Therapeutic Creative Writing for me

This is my first blog and I have decided to treat it much the same as anything else I write. I have thought about my own remit and researched the subject a little – but I thought that in this case I should record how I think and feel withouttoo much outside influence. I sometimes apply this to my creative writing to.

Before I could write I told stories in my mind. I found reading and (reading) comprehension quite difficult until I was at least ten – but there were many sorts of stories being told around me. My early storytelling in my mind helped me explore and develop my imagination. Often it was based on what I had listened to but from a different Point of View; from a bird flying high or from the point of view of a message being carried.

For many years as an adult I did not write much but still I told stories in my head. About a project at work, a computer program, team work that achieved great stuff. I would sometimes suggest to others that they wrote a letter about something that was bugging them – sometimes I would do that too.

I remember one colleague who could write much more eloquently than me, but when it came to writing about getting support from a sponsor or boss she would come to me to build a plot that would convince the necessary people.

All the hours I spent asking “what if” in my mind and exploring stories that never happened stood me in good stead when I started writing in my mid-fifties. I can just hear one of my brothers saying “good therapy”.

I remember my father getting up every day in England or Arabia and practicing playing his violin. I have never been in the habit of getting up and writing “Morning Pages” but quite often I spend time before going to sleep on those mind stories. Like writing this blog late, as I’m doing now, I write them down.

I hope to study some more of the concept, expressing ideas and feelings helps people become more fulfilled. I think that the feelings of wellbeing are deeper if the person finds receptive listeners. At one level I have found that this is true for me through my writing and other activities. I also know for other people and for me at other times, writing is not therapeutic. So, I am interested in looking at this and understanding ways to encourage effective ways to write therapeutically. Also, to understand how to help safeguard against any long-lasting ill effects, of say reliving trauma, while enabling deep seated beliefs to be challenged.

I feel I have been helped by the act of writing and expressing my ideas and feelings. I would say more than passive acts like reading something which support my beliefs. I am interested in looking at this from two different angles – Creative Writing Therapy and Therapeutic Creative Writing.  I hope to keep an open mind and discover the usefulness of both. I think in my first Volume Anthology of Therapeutic pieces there are examples of both.

Look out for my Anthology in Published section of my Website www.foresaw.org

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3 Replies to “Therapeutic Creative Writing for me”

  1. Really thought provoking.

    Its interesting to hear about the precise context of your thoughts and your working method. Its also good to hear about your formative experiences with books and writing.

    Thanks for being brave enough to ‘put it out there’. I wish you every success with your project and look forward to the next instalment with the same enthusiasm I used to look forward to my boyhood comics. Boy oh boy I loved those comics!

  2. Great blog, thank you. Thoughtful and interesting, as well as an engaging voice. I look forward to reading more. Liz

  3. I call “writing stories in my head”, weaving. This is normal. Some call it day dreaming. However, where is the truth in that? Perhaps us weavers are dreamers. There are a lot of us. Where is the harm in that? Dream on, in my opinion…Back to reality / good Blog, Simon, looking forward to seeing where this project goes as I think it is a great idea.

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