Therapeutic Journal Writing: An Introduction for Professionals

Writing a journal is not just about keeping a record of daily events - journal writing provides a unique therapeutic opportunity for facilitating healing and growth.

The author of this book guides the reader through developing journal writing to use as a therapeutic tool. Keeping a journal can help the writer to develop a better understanding of themselves, their relationships and the world around them, as well as improve skills of problem-solving, decision-making and planning. As such, journal writing can be a powerful complement to verbal therapy, offering an effective and affordable way of extending support to troubled clients. The book includes advice on working with individuals, facilitating a therapeutic writing group, proposed clinical applications, practical techniques, useful journal prompts, exercises and case vignettes.

This clear guide to the basics of journaling and its development as a therapeutic medium will be a valuable handbook for therapists, health and social care practitioners, teachers, life coaches, writing facilitators and any professional seeking personal development in themselves or their clients.

Therapeutic Journal Writing: An Introduction for Professionals

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Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781843106906
Publisher:	Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publication date:	11/15/2010
Series:	Writing for Therapy or Personal Development
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Kate Thompson MA is a BACP Senior Accredited Counsellor and Supervisor in private practice. She runs training courses in Journal Writing for Therapeutic Purposes, and is a faculty member of the Center for Journal Therapy in Colorado, USA, where she also trained. She is a professional member of Lapidus, the national UK organisation for the literary arts and personal development. She is co-editor, with Gillie Bolton and Victoria Field, of Writing Works: A Resource Handbook for Therapeutic Writing Workshops and Activities and Writing Routes: A Resource Handbook of Therapeutic Writing, both published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Foreword Kathleen Adams 11

Preface 13

Part 1 Understanding the Basics 21

Introduction 23

From journals to therapeutic journals 23

Diary or journal? 27

Product and process writing 28

Why therapeutic journal writing? 29

Some reasons for keeping a therapeutic journal 30

Myths of therapeutic journal writing 32

Key concepts in therapeutic journal writing 32

1 Preparing for Therapeutic Journal Writing 40

The journal 40

The place 42

The pen: handwriting or typing? 43

Time 44

Privacy 46

2 Using Therapeutic Journal Writing in Practice Settings 49

Practice contexts for therapeutic journal writing 50

Introducing therapeutic journal work to others 52

Therapeutic journal writing in counselling or psychotherapy 54

Helpful client factors 59

Working with groups 61

Reading aloud 65

Responding 67

Part 2 Structured Techniques 71

3 Beginnings and Endings 73

Beginning therapeutic journal activity 73

Techniques for overcoming the first blank page 75

Ending a journal 84

4 Lists 89

Different kinds of list 90

5 Steppingstones 103

Different sets of Steppingstones 105

6 Description and Deeper 112

Captured moments 113

Travel journals 115

Working with photographs 116

Visual journals 120

Part 3 Less Structured Techniques 125

7 Journal Dialogues 127

Types of dialogue 128

Traditions of therapeutic dialogue 129

Practising dialoguing in therapeutic journal writing 129

What are journal dialogues useful for? 131

Dialogues with people 131

Dialogue with aspects of the self 134

Dialogue with the body 135

8 Unsent Letters 137

Personal relationships with letters 138

Unsent letters in bereavement and grief 139

Unsent e-mails 141

Intended recipients 141

Anger 142

What to do with unsent letters 145

Letters to the unborn child 146

Future or past selves 146

9 Perspectives 149

Time perspectives 149

Looking forwards 151

Making decisions 151

Reviewing the future or setting intentions 152

Changing behaviour 155

Looking backwards 156

Changing voices 157

10 Opening Up 161

Freewriting 161

Poetry 165

Stories 167

Working with time 167

Part 4 Applications for Practice 175

11 What Works for Whom? 177

Working with physical symptoms 177

Working with chronic illness 179

Survivors of childhood sexual abuse 186

Family/relationship issues 188

Bereavement 188

Addictions 190

Writing about therapy/treatment 191

Working with bilingual or second language speakers 192

Working with low levels of literacy 192

Working with people who are unable to write 193

12 Journal Writing in Professional Supervision 194

What is supervision? 194

Journal writing as self-supervision 196

Individual supervision 197

Peer supervision 199

Identifying/working with countertransference 199

Journal writing as a way of keeping client stories (and clients) separate 200

Captured moments 200

Unsent letters 201

Dialogues 205

Afterword 209

List of Journal Prompts 210

About the Author: A Personal Journey from Diary to Therapeutic Journal Writing 212

References 215

Index 219

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Editorial Reviews

This book will help practitioners to challenge clients to experiment with different ways of telling their story in order to better understand themselves and explore their personal realities more deeply. Writing as therapy is a powerful process, and here are some practical and robust guidelines to engage with it safely and creatively.

