Creative Writing Therapy

Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose, or paint can manage to escape the madness, melancholia, the panic and fear which is inherent in a human situation ~ Graham Greene

Creative writing therapy can be of benefit for all, whether you write or not. We can work with one written word, a letter, a note, or a novella. Writing offers us another way to connect with ourselves, especially when we cannot verbalise how we feel. The therapeutic potential of creative writing can take many forms and may be of interest to people who wish to explore the potential of writing creatively for their own personal development.

By engaging in your own autobiographical creative writing, you can explore the relationship between self and other through a range of themes - perhaps writing a no send letter to grief, or to your feelings of anger and then also writing a response from these places. all of which are processed together in session.

Research suggests that bibliotherapy has very positive benefits for people suffering from low mood and depression. As a bibliotherapist I also prescribe books for reading for therapeutic purposes to address emotional and mental health concerns, which engage the reader on a journey of self-discovery through poetry, novels and plays.

I work creatively with individuals and I also work with groups in healthcare, therapeutic and educational settings, where I design and facilitate therapeutic writing workshops. I am a member of LAPIDUS which is an organisation of practitioners representing the diverse field of creative writing and reading for health and well-being.

I hold an MA in creative writing therapy and two years of my PhD therapy research considered the benefits of writing the unsayable and writing out of silence, shame and crisis.