Do you have deep emotional wounds?

Have you considered using writing as a tool for healing? 

Writing can actually be a powerful tool for transformation. As a counsellor I often encouraged clients to journal regularly as a way to process through their feelings, get to know themselves better and become more aware of what they needed. 

For me, writing has always provided a safe space to explore my own feelings and thoughts, and it continues to help me gain insight and clarity about myself and my life.  

Whatever is going on in our lives and whatever we are feeling, we can use writing to make sense of things in a way that can be difficult to do using other means.  

So, why might someone consider using writing to heal their deeply held emotional wounds?  And what is the best way to achieve that? 

There are several reasons why someone might choose writing as a too for healing.   

I have a saying: when emotions feel stuck, we need to get them moving before they become toxic.  We can either walk them out, talk them out or write them out.  And writing is one of my favourite tools. 

Writing can help you to gain a new perspective on your experiences and emotions. It can be easy to get stuck in our own thoughts and feelings, but when we write them down, we can see them from a different angle. This can help us to gain insight and understanding that we may not have been able to see before.

When we write about our emotions, we can process them in a safe and controlled way. We can explore our feelings without fear of judgment or retribution. This can be particularly helpful for those who struggle with expressing their emotions verbally. 

Writing can help us to release pent-up feelings in a healthy way. Just like taking the lid off a pressure cooker, by putting our emotions on paper, we can let go of the negative energy that has been building up inside of us and eating away at us. 

Writing can be a powerful tool for improving mental health. Studies have shown that expressive writing can reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. By writing about our experiences and emotions, we can process them in a way that promotes healing and growth. 

Once you decide you are going to give this a go, how do you actually go about doing it? How can you use writing to heal?   

Here are 6 tips that will help you establish a lifelong habit: 

1. The first thing you need to do is find a quiet and comfortable space. Choose a place where you feel safe that has a comfortable chair and a comfortable temperature. This could be a quiet room in your home, or it might be outside in nature, at a local park or by the water. The important thing is that you feel relaxed and at ease.
    
    2. Then you need to schedule time to write. Set aside some time each day so you can get into a habit. This could be 10 minutes or an hour, depending on your schedule and your needs. The important thing is to make it a regular habit.
    
    3. Choosing a writing style or format is the next thing you need to do. There are many different styles of writing that can be helpful for healing, and you might need to try a few different approaches before you settle on one that works for you. Some people prefer to write whatever comes to mind just to get stuff out of their heads, while others prefer to write poetry or put their thoughts into story format. It is important to choose a style that feels natural and comfortable for you so that you can get into the flow quicker and feel the benefits sooner.
    
    4. Writing freely is important. Try not to worry about grammar or punctuation and just let your thoughts flow onto the page without judgment. You might be surprised by what you write.
    
    5. Once you have been writing for a while, take some time to go back and reflect on what you have written. What insights have you gained? What emotions have you processed? What have you learned about yourself? Is there something you have learned that you can use to improve your circumstances?
    
    6. Finally, as you develop the habit of writing regularly you will probably find you develop your own style of writing and exploring your inner world.  Keep going until you find that style and enjoy the positive growth you will see as a result. 

Socrates said: “The unexamined life is not worth living”.   

Carl Jung wrote: “Until the unconscious becomes conscious, it will rule your life and you will call it fate.’  

I encourage you to use writing to examine your life and grow your self-awareness and you will not only heal old wounds, but you will also find a richness within you that you didn’t know existed. 

If you think you might like to publish your story – what you’ve learned about yourself through your writing – why don’t you join us in our FREE 30 Day Book Writing Challenge.   

Your story might just make a huge difference to someone else, and we’d love to support you as you put your story together. 

A final word: please don’t hesitate to seek support if you need to. While writing can be a powerful tool for healing, it is not a substitute for professional help. If you are really struggling with deep emotional wounds, consider seeking support from a psychologist or a counsellor.