5 Simple Therapeutic Writing Exercises (2024)

FAQs

5 Simple Therapeutic Writing Exercises? ›

Writing therapy, also known as therapeutic writing, is a form of creative and expressive therapy that involves writing about your personal experiences, thoughts and feelings. It can take many forms, including journaling, poetry, creative writing, letter writing, or memoirs.

Writing therapy, also known as therapeutic writing, is a form of creative and expressive therapy that involves writing about your personal experiences, thoughts and feelings. It can take many forms, including journaling, poetry, creative writing, letter writing, or memoirs.

What is a written exercise? Written exercises are assessments used during the recruiting and hiring process to evaluate specific skills and competencies, namely the writing abilities, of a candidate.

The four main types of writing styles are persuasive, narrative, expository, and descriptive. In this blog post, we'll briefly explore the defining features of these four writing styles. For more help using these writing styles, schedule an appointment at the GWC!

As explained in the USC Rossier infographic, “There are three writing capacities: writing to persuade, writing to explain, and writing to convey real or imagined experiences.” These three types of writing are usually called argument, informative, and narrative writing.

Much of the value of writing therapy comes from reading it back. For instance, you can start to see patterns in your thoughts and emotions and understand your own triggers better. All of which can help you to manage the symptoms of PTSD with more confidence.

Therapeutic journaling is the process of writing down our thoughts and feelings about our personal experiences. This kind of private reflection allows us to sort through events that have occurred and problems that we may be struggling with.

Writing therapy posits that writing one's feelings gradually eases feelings of emotional trauma. Writing therapeutically can take place individually or in a group and can be administered in person with a therapist or remotely through mailing or the Internet.

What kind of writing do therapists do? ›

In clinical nonfiction writing (e.g., progress/case notes, intake reports, assessments), you are likely presenting data about either an individual person or a research idea that is objective; however, you also want to provide your own clinical judgment and opinions in a professional and effective manner.

Analyzing Evidence in Depth: “10 on 1”

Phrased as a general rule 10 on 1 holds that it is better to make ten observations or points about a single representative issue or example than to make the same basic point about ten related issues or examples.

For five minutes, don't stop writing. Write anything that comes to mind — there are absolutely no limits except that you can't limit yourself. Whatever pops into your mind, write it down. At the end of the five minutes, if you want to keep going, set another five-minute timer.

Freewriting is a prewriting exercise similar to brainstorming and stream-of-consciousness writing. It allows the author to write, in paragraph form, without constrictions of grammar, spelling, or transitions. The writer must write what is on their mind, without interruption, for a prescribed amount of time.

Sensory Writing Practice:

A great way to get started with sensory writing is to set aside 6 minutes every day of uninterrupted time to write, stream-of-consciousness, on whatever device you feel most comfortable. For some, it's a laptop or iPad.

Try to write an introduction that will draw your readers into the story and help them connect with your topic. You might begin by asking a question, giving an illustrative example, or explaining a difficult concept.

Draw on your own experiences and emotions to convey realistic and relatable characters. If you try to write an emotion you've never felt before, it will likely come off as a little forced. If you must write a scenario you've never experienced, try to have some conversations with people who have experienced it.