Writing for Wellbeing: Theory, Research, and Practice

Writing can support our wellbeing even under the most difficult life circumstances, helping us to adapt to change, make sense of loss, improve our resilience, and foster personal growth. This book explores the transformative power of writing in a wide range of contexts, including personal trauma narratives, grief and loss, poetry, blogs, playwriting, and the smuggled writings of refugees. It provides a holistic and inspiring resource for anyone wishing to practice, teach, or research Writing-for-wellbeing.

Format: Hardback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 07 July 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Writing has the incredible power to support our well-being, even in the most challenging life circumstances. It helps us adapt to significant changes, make sense of loss, enhance our physical and emotional resilience, and foster personal growth. Numerous studies on Expressive Writing have substantiated this, and there are established methodologies for practice. However, to date, few accounts have provided detailed descriptions showcasing how and why putting pen to paper can be so beneficial.

This book delves deeply into the realm of Writing-for-wellbeing and showcases the transformative power of writing across various contexts. Topics include personal trauma narratives within the Humanities, a participatory Writing-for-wellbeing study that demonstrates the effectiveness of writing in the context of grief and loss, the surprising role of surprise as the hidden mainspring of poetry's therapeutic potency, the empowerment and healing potential offered by Black women's blogs, playwriting's role in positioning LGBTQIA+ identities as positive through stories of belonging, how writing workshops have helped newly literate Indigenous adults and other participants in the Australian outback, and how the smuggled writings of Behrouz Boochani have enabled global witnessing of the stories of refugees held in offshore detention.

This resource sets out the theoretical foundations and research behind Writing-for-wellbeing in close relation to full and engaging accounts of practice. It aims to make the topic accessible and affirms its place as an effective reconstructive practice alongside other expressive arts therapies, providing a holistic and inspiring resource for anyone wishing to practice, teach, or research Writing-for-wellbeing.

Weight: 680g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032163161