Emmy van Deurzen

When I first read this book I suddenly felt an immediate connection with what she was saying. Her distinct writing style and the way she communicates her ideas as well as how she guides you through the journal writing process is simply brilliant. I wish I had been able to read this book years ago because I would have got so much more from my own journal writing. I can see how it could also have a use as a form of self supervision by allowing one's true thoughts to surface in the creative process... I found Thompson's book an insightful journey through therapeutic writing via a journal and I would recommend it to anyone working therapeutically with clients or as a supervisor or teacher of therapists.

British Association of Play Therapists.

This book is an excellent introduction to the therapeutic aspect of journal writing for anyone who has seen journal writing as simply keeping a form of diary or never approached the topic before. It offers a structured approach to therapeutic journaling, from a consideration of the tools required and the arrangement of physical space needed, to the variety of ways to adopt and adapt journaling in one's life for different purposes, such as time management and extending one's personal therapy... As an experience counsellor and group work facilitator, I felt both curious and inspired by the variety of exercises and prompts I could offer to my clients to extend our therapeutic work together. I also appreciated the guidance offered in building and maintaining boundaries to ensure safe practice of therapeutic writing. As a seasoned supervisor integrating creative techniques in my practice, I was excited by the passionate enthusiasm to work therapeutic journaling into my approach, as well as to use those techniques for my own self-supervision.

Lapidus Journal

The book is part of an excellent series by Jessica Kingsley called Writing for Therapy or Personal Development which is edited by the country's leading exponent of writing for personal and professional development, including therapeutic contexts... the book provides a very practical and useful introduction to 'journal therapy'... this introductory book is a 'must' for any practitioner interested in developing the techniques or model in their own work... Part Two on the use of Structured Techniques is excellent. Likewise, the use discussion of Less Structured Techniques in Part Three is first class... engaging and accessible.

Therapeutic Communities Journal

The practice of therapeutic journal writing is a very practical tool for: health professionals, teachers, lecturers, social workers and writing tutors. It is also recommended for counsellors and life coaches... Therapeutic journal writing and other forms of expressive writing may, therefore, well be seen as part of occupational therapy, rather than as a separate discipline... Kate Thompson, the author, offers many techniques for therapeutic journal writing...While the practice contexts for journal writing include education, health and social care and creative and cultural settings, it is up to the reader to create opportunities for writing groups in each individual work setting. Perhaps the best scope is in rehabilitation centres and hostels, elderly day care, or other settings where people are given time to think with supportive facilitators... Practitioners who develop therapeutic writing skills can make an important contribution to rehabilitation of patients with physical symptoms, chronic illness, survivors of childhood sexual abuse, family relationship issues and bereavement. This is, perhaps, one of the best ways of practising person-centred care, which could be a cost-saving exercise in the context of preventive medical and social care...offers (...) invaluable information for health professionals, teachers, lecturers and writing tutors.

European Journal for Person Centered Healthcare - Dr. Margot Lindsay

... this is a wide ranging and user friendly source book, Kate Thompson has thoroughly covered the material available. It will be of use to anyone looking for new and effective ways to gain insight into either themselves or the people they work with and care for. It lays the foundation for all technical books in the field and is that rare thing in a psychology book; the material won't date and so makes a timeless, worthwhile investment.

Private Practice (formerly Independent Practitioner) and Sussex Counselling & Psychotherapy Journal

I believe therapists at all levels will find something of interest in this book, from the trainee struggling with the prescribed task of completing a 15,000 word journal early in their training, to the therapist looking for a tool for the long term, or for clients in time-limited therapy.

