Write Your Way Out Of Sorrow: A Therapeutic Writing Group Treatment Manual For Adults With Depression

Abstract

Since Ancient Greece, creative writing and the art of story telling have been linked to cathartic expression, insight, self-exploration and human healing, modern psychotherapeutic practice often shares a similar focus. This thesis explores in greater depth how and why creative writing might function as a therapeutic practice and looks at if and/or how therapeutic writing differs from “therapeutic talking”. Based on the findings of the literature surveyed, a therapeutic writing group manual for mitigating depression is designed. Limitations of both the literature review and the group design are then discussed.