Counselling and writing

I love to write. When something feels a bit confusing or murky, I write about it. I find my pen nudges into thoughts and feelings that I keep hidden back somewhere. The things I don’t want to admit about myself, or that feel too painful. I don’t write for anyone to read. I write to understand.

I am not alone. Lots of research highlights the benefits of writing. Creative writing, which may involve using a character or plot, can help people to explore trauma in a safe way. Journals or free writing, where you might set a timer for ten minutes and just write whatever comes up, has been shown to expand self-awareness. Lists, letters, bibliography and poetry are also well known and researched as tools that can help people heal.

In our counselling, clients are always welcome to bring writing to our sessions. Writing a journal before a session might be a helpful way of identifying what’s really playing on your mind, helping you to decide what to discuss during our time together. You might want to share journal extracts with me, such as lines that feel pertinent or really get to the nub of how you feel. You might ask for a writing prompt to use between sessions. You may also want to share a poem that captures the essence of your story.

Personally my favourite writing activity is free writing. 12 minutes is my sweet spot. I seem to write a lot of nothing for the first ten minutes, but something then kicks in and the truth flows out. And when my timer beeps I am ready to put the pen down and reflect on what I have just poured out.