Therapeutic writing: writing to fix problems

Writing heals writing. If you have a challenge, whether it's writing-related or not, writing ABOUT the challenge helps you to fix it, over time.

Here's how I use therapeutic writing:

* To clear my mind

* To help me to strategize

* As a pre-writing tool on projcts

* To help me to find ideas

* For fun and creativity

Try therapeutic writing yourself.

Start a sentence with: The three things I don't realize about (insert whatever you like here --myself/ a person/ a situation/ a project) are_________"

You'll be shocked at what you know, but don't realize that you know. You're much smarter than you think you are. :-)

A tip: much of the work on the subject of writing as therapy focuses on writing about feelings. While this may be useful in a clinical situation, it's useless outside of it.

When you're using therapeutic writing, focus on describing situations... write about what's happening. Never try to solve a challenge, that will happen automatically.

Just describe, without focusing on emotional reactions. Your emotions are just energy, they come and go, and only have the meanings you ascribe to them. If you focus on your emotions, rather than description, it's useless self-indulgence, and won't help you to change anything.