The novelist and poet D.H. Lawrence once claimed that ‘one sheds one’s sicknesses in (writing) books and in the process of creating ‘repeats and presents again one’s emotions, to be master of them’. This use of writing for healing and catharsis has a long tradition behind it, from people using a diary, to poets and authors such as Lawrence.
Yet art for real personal development, in particular creative
a respected therapeutic practice. It is, however,
becoming increasingly accepted that the process of
writing helps the individual to organise
problematic thoughts and
experiences, leading to a marked
improvement in their mental
health.
Many individuals cannot
afford occupational therapy,
writing, has only recently begun to earn recognition as
or discover that
the service is not
readily available to them.
Creative writing therapy presents them with an alternative, an independent coping mechanism, and a chance to regain their sense of well-being. In encouraging individuals to gain insight into and develop a better understanding of themselves by describing their experiences imaginatively and authentically, the treatment is a freely accessible, interactive tool for recovery.
It is also a two-way relationship. In addition to empowering the individual to uncover and manage repressed or previously inscrutable feelings or experiences, creative writing therapy sheds light on
the real nature and features of many mental health conditions. By striking up a creative dialogue with an individual, through which they can share different expressions
