I have worked with people from all kinds of walks of life, but a common thread among many of them has been a creative/artistic/writerly streak or background. I have found it not at all uncommon for creative people like writers to occasionally struggle with things like blocks, self-doubt, self-sabotage, fear of putting one’s work out there, and imposter syndrome – all of which can be better understood through a process of self-reflection and discovery. Giving yourself the opportunity to explore whatever it is that is weighing on you or holding you back in an accepting, non-judgemental environment can be a first step towards insight, clarity and change.
I am an integrative therapist so I adapt how I work to fit each client, but as I have undertaken specialised training in Writing Therapy, I am equipped to give writing and the written word a more central place in the process, if desired. This might draw on any number of forms and tools, including journaling, free-writing, poetry, metaphor, lists, letters, dialogues, and word associations.
Depending on the individual client, therapy sessions using writing might consist of some combination of talking, writing, sharing and reflecting on what has been written – for others, the writing element may be more of a tool to dig deeper between appointments (e.g. by journaling or writing poetry), with the sessions themselves more centered around traditional verbal exploration but informed by the client’s experience and/or sharing of what they have written.
I have also recently become the only Certified Instructor of Kathleen Adams’ Journal to the Self® workshop in Ireland. This is a ’12-hour course on how to keep a journal for personal growth, creative expression and life enrichment,’ which I can offer to both individuals and groups who wish to expand their repertoire of techniques for productive and fulfilling journal-writing. You can read more about the workshop on my blog here: https://nozomicounselling.com/2022/04/21/journal-to-the-self-workshop-certified-instructor-training-complete/
And maybe writing isn’t for you at all, and of course that’s okay. I use writing in therapy as a potential tool for change but it is always the client who decides how much or little we use that tool, if at all. If you’re intrigued by the idea of journaling though, you can download below some introductory guidelines I’ve put together:
Nozomi Counselling & Psychotherapy 