Expressive Writing: Words that Heal

by James Pennebaker

Overview

Expressive Writing: Words that Heal provides research results, in layman's terms, which demonstrate how and when expressive writing can improve health. It explains why writing can often be more helpful than talking when dealing with trauma, and it prepares the reader for their writing experience. The book looks at the most serious issues and helps the reader process them. From the instructions: “Write about what keeps you awake at night. The emotional upheaval bothering you the most and keeping you awake at night is a good place to start writing.”
Includes:
* A basic four-day, 20-minute daily writing session program
* A six-week writing program using a different technique each week
* Additional techniques for expressive writing
* Instructions on how to analyze what was written

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781611580464
Publisher:	Idyll Arbor, Incorporated
Publication date:	04/14/2014
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

Authors' Prefaces v

I The Essentials of Writing for Health 1

1 Why Write about Trauma or Emotional Upheaval? 3

2 How Can We Get Ready To Write? 22

3 What Are the Basic Writing Techniques? 31

4 How Can We Look Back at Our Writing? 42

II Experimenting with Writing 53

5 Writing to Break Mental Blocks 55

6 Writing to Appreciate the Good in a Sometimes Bad World 60

7 Writing and Editing Your Story 67

8 Writing to Change Perspectives 75

9 Writing in Different Contexts 84

10 Writing Creatively with Fiction, Poetry, Dance, and Art 94

III Transform Your Health: Writing to Heal 105

11 Expressive Writing 107

12 Transactional Writing 122

13 Poetic Writing 129

14 Story Telling 140

15 Affirmative Writing 158

16 Legacy Writing 164

17 Conclusions 169

Resources 171

Reading List 175

References and Additional Scientific Readings 177