Write Yourself: Creative Writing and Personal... (PDF) (2024)

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WriteYourself

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Writing for Therapy or Personal Development SeriesEdited by Gillie BoltonWriting for Therapy or Personal Development, a foundation library to arapidly developing feld, covers the theory and practice of key areas.Clearly exemplifed, engaging and accessible, the series is appropriate fortherapeutic, healthcare, or creative writing practitioners and facilitators,and for individual writers or courses.other books in the seriesWriting RoutesA Resource Handbook of Therapeutic WritingEdited by Gillie Bolton, Victoria Field and Kate ThompsonISBN 978 1 84905 107 1Poetry and Story TherapyThe Healing Power of Creative ExpressionGeri Giebel ChavisISBN 978 1 84905 832 2Therapeutic Journal WritingAn Introduction for ProfessionalsKate ThompsonISBN 978 1 84310 690 6Writing WorksA Resource Handbook for Therapeutic Writing Workshops and ActivitiesEdited by Gillie Bolton, Victoria Field and Kate ThompsonISBN 978 1 84310 468 1by the same authorDying, Bereavement and Healing ArtsEdited by Gille BoltonForeword by Baroness Professor Ilora Finlay of LlandafISBN 978 1 84310 516 9The Therapeutic Potential of Creative WritingWriting MyselfGillie BoltonForeword by Sir Kenneth CalmanISBN 978 1 85302 599 0

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WriteYourselfCreative Writing andPersonal DevelopmentGillie Boltonforeword by Nicholas f. MazzaJessica Kingsley PublishersLondon and Philadelphia

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First published in 2011by Jessica Kingsley Publishers116 Pentonville RoadLondon N1 9JB, UKand400 Market Street, Suite 400Philadelphia, PA 19106, USAwww.jkp.comCopyright © Gillie Bolton 2011Foreword copyright © Nicholas F. Mazza 2011All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any materialform (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means andwhether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication)without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with theprovisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of alicence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Safron House, 6–10 KirbyStreet, London EC1N 8TS. Applications for the copyright owner’s written permissionto reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher.Warning: The doing of an unauthorised act in relation to a copyright workmay result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution.Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication DataA CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of CongressBritish Library Cataloguing in Publication DataA CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British LibraryISBN 978 1 84905 110 1ISBN pdf eBook 978 0 85700 3 089

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ContentsForeword by Nicholas F. Mazza 7Acknowledgements 9Preface 1Part One: Creative Personal Writing – What,Why, How, Who, When, Where1. Becoming Our Own Shaman: Introduction to TherapeuticCreative Writing 172. ‘A Story of Gaining Understanding and Insight’: Howto Begin 313. ‘I Got in Touch with Myself ’: Values, Principles, Practice 50Part Two: Writing with Specifc Groups4. ‘Secrets Kept Safe and Sound’: Children Writing 675. ‘Writing is a Way of Saying Things I Can’t Say’: Writing withthe Very Sick 866. ‘Keep Taking the Words’: Writing to Help with Anxiety,Depression and Mental Health 997. ‘Follow the Wings of the Imagination’: Writing andTherapy or Counselling 115

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8. ‘Writing Gives Us Wings so We Can Fly’: Writing inSubstance and Alcohol Abuse Treatment 1339. ‘Ideas Hunt Me, Catch Me, Make Me Write’: Writing forVictims of Torture, Refugees and Asylum Seekers 15210. ‘A Craft to Take You Through Storms, and Keep You Still’:Writing in Prison 16911. Understanding Misunderstanding: Refective Writing forProfessional Development 186Part Three: How to Run Groups;Conclusion12. Mystery and Mastery: Running Therapeutic CreativeWriting Groups 21113. ‘It Helped Me Get Involved with Myself ’: RunningResidential Writing Groups 23214. ‘Tread Softly Because You Tread on My Dreams’ (Yeats 1974):Conclusion. A Conversation between Juhani Ihanus andGillie Bolton 252Appendix: Writing Exercises by Theme 270References 275Subject Index 283Author Index 286

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ForewordSometimes we write to survive, perhaps to gain some sense of controlduring turbulent times. Sometimes we write to remember, perhaps tocope with life transitions that always involve loss. Sometimes we writefor discovery, perhaps inspired by person or place and seeking to grow.Sometimes we just write. In this remarkable book, through selectedresearch, practitioner/scholar contributions, vignettes and compellingexercises, the reader has the opportunity to prevail in afrming whatmatters most, the human connection to person, place and spirit.The place of writing in therapeutic, educational and personal growthcapacities has received signifcant attention in the expressive arts therapies,most notably poetry therapy, which focuses on language, symbol andstory. Creative and focused writing has also received attention as atherapeutic agent in a number of clinical theories, particularly narrative,humanistic and cognitive-behavioural approaches to practice. Beyondprofessional capacities, survivors of community tragedies have oftenturned to writing and art as an emotional release, a way of connectingwith each other, and honouring the memory of deceased loved ones.Gillie Bolton, drawing upon her more than 25 years of experiencein developing refective and therapeutic writing, has demonstrated akeen understanding of the process and power of creative and expressivewriting to efect growth and healing. Other scholars in the allied helpingand educational professions have provided qualitative and quantitativeevidence on the health aspects (as well as the dangers) of expressivewriting. Building on selected sources of support in the literature,7

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8 Write YourselfBolton’s primary focus is on the applied (practical) aspects of writing forpersonal development. Identifying and discussing multiple writing forms(e.g. poetry, fction, blogs, autobiography), this book covers a wide rangeof client concerns, settings and practice modalities (individual, group,community). The practical elements and theoretical/philosophicaldiscussion provided in this book serve to advance the reader’s continuedlearning and growth. For those involved in research, the precise exercisesand practice descriptions can be subjected to disciplined investigation.For the therapist and educator, the many methods and guidelines addto his or her professional repertoire and serve as a reminder of theimportance of critical and creative thinking. For the writer/poet, all ofthe above and more.This book by Gillie Bolton is a celebration and call to the place ofwriting (both personally and professionally) in our life journey. GratefullyUnfnished is the common element in creative writing, therapy, educationand community development. A special thanks to Gillie Bolton forproviding another compelling reminder to keep on responding to andcreating literature. We keep on facing life changes. We keep on learning.It’s a poetic approach to life. We keep on... Don’t try to absorb this bookat one time. Go back and keep on…Nicholas F. MazzaDean and Patricia V. Vance Professor of Social WorkCollege of Social Work, The Florida State University