, surprises, lessons learned, and visuals to internalize your gratitude for those moments.
Loss is a challenging and emotional life experience that can often be helped with writing. Grief journaling can help promote closure, untangle confusing thoughts related to the loss, create perspective and meaning making during the grieving period. Reconceptualizing the narrative is important for the healing process and writing can create that judgment free space. Writing during the grieving period can be a nice and private time to feel close to your loved one and a way to honor their loss with dedicating mindful time to write about your relationship with them.
There are specific journals available for purchase on the internet that are grief focused or you can try the following suggestions:
Write a letter or build an ongoing conversation with your lost loved one - include any final words of goodbye or things left unsaid.
Write a letter to yourself, as if you were a friend writing to another friend about their loss and providing support.
Use grief-specific prompts such as:
My favorite memory of us is when….
I remember when you and I....
If you were here, I would say…
I wish that we had the time to…
You were the best at…
This type of journaling is designed to get more in touch with your subconscious dreams and what they might mean for your everyday life. Additionally, people keeping a dream journal are naturally becoming more mindful of their sleep habits and their thoughts, which is a positive step in managing their sleep health. It can also be really fun to get into dream psychology reading and research and to learn the meaning of symptoms in dreams. Some people believe that working on dream journaling can also help with lucid dreaming.
To keep a dream journal:
Have a journal and pen by your bedside and immediately write down your dreams with as much detail as possible when you wake up.
Add illustration and a title for your dream, if it feels right.
Look for patterns and compare your dreams to your daily life to see what meaning you can find.
Write down details such as unique images and symbols, actions and emotions, and sounds or songs.
Share your dreams with other interested people, get their opinion, and write about it in your dream journal.
Bullet journaling is a uniquely personal version of writing that can be best described as a combination of journaling, calendar, drawing and design, and lists. The actual journal does not have lines, instead it has small points or bullets, that allow the user to personalize the design of each page. This style of journaling takes a dedicated approach and is well suited for people with an artistic flair and creative need for expression.
There are many ways to keep a bullet journal - you can search for blog posts, Youtube, Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram for inspiration!
Try these general tips for a start:
Find a dot grid notebook, specific for bullet journaling, and colored pens that don’t bleed through paper.
Think about what you want to include - to do list, goals, habit trackers, calendar, monthly lists, books to read, etc.
Start with an index and numbered pages.
Create signifiers, or keys - these are drawn symbols that mean things to the write, such as check boxes for to-do list or arrows for appointments.
Many people like to add future logs, monthly logs, daily logs.
Add whatever calls to you to keep track of:)
Writing an unsent letter is a way to tap into things unsaid. Often, people will ruminate over things they wish went differently and things they never said while they had the chance - for a variety of reasons. Writing the unsent letter is a very open-ended way to access a variety of emotions, get things off your chest, explore deeper feelings and meaning, or to leave a legacy. Unsent letters can bring closure, clarity, confidence, and calm.
Here’s our top two LOW COMMITMENT favorites for those who struggle with writing, for whatever reason!
ONE WORD A DAY JOURNALING
So easy! This can be in a notepad or app, but take a quick moment every day to pick a word that sums up the vibe for your day. Think - chill, chaotic, fun, busy, long, exciting, eventful, laid-back. So many possibilities, but it’s just one word so it can be an easier commitment.
PHOTO JOURNALING
A photo journal is a great thing to try if you don’t love writing! There are plenty of apps to use or you can simply take a photo daily and add it to your notepad. Having a photo journal keeps you connected with positivity and looking for beauty in your day, since part of your regular plan is to get a good photo to use for the day’s entry.
Comment below with your favorite journaling style!!