Monday, 17 November 2014

When Writing is Therapeutic

I love picking up a pencil and writing about nothing in particular. I never know what is about to emerge onto the paper. I only know that something always does. It's therapeutic. It's the kind of writing that is the absolute opposite of what I've been doing during this last year. My work cataloguing the local cemetery can't, by any stretch of the imagination, be called therapeutic. My parents and other family members are buried there, along with a number of dear friends. I've spent too much time immersed in grave stones. I need a break. I need to do some therapeutic creative writing.

I'm a member of Lapidus, The Writing for Wellbeing Organisation. The local East Midlands group fell into 'disrepair' several years ago so I decided that it was time to repair it. The first meeting of our newly formed East Midlands Lapidus Writing Group will take place this Friday 21st November in Leicester. If you live in the East Midlands and you'd like to join us then please get in touch with me or leave a message in the comments below and I'll get in touch with you.

Talking of comments, it is with some sadness and a lot of irritation that I've had to put comment moderation back onto my blog. Most people post comments that are helpful, friendly and relevant. Why do some people always spoil things? I'm receiving regular comments from people who want to sell me dubious items, want to offer me dubious jobs or - and these are the most confusing - comments that are nothing but a list of nonsensical words. Why would anyone waste their time writing that when they could be writing therapeutically instead?

If you're interested in therapeutic journal writing then I would recommend you visit Kate Thompson's blog called Therapeutic Journal Writing. It's packed with inspiring writing ideas.

17 comments:

  1. I'm glad you can do something tat makes your heart sing. More power to your pen.

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    1. What a lovely thought. We should all have things in our life that make our hearts sing, Anne :-)

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  2. I love making fun of those spammers. It gives me something therapeutic to do.

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    1. I agree that it is tempting but I wonder if that sort of thing just encourages them.

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  3. Indeed - write with joy and let it flow. You can always edit later, but now doubt a whole mixture of goodies shall evolve. Enjoy!

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  4. P.S. I hope I'm approved

    Cheers

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    1. Thank you, Joanne, and of course you're approved!

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  5. I don't know exactly if it's therapeutic writing, but I always find my thoughts come out more sensical when I write them instead of say them. It's one of the reasons I started blogging, way way back when, and I think is part of the reason why I continue to do so. Well, that and selling copies of my stories ^_^

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    1. That certainly is one aspect of therapeutic writing, Gwen. It can be used in a more directed and intensive way also, especially when working with a counsellor.

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  6. It's wonderful how something suddenly makes sense when you see it written down - after it has swum about in your head like soup for ages!!

    And I sympathise on the spamming front. Let's hope they creep back into the woodwork soon.

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  7. Hi Ros .. your Therapeutic Lapidus group sounds like a good resurgence will come forward ... and if it was a few decades ago ... I'd be in easy reach and come over ... now it's a long haul and the M25 has potholes in it .. and !!! But I'm pleased it's restarting for you ...

    The spamming .. I get a bit and just put the comments into spam as soon as I can - I do wonder why they bother to set up a blog and then use it uselessly .. still some people with small minds ... I ignore them .. but I'd do what you do, for a while if necessary ... cheers Hilary

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    1. That would be lovely if you were close enough to join us, Hilary. You really must let me know if/when you come and visit the Richard III exhibition.

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  8. I'm also glad you have revived your group, Ros. I've never belonged to a writing group, but I think it must be very stimulating and real food for your creative soul! I hope it is indeed therapeutic!

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    1. Oh, Val, you should try it. Any kind of writing group is stimulating. There's a kind of magic that happens when people sit and write together :-)

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  9. Writing for wellbeing sounds good, Rosalind. I'm sorry you're facing spammers. Usually disabling Anonymous comments does the trick.

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    1. I tried that a while ago but some of my friends like to post up the occasional comment as Anonymous which is fine by me, as long as I know who they are.

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