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What is creative writing for therapeutic purposes courses?
Creative Writing for Therapeutic Purposes is a growing field of research and practice. This unique non-clinical MSc course gives students the opportunity to learn experientially through writing and discussion, to receive taught content on theory, and to develop skills and resources for working in the field of CWTP. There are several types of writing therapy, including, but not limited to narrative therapy, interactive journaling, focused writing, and songwriting. #1) Narrative Writing Best for fiction and creative writing. Narrative writing is storytelling in written form. It captures a journey, or a part of it, from the start to the very end. Freewriting, a writing strategy developed by Peter Elbow in 1973, is similar to brainstorming but is written in sentence and paragraph form without stopping. It has been demonstrated, across a variety of investigations, that writing activities yield a number of intellectual, physiological, and emotional benefits to individuals. These bene- fits include improve memory function, decreased symptomatology, and greater feelings of happiness.
How can writing be a therapy?
Writing therapy posits that writing one’s feelings gradually eases feelings of emotional trauma. Writing therapeutically can take place individually or in a group and it can be administered in person with a therapist or remotely through mailing or the Internet. Writing therapy, also known as journal therapy, is exactly what it sounds like: writing (often in a journal) for therapeutic benefits. Writing therapy is a low-cost, easily accessible, and versatile form of therapy. It can be done individually, with just a person and a pen, or guided by a mental health professional. Journaling can support coping and reduce the impact of stressful events – potentially avoiding burnout and chronic anxiety. Studies link writing privately about stressful events and capturing thoughts and emotions on paper with decreased mental distress. It has been demonstrated, across a variety of investigations, that writing activities yield a number of intellectual, physiological, and emotional benefits to individuals. These bene- fits include improve memory function, decreased symptomatology, and greater feelings of happiness.