The Healing Power of Writing
Writing is no stranger to therapy. For years, practitioners have used questionnaires, journals, and other writing forms to help people heal from stress and trauma. Writing is a remedy for your mind. Recent research suggests that writing about emotions even boosts immune functioning.
Whenever you feel mentally and emotionally exhausted, writing down what troubles you structures your thoughts and brings peace. So many of us have shameful secrets we haven’t shared with others. Putting pen to paper brings skeletons in the cupboard out into the open.
Sometimes thoughts and feelings are overwhelming, creating a traffic jam in our heads, causing depression and anxiety. We need to deal with this by finding a healthy way to express ourselves. What your mind needs at this point is a traffic light. When you write, you are pausing from all other activities and taking the time to look within.
Through writing, pain is translated into black-and-white words. This clears a space in your head. It promotes a sense of detachment from the pain, seeing it clearly and controlling it. Emotions are discharged rather than stuffed down.
Setting words down on paper or into the computer engages the practice of self-reflection and self-discovery. Identifying what caused stress, depression, or anxiety, both in the past and the present, enables problem-solving and positive self-talk. It’s a powerful tool for understanding what’s going on inside you, allowing you to see what’s broken and to accept and forgive yourself.
So next time life throws you a curve, causing a tidal wave of irrational thoughts and negative feelings, pause for a second. Grab your notebook or laptop. Acknowledge your emotions, write them down and get them off your chest. This will tame that wild monkey mind and give the reasoning and problem-solving part of your brain a fighting chance.
Try it!
Go to www.shoshanakobrin.net for your free writing consultation session.
