5 Simple Therapeutic Writing Exercises
We have all experienced periods of great anxiety and anguish at one time or another. No human being is free from problems, and times arise when we have to bear heavy loads. Therapeutic writing exercises are a fantastic way to deal with these bad feelings which, apart from being painful, are unimportant once we have listened to them.
It has been centuries since pen and paper turned out to be more than just elements. Their task is not only to take notes or write: they are the vector that triggers our emotions, which allows us to express ourselves without fear and which shapes our feelings. Wasn’t reading the best (and healthiest) way to escape? Thanks to her, we can transport us to remote worlds and find ourselves. Therefore, is not writing able to fulfill a similar function?
In the 1960s, American psychologist Ira Progoff first established the Intensive Journaling Method , which consisted of writing a diary. Since then, many studies support the usefulness of this practice, which has become more and more common. We believe that therapeutic writing exercises serve a very important function. They are easy and can be done anywhere, and anyone, regardless of their problem, can do them. Let’s get to know them a little better.
5 therapeutic writing exercises
To get started, we just need a pen and a sheet of paper. We should place ourselves in a place where we feel relaxed and comfortable, if possible away from noise. It is possible, if we wish, to add soft music that harmonizes the atmosphere.
Scented candles and air fresheners are also recommended. We should try to be calm, and if possible, alone.
The journal of positive things
Many people have been keeping diaries since childhood. We write in it curious facts, anecdotes and interesting things that have happened to us (although that doesn’t always mean good news). In this case, the journal should only serve to highlight all the positive things that we see on a daily basis.
And yes, this is quite possible. Let’s take it as a challenge: As soon as we get up in the morning, we should only pay attention to the positive things around us. Write them down and at night, before sleeping, read them. We will be amazed to find that life is not as dull as we think it is.
Put our ideas in order
Take the pen and for half an hour write down whatever comes to mind. It doesn’t matter if they are disconnected or meaningless sentences. We can also draw pictures, make lists of whatever we can think of or jot down random words.
Although it sounds crazy, it will serve us to put our thoughts in order and get to know our innermost feelings. This is a great way to get to know each other better and to dive into our own psyche.
Let us go
If something makes us feel bad, let’s write it down. Imagine this is a letter addressed to our dissatisfaction and let go. Express everything we think; our pain; our fears and anger. We will notice tremendous relief and feel a lot better when we’re done.
Then we can choose to burn the letter or give it to the person to whom it is addressed. Only we will know whether or not this is a good idea: it may take some weight off us, although the opposite can also happen. Let us think coldly of the consequences before acting.
Draw our dreams
Let’s write down on a piece of paper what our goals are. There will certainly be many, some impossible to visualize in our minds. Let’s think about them and ask ourselves, is it really impossible to reach them? Could it be that I am afraid of failing? Is there a more realistic alternative?
Whatever we decide, only we can know how far we are willing to go. No one will judge us if we fail, and if we fail, it must not affect us. Let’s draw the life we want, visualize it and motivate ourselves. Let us motivate ourselves to keep fighting for what we want because it is better to try and fall than to always be in doubt.
The letter of bad days
We will have to live days when we will see everything in black. The most insignificant absurdity will make us angry; we will chat with everyone and we will have the feeling that we got off on the wrong foot. Let’s try to have a letter put away on our table or somewhere safe for this type of situation: the bad day letter.
To do this, let’s choose a day when we feel fully happy and write a letter to ourselves. Let’s tell our other selves how proud we are of him, and all the good things he covers. We might need that whip of positive energy when we are having this famous “bad day”, so let’s keep it in a safe place.
Therapeutic writing exercises are of great help, especially in times when we are not feeling well or when we need more confidence. They teach us to put our thoughts in order and to recycle the feelings ; moreover, they are an important emotional support that people often cannot or are not able to offer us.
Our thoughts The most important thing to start with this writing therapy is to let your imagination run wild and follow the few tips …
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