WRITING TO HEAL
Updated: Jul 1, 2021
How does writing cauterize your broken heart?
Writing to mend your broken heart, healing your past and moving forward. There is growing medical and psychological evidence in support of the therapy of “writing to heal.”
Writing had to come before reading, how else would we learn to read if there was nothing written? These two virtuous skills happen simultaneously. Almost as soon as we create a sound a visual representation of it is in our mind. Also, something had to take place before the sound was created—that which prompted the creation of sound and developed the grapheme. A thought had to be witnessed. The thought became an idea. An idea became a story. And as they say, “the rest is history.”
One voice at a time records history for a millennium. That is the power of One that TAT Productions advocates. However, we cannot assume, one voice alone can speak for all, nor that the appearances of things are real. Each individual is experiencing his/her own reality whether it is true or not. Or is it the opposite? Everyone is experiencing their own truth whether it is real or not. What is real and what is truth?
People who have suffered trauma or spent many years in meditation can come to realize truth and reality. In the meditative state, we come to see reality and prove its truth through visions that escape our bodies. Through trauma, we do the same. We leave our bodies. And we experience truth.
How does writing fit into all this truth and reality mumbo jumbo? It makes us be the witness. It helps us separate ourselves from the occasion. Once we see from another perspective whether it is in person, time, or place, things begin to change. And we begin to heal. [i]
❝ Writing about traumatic, stressful or emotional events has been found to result in improvements in both physical and psychological health, in non-clinical and clinical populations. ❞
We may not know what to write but the witness does. Instruct it to deliver what it sees in the eye above the circumstance. That eye, that witness, is your guide to
story. Once the story is formulated, compare it to the other stories you have told yourself. How are they different and alike?
It then becomes the light of truth. You can use it to transcend the physical and enter the realm of peace where spirit reigns. You will be guided to pursue its purpose because truth cannot be hidden for long. It’s bright shining star will lead many to awaken the lethargic children of the tube.
At ease, your job is done. The imprint has been forged. Realized.
Writing skills for any age:
Memoirs – begin where the most exciting or painful part of the story happens and start filling in the sentiment before the sentiment, the truth before the truth in 360 degrees.
Poetry – free verse – a stream of consciousness – let the pen take you – envision – visualize – nothing is too this or that – nothing is not good enough – there is story in words – word per word.
Biography – tell the story of a loved one. Tell their story as if they were writing their own memoirs and call it creative and innovative. A biography written in 1st person? How about timeline? Mix it all up by theme.
Self-help – my favorite self-help guru was Wayne Dyer. I think it’s because he told the best stories. They weren’t all about his life and kids, they were often about famous poets, writers, and gurus lives and teachings. Thus, the best self-help for me is learning about how others have learned.
Healing is personal and whether psychology is just realizing it or not, healing is expressive. The expressions emanating from our lives are intrinsically related to our broken links, our wounds and the unattended destiny we call fate.[ii]
❝… expressive writing influences attention and habituation to stressful stimuli and to negative emotions and that it may influence restructuring of cognitions related to stressors and stress responses.❞
Here are some types of writing we can practice:
Invented dialogue - WRITE A SCENE
Letters to … - WRITE A LETTER TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS
A to Z expressions - IMPRESSIONS AND EXPRESSIONS and ACRONYMS
Essays - EXPLAIN, COMPARE AND CONTRAST, DEFINE
Lists - CREATE A LIST OF IMAGES
Shape writing - WRITE IN THE SHAPE OF YOUR FANCY
Screenplay - CREATE A FILM SCRIPT
Novel - START FROM SHORT STORIES
Graphic novel - PUT IMAGES AND DRAWINGS INTO STORY
Comics - THERE IS NOTHING MORE ELOQUENT THAN A COMICS TO UNDERSTAND
[i] Baikie, K., & Wilhelm, K. (2005). Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 11(5), 338-346. doi:10.1192/apt.11.5.338 [ii] Smyth, J., & Lepore, S.J. (2002). The writing cure: How expressive writing promotes health and emotional well-being. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2002-01516-005