Writing is Healing

Did you know that writing is healing? 

No matter what kind of writing you do, I am certain there is a healing component in there somewhere. You may not even be conscious of it.

Your story doesn't have to be limited to a journal or a memoir to tell it. If you've written a novel, perhaps your character development is a refection of your own life. Maybe you've hit your pain head on with a self-help book to assist others.  I have particularly found writing in allegory style to help me process pain.

Whatever your writing style, whatever your genre, studies have shown that writing is therapeutic.

 John Althouse Cohen / Foter / CC BY

Rochelle Melander, author of the article, "Heal By Writing About Your Trauma" (Psychology Today; November 21, 2012):

Many psychological and medical studies have shown that writing about difficulties and dreams helps people experience increased happiness, health, and productivity ... psychologist James Pennebaker wrote about the multiple research studies he has done on the transformative power of writing. He discovered that people who use writing to make sense of their traumatic life experiences felt happier and less anxious.

You may have suffered a traumatic event. Write.

You may be a worrier. Write.

You may be fearful. Write.

You may have unfulfilled dreams. Write.

You may be having a bad day. Write.

Let the ashes be turned into beauty. Not only will you be helping the reader to enjoy what you write, but you will very likely be helping yourself!


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 Kathy Moulton is a published freelance writer. You can find her passion to bring encouragement and hope to people of all ages at When It Hurts -http://kathleenmoulton.com

Telling Your Story

Finding Expression in Pain

We all have a story to tell. And writing our story can be therapeutic for us and our readers.

You may have faced some real difficulties or a tragedy in your life. That doesn't mean you have to write a tell all or self-help book. You may not want to openly discuss a specific situation. The pain from sorrow or loss can be told in many ways. It may be through the intricate details of a novel filled with suspense, the main character is like you, and your emotions find direction through the character's emotions. Or maybe poetry is the farthest thing from your mind, and yet out of nowhere, the flowing, soothing words are written with the ease of a conductor leading an orchestra. 

Let your writing naturally flow from your soul and see where it takes you. You will discover comfort as your emotions are finding expression, and readers will benefit, too.

I have personally faced a tragedy in my life that helped me find a writing style that I didn't know was in me: allegory. I didn't have the desire to get down to the business of writing a book on the topic at hand. Instead, I found myself describing what I was feeling indirectly with shadows - not light. It helped me to write in an abstract way about the pain.

Of course, this is nothing new. Yet, the encouragement I hope to give you is not to confine yourself with always being predictable in your writing. The abrupt circumstances in our lives can abruptly change us and that's not always a bad thing.

Let the gift you have flow out of your soul and make new paths for you and your readers! Because even in life's storms, there is beauty.

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Kathleen Moulton has a passion to bring hope to hurting people of all ages who are facing disappointment, discouragement, and loss. You are invited to read When It Hurts - http://kathleenmoulton.com

Article photo courtesy: PictureWendy / Foter / CC BY-NC