Writing to Heal
According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, the health benefits of writing are so powerful that “were the authors to have provided similar outcome evidence for a new drug, it likely would be in widespread use within a short time...”
(April 14, 1999 editorial)
In these classes, you will learn about the amazing research on the physical, emotional and mental benefits of expressive writing done the right way. Studies have shown it boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure, reduces pain and insomnia, and has many other health benefits. Writing the story of your trauma changes the way the memory of it is encoded in the brain. Writing helps people through illness, grief, job loss, or life transitions.
Through journaling, poetry and storytelling, you will experiment with different writing prompts designed to help you access what you didn't know you knew. This process is great for people who want to gain insight into their own lives or need a way to achieve well-being in the midst of stressful situations. Sharing your writing is always optional, but classes invariably become safe containers for members' progress.
Sample classes include:
- Writing through Illness: if you are currently dealing with treatment or have a chronic condition
- Hidden Treasures: for abuse survivors to move beyond coping to flourishing and enjoying their lives
- Integrative Journaling: how to use your journal as more than a dumping ground and let it become a source of wisdom and growth
- Memoir: to find the story and therefore the meaning in your life history
- Our Bodies, Our Lives: Memoir for Women-what would your life story be like if your body told it?
- Writing as a Spiritual Practice: process and content for deep connection to the mundane and the sacred
- Writing to Change the World: how to communicate effectively in different genres (letters, editorials, personal essays, stories) to make a difference
See a list of upcoming writing classes
download a flier about upcoming writing classes