Therapy Today

The practice of therapeutic journal writing is a very practical tool for: health professionals, teachers, lecturers, social workers and writing tutors. It is also recommended for counsellors and life coaches... Therapeutic journal writing and other forms of expressive writing may, therefore, well be seen as part of occupational therapy, rather than as a separate discipline... Kate Thompson, the author, offers many techniques for therapeutic journal writing...While the practice contexts for journal writing include education, health and social care and creative and cultural settings, it is up to the reader to create opportunities for writing groups in each individual work setting. Perhaps the best scope is in rehabilitation centres and hostels, elderly day care, or other settings where people are given time to think with supportive facilitators... Practitioners who develop therapeutic writing skills can make an important contribution to rehabilitation of patients with physical symptoms, chronic illness, survivors of childhood sexual abuse, family relationship issues and bereavement. This is, perhaps, one of the best ways of practising person-centred care, which could be a cost-saving exercise in the context of preventive medical and social care...offers (...) invaluable information for health professionals, teachers, lecturers and writing tutors.--Dr. Margot Lindsay, Research Department of Mental Health Sciences "European Journal for Person Centered Healthcare"

... this is a wide ranging and user friendly source book, Kate Thompson has thoroughly covered the material available. It will be of use to anyone looking for new and effective ways to gain insight into either themselves or the people they work with and care for. It lays the foundation for all technical books in the field and is that rare thing in a psychology book; the material won't date and so makes a timeless, worthwhile investment.--Private Practice (formerly Independent Practitioner) and Sussex Counselling & Psychotherapy Journal

I believe therapists at all levels will find something of interest in this book, from the trainee struggling with the prescribed task of completing a 15,000 word journal early in their training, to the therapist looking for a tool for the long term, or for clients in time-limited therapy.--Therapy Today

The book is part of an excellent series by Jessica Kingsley called Writing for Therapy or Personal Development which is edited by the country's leading exponent of writing for personal and professional development, including therapeutic contexts... the book provides a very practical and useful introduction to 'journal therapy'... this introductory book is a 'must' for any practitioner interested in developing the techniques or model in their own work... Part Two on the use of Structured Techniques is excellent. Likewise, the use discussion of Less Structured Techniques in Part Three is first class... engaging and accessible.--Therapeutic Communities Journal

This book is an excellent introduction to the therapeutic aspect of journal writing for anyone who has seen journal writing as simply keeping a form of diary or never approached the topic before. It offers a structured approach to therapeutic journaling, from a consideration of the tools required and the arrangement of physical space needed, to the variety of ways to adopt and adapt journaling in one's life for different purposes, such as time management and extending one's personal therapy... As an experience counsellor and group work facilitator, I felt both curious and inspired by the variety of exercises and prompts I could offer to my clients to extend our therapeutic work together. I also appreciated the guidance offered in building and maintaining boundaries to ensure safe practice of therapeutic writing. As a seasoned supervisor integrating creative techniques in my practice, I was excited by the passionate enthusiasm to work therapeutic journaling into my approach, as well as to use those techniques for my own self-supervision.--Lapidus Journal

This book will help practitioners to challenge clients to experiment with different ways of telling their story in order to better understand themselves and explore their personal realities more deeply. Writing as therapy is a powerful process, and here are some practical and robust guidelines to engage with it safely and creatively.--Emmy van Deurzen, Director, New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling, London, UK

When I first read this book I suddenly felt an immediate connection with what she was saying. Her distinct writing style and the way she communicates her ideas as well as how she guides you through the journal writing process is simply brilliant. I wish I had been able to read this book years ago because I would have got so much more from my own journal writing. I can see how it could also have a use as a form of self supervision by allowing one's true thoughts to surface in the creative process... I found Thompson's book an insightful journey through therapeutic writing via a journal and I would recommend it to anyone working therapeutically with clients or as a supervisor or teacher of therapists.--British Association of Play Therapists.

From the Publisher

Therapeutic Journal Writing: An Introduction for Professionals

Therapeutic Journal Writing: An Introduction for Professionals

Paperback

Paperback

Related collections and offers

Overview

Product Details

About the Author

Table of Contents

Customer Reviews