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Reflective Writing Therapy: Infusing Real Life into Your Stories

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Mari L. McCarthy July 23, 2010

Refelctive Writing Therapy Guest Post By Chaundra McGill

Let’s face it, a writer’s life is tough; but when life gets tough, the tough starts writing.

Some of the best literature was born out of tough times: “Whatever Happened to Daddy’s Little Girl?” by Jonetta Rose Barras, “Bastard out of Carolina” by Dorothy Allison and “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert. These books are great examples of how the author was able to transform their turbulent life experiences into stories of discovery, resilience and renewal.

We have all experienced failed relationships, brutal betrayals and the unease of an uncertain future. But how can you translate your life experiences to the page without falling flat? Simple, a little journaling will do the trick.

The key is to get to the heart of your life stories, by approaching them with sincerity and honesty. A great way to tap into this is through a journaling methodology called Reflective Writing Therapy.

Reflective Writing Therapy is a combination of Reflective Writing and Writing Therapy to enable emotional well-being, self-discovery, self-expression, and inspiration.

Reflective Writing is the practice of describing a scene, event, interaction, observance, etc. and adding personal reflection.

Mostly used in the healthcare profession, practitioners are encouraged and sometimes assigned the task of reflecting about patient interactions in a journal. This enables them to think critically and insightfully evaluate their patient interaction to make them better healthcare professionals.

Writing Therapy is a form of expressive therapy that uses the act of writing and processing the written word as therapy.

Used in a variety of settings, writing therapy group leaders typically work in healthcare facilities with patients dealing with mental and physical illnesses, as well as in university settings aiding students in self-awareness and self-development.

Reflective Writing Therapy is helpful in the writing process because it encourages you to capture the details of past experiences while evaluating them, focus your energy on the present through the act of writing, and offer you journaling content for literature you would like to publish.

The insight and processing enabled through Reflective Writing Therapy will provide the emotional texture to your literature, which allows your reader to connect with you.

Though Reflective Writing Therapy may sound like a complex process, it’s really just asking yourself a series of questions: What, Why, Why Now, and What Now?

By asking yourself these four simple questions about a personal experience or topic, you will not only delve deeper in the subject matter, but also will provide yourself a proactive release through your tough times.

Chaundra McGill is the author of 'Profit from Your Past: Crafting Publishable Literature Using Reflective Writing Therapy' and $1 Therapy: Achieving Emotional Well-Being Through Reflective Writing Therapy. She also maintains the Writing With Purpose blog and hosts writing workshops in the Chicago area. To learn more about Chaundra McGill, visit WritingReflections.com

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