The Therapeutic Potential of Creative Writing

The Therapeutic Potential of Creative Writing
Author: Gillie Bolton
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Total Pages: 254
Release: 1999
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1853025992

Writing is a means of making sense of experience, and of arriving at a deeper understanding of the self. The use of creative writing therapeutically can complement verbal discussions, and offers a cost- and time-effective way of extending support to depressed or psychologically distressed patients. Suitable both for health-care professionals who wish to implement therapeutic writing with their patients, and for those wishing to start writing creatively in order to help themselves, The Therapeutic Potential of Creative Writing provides practical, well tried and tested suggestions for beginning to write and for developing writing further. It includes ideas for writing individually and for directing groups, and explores journal writing, poetry, fiction, autobiography and writing out trauma, with established writers and those who have taken up writing for private enjoyment.

Write Yourself

Write Yourself
Author: Gillie Bolton
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2011
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1849051100

Write Yourself is the ideal introduction to how to facilitate groups and individuals in finding inspiration for their creative personal writing voices. This book explains how and why writing is such an illuminative and cathartic process, and provides many practical exercises that encourage the exploration of emotions, memories and experiences.

Writing Works

Writing Works
Author: Gillie Bolton
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2006
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1843104687

Writing Works is a guide for writers or therapists working with groups or individuals and is full of practical advice on everything from the equipment needed to run a session to ideas for themes, all backed up by the theory that underpins the methods explained. Practitioners contribute detailed accounts of organizing writing workshops for clients.

The Writer's Key

The Writer's Key
Author: Gillie Bolton
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Total Pages: 170
Release: 2013-11-21
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 0857008544

The Writer's Key is a complete beginner's guide to writing for self-reflection and personal development. Creative writing can deepen our understanding of ourselves and our lives. This book unlocks the potential for gaining these insights, widening perspectives, finding new positivity, increasing confidence and reducing stress through writing. It: - introduces creative writing as a very enjoyable process for enabling reflective personal and professional development - provides strategies and inspiration for getting started, continuing despite hesitations and getting the most out of writing - features uplifting accounts of individuals' successful use of the Key for self-exploration and development through creative writing. The Writer's Key assumes no prior writing experience and will inspire and encourage anyone who wants to tell and explore their story, whether they feel trapped by issues at work or home because of loss, trauma or relationships, or simply want to make more of life.

The Self on the Page

The Self on the Page
Author: Celia Hunt
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Total Pages: 228
Release: 1998
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 9781853024702

This book examines the potential of creative writing as a therapeutic tool. Illustrating a wide range of approaches, the contributors provide an introduction to thinking about creative writing in a personal development context with suggestions for further reading, and look at the potential evolution of therapeutic creative writing in the future.

Poetry and Story Therapy

Poetry and Story Therapy
Author: Geri Giebel Chavis
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Total Pages: 258
Release: 2011
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1849058326

This accessible book explores the therapeutic possibilities of poetry and stories, providing techniques for facilitating personally relevant and growth-enhancing sessions. The author provides ideas for writing activities that emerge from this discussion, and explains how participants can create their own poetic and narrative pieces.

Writing Routes

Writing Routes
Author: Gillie Bolton
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Total Pages: 242
Release: 2011-05-15
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0857003038

The use of creative writing as a route to personal or professional development is a powerful therapeutic tool, yet often the most difficult part is knowing how and where to begin. The experiences of others, and the strategies and approaches they have used in their own writing, can provide tried-and-tested models for practice, and 'ways in' that facilitators might wish to recommend to others. Writing Routes is an essential roadmap for anybody setting out on the journey of self-discovery through words. This diverse collection of short pieces introduce and demonstrate many different ways of getting into and thinking about creative writing for personal or professional development. Seventy contributors from a variety of different backgrounds and circumstances explain how they came to write a particular piece and why, how they found ways of transforming their experience into writing, and how it was beneficial to them. Their writing ranges widely, from journal entries and stream of consciousness to autobiography, poetry, fiction and drama, and the pieces are organised by theme and genre for ease of navigation, designed to be 'dipped into' as and when they are needed. This rich and varied collection will provide writing practitioners, counsellors and other related professionals with ideas and techniques to share with their clients, and is a useful resource that individuals who write for their own personal and professional development will return to again and again.

Therapeutic Dimensions of Autobiography in Creative Writing

Therapeutic Dimensions of Autobiography in Creative Writing
Author: Celia Hunt
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Total Pages: 214
Release: 2000
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 9781853027475

'It was the author's own experience of fictional autobiography that led Celia Hunt serendipiditously to appreciate that such writing could be therapeutic. She noticed, for example, and this was subsequently echoed in many of her students' experiences, a beneficial psychological change - and increased inner freedom, greater psychic flexability (perhaps the key to creativity and psychological health), a stronger sense of personal identity. This book tells us about the hows and whys of such therapeutic change.' - AutoBiographyJournal.com 'A critical examination of the therapeutic possibilities of autobiographical fiction that draws on perspectives from both psychoanalytic and literary studies.' - The Journal Of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy Therapeutic Dimensions of Autobiography in Creative Writing brings together theory and practice from psychoanalysis, literary and cultural studies and the growing field of creative writing studies. It highlights the importance of autobiographical writing not only as an opening into fiction writing, but also as a powerful therapeutic tool. Celia Hunt discusses how autobiographical fiction can be used in therapeutic work by art therapists, psychotherapists and creative writing tutors, as well as in personal development by writers of any kind. She draws up guidelines for a successful course on autobiography and creative writing, and presents case studies and practical ideas for writing about the self. She shows how writing autobiographical fiction can help people to explore significant events and relationships in their lives. Finding a writing voice in this way clarifies and strengthens the writer's sense of identity, leading to a fuller realisation of his or her potential in life.

Writing Cures

Writing Cures
Author: Gillie Bolton
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2004-08-02
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1135444935

there is currently little, if any, literature around that covers online counselling, which has its own section in this book notable list of contributors including Anthony Ryle and Stephen Goss this is currently a hot topic, and a growing field.