Healing Through Writing

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Healing Through Writing
Coping Past research has shown that expressive writing about past traumatic events has many
benefits for both physical and emotional health. Extensive research by James Pennebaker
Intervention
and colleagues shows that individuals who occasionally write about their emotions and
10-15 min/day thoughts experience increased feelings of well-being, reduced physician visits, reduced
absenteeism from work, improved academic performance, and enhanced immune system
Client
functions (Lepore & Smyth, 2002; Pennebaker, 1997, 2004).
Yes
Goal
The goal of this exercise is to help clients find meaning and resolve their trauma. Through
the writing process, clients may experience their emotional reactions to the trauma as
more manageable and might be less disturbed by unwarranted ruminations.
Advice
■ Clients should be aware that the benefits of expressive writing emerge over time.
Expressive writing is not a quick fix. Directly after expressing, participants typically
report feeling worse and are more physiologically aroused.
■ Clients should be encouraged to write about the emotional aspects of an emotional
event rather than the factual aspects.
■ Inform clients that the goal of writing is not to find a culprit or to punish the self.
The idea is to connect to one’s feelings and thoughts and write them down to allow
oneself to express what is happening emotionally and to understand better what is
going on. When feelings stay locked up, they can have detrimental effects on well-
being in the long run.
■ For many clients, talking about difficult emotions is challenging, as they may feel
embarrassed and vulnerable. This tool can be a powerful way for people to “free their
emotions” in a non-threatening way.
■ If clients want to share what they wrote, encourage them to talk about it rather than
read it. This is especially relevant for group settings, as talking about it gives them the
freedom to alter the story slightly to avoid hurting others’ feelings or to address other
issues that may be more relevant in the current context of therapy.
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■ Encourage clients to take extreme care in storing their writings at home. If found by
family members or friends, deeply personal writings can be devastating.
■ Be careful that writing does not turn into another form of rumination. If clients have
not found the task helpful after three writing occasions, try something else.
■ Many clients are hesitant to write for fear of others discovering and reading their
journals. You can inform clients to feel free to dispose of their writings after they have
written the day’s entry. No one ever needs to see what they have written. The process
of self-expression is beneficial even if the text is immediately destroyed.
■ Typically, this exercise is done on four consecutive days. However, a client may wish
to continue the process for a longer period. In any case, it is important to reflect on
the experience. You can ask your client to reflect the writing privately or/and during
the coaching sessions.
References
■ Lepore, S. J., & Smyth, J. M. (Eds.). (2002). The writing cure: How expressive writing
promotes health and emotional well-being. American Psychological Association.
■ Pennebaker, J. W. (1997). Opening up: The healing power of expressing emotions.

Guilford Press.
■ Pennebaker, J. W. (1999). Health effects of expressing emotions through writing.

Biofeedback, 27, 6-9, 14.
■ Pennebaker, J. W. (2004). Writing to heal: A guided journal for recovering from trauma
and emotional upheaval. New Harbinger Press.
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Healing Through Writing
This exercise is intended to have you focus on your most traumatic life experience. Let your ideas flow fluidly
as you recount the past, the present, or the future. As you write, explore your emotions. Patiently believe in
yourself and your process. Take as long as you need.
Key points
■ Choose something that deeply affected you and that is personal.

■ Feel free to use the same topic or a different topic each day.
■ Keep your writing in a secure place to avoid feeling intimidated or limited while writing due to the
fear of someone else reading it. If helpful, communicate with family members what you are doing and
respectfully ask for privacy.
■ While this exercise may be a challenge, be gentle on yourself. Keep in mind that you are working on your
personal development that will lead to beneficial effects, including finding clarity in life.
■ If you feel overwhelmed while writing, it is okay to take a small break. Try not to get out of your writing
flow. Sometimes we resist what is painful, which prevents us from moving forward by feeling the
emotions.
■ It is normal to feel vulnerable and use your social support to provide comfort.
■ Choose a time that will make you feel the most comfortable; for example, you may choose to write later
in the evening or early in the morning.
Instructions (adapted from Pennebaker, 1999):
Each time you write in your journal, express your deepest thoughts and feelings about some important
emotional event or issue that has affected you. In your writing, let go and explore your deepest emotions
and thoughts. You might tie your topic to your relationships with others, including parents, lovers, friends,
or relatives; to your past, your present, or your future; or to who you have been, who you would like to be,
or who you are now. You may write about the same general issues or experiences every time you write or
pick a different topic each day. All your writing will be completely confidential. Do not worry about spelling,
sentence structure, or grammar. Journaling is most effective if you write whenever you notice that you
are thinking or worrying about something too much. Set a length of time that feels comfortable for you,
anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. Then continue writing until the time is up. You do not need to write every
day. Instead, think of expressive writing as a way to clarify your thoughts and emotions. This method is
particularly powerful in helping you to get through emotional upheavals.
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Post four days-reflection
■ What was the most challenging aspect of writing? Even though it may have been difficult, do you agree
that it was worth it?
■ Did the process of writing help you decrease the avoidance you may have felt?
■ Despite any lingering emotions, can you identify areas of personal growth or healing that may have
occurred? If you have, write down specifically what positive actions and behaviors you have taken and
intend on taking regarding post-traumatic growth.
■ Do you see your trauma differently after you completed the exercise?
■ Is your character different, or have your strengths improved, as a result of your post-traumatic growth?
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PositivePsychology.

com | Positive Psychology Toolkit

Healing Through Writing

■ Pennebaker, J. W. (1997). Opening up: The healing power of expressing emotions.

■ Pennebaker, J. W. (1999). Health effects of expressing emotions through writing.

Healing Through Writing

■ Choose something that deeply affected you and that is personal.

Instructions (adapted from Pennebaker, 1999):

Post four days-reflection

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