The written word is a very powerful tool that is used to communicate thoughts to others and this can also be done for us. You can use the written word to help you heal by communicating your deepest desires. We deal with diverse situations every day. Writing is a therapeutic tool that can be done for you to promote self-healing which is done in different forms. The different styles are listed.
1. Journaling
2. Letter writing
3. Poetry
4. Creative writing
The first tool that you can use in writing therapy is writing a letter. In the past many of us wrote letters to friends and family on hard paper. Today it is easier because it is done on the computer through e-mail. The idea of writing a letter is to inform others of what is happening in your life. Letter writing is therapeutic because it is used to write to a loved one who passed on. The letter communicates your thoughts to the departed one because you cannot verbalize it. One can write a letter to someone when you are not able to confront them with a problem. This is done because it is easier for you to clarify your thoughts in a letter form for the person to read.
The next tool that you can use is creative writing. Fictional characters are written from the point of view of the writer so there are parts of the writer in the character. In the past I dealt with this issue in a creative writing club. My last name is Lima, there is a nickname associated with that and it is Lima bean. As a child I was called that often, so it had bad memories for me. When I joined the creative writing group, I created a fictional character with the last name of Lima. The writing group had fun with the character’s name because Lima bean was resurrected. However this time was different because the nickname was used for fun so the nickname could not hurt me anymore. My fictional counterpart dealt with it which helped me deal with it.
Another therapeutic intervention in writing is journaling. Journals are used to record one’s thoughts through good and bad times. An individual discovers many things about oneself while recording their entries.
Individuals can utilize poetry writing for self-healing. Many poems are written that are based on emotional experiences. Songwriters turn their passion into poems then songs. The poem provides an outlet for the flow of words to express emotions. The rhythm builds while the intensity of the feeling grows where it expresses the emotional feelings of the writer at that moment in time.
It is a little known fact that writing is healthy for the soul and heart. It is an easy therapeutic tool to use for simple healing. By using a pen and paper you formulate your thoughts on paper. Your feelings become a concrete item and once it is written down you release the anxiety. Once the situation/feelings are written down you look at the situation objectively. Writing provides therapeutic value such as aid in physical recovery and benefits your emotions. Therapeutic writing provides the opportunity for words to heal.
Creative writing, journaling, poetry and letter writing benefit the individual in so many ways when faced with a traumatic event. This simple exercise is worth our time because it will make you feel better.