We all have methods of coping with what we don’t understand, of dealing with painful situations in our lives. One therapeutic technique that helps us heal in times of confusion, broken hearts, and deepest loss is simple but so very powerful—writing.

1. Writing allows us to make sense of things.

When we don’t know what to do, putting words on paper feels tangible. It’s black and white in an otherwise grey time. When we don’t feel like talking, writing lets us speak in a solitary way. The page is a never-ending space for depositing our concerns and fears and hopes.

2. Writing helps us to let go and accept that we may never find answers.

Exploring our emotions via writing keeps all our questions and possible answers accessible. We make concrete progress over time, reviewing and reworking, and eventually moving beyond whatever we’re working to process. Awakening begins!

3. Writing improves our mental and physical health.

Research has shown that writing about troubling issues boosts our immune system and improves our emotional health, which in turn benefits our lives in many ways. Writing gives us a space to channel, process, and release negative emotions.

4. Writing changes our outlook.

Journaling may be a popular form of therapeutic writing, but anyone who has gotten lost in a novel knows that stories can transport us. We can evolve our viewpoint by writing a fictional version of an event—perhaps with an alternative ending or from a new perspective—or by crafting a story based on a specific emotion but with an entirely different set of circumstances.

How has writing helped you heal? Email me, if you like-  [email protected]

 PRACTICE