Member Reviews
There are a slew of self help books out there but few as useful and to the point at this one. Naturally doing exercises is always harder than just reading a book, but if you do them, it helps.
It's an okay effort, that tries to combine therapeutic writing with creative writing. I tried a few exercises and it brings a few emotions to the surface but will it make me a better writer? I don't know. This would work more on troubled kids, to give them a sense of direction after catharsis. It's directed more towards self-awareness.
I have really enjoyed reading this book! Though I have not completed all of the exercises, I plan to complete them over a longer period of time. I have found the exercises to be constructive, enlightening and surprising. It is certainly difficult to just let the words flow, but the way these exercises are set out makes this task much easier. As a sufferer of anxiety, depression and PTSD, I surprised myself with some of the things I wrote. I look forward to completing more of these exercises.
A great starting point for creative writing as a form of therapy. Recommend for beginners to the subject - 'Write for Recovery' provides a decent summary of the psychological theory behind the practice without it being overwhelming.
Looking forward to trying the exercises given and seeing what comes of it, which I'm going to take my time with.
Opening line:
"I have used writing as a form of therapy most of my life, journaling almost daily since I was ten and then writing fiction for twenty-five years."
I haven't completely finished this book because I'm going slowly and enjoying the exercises, or, therapeutic writing. There's no end for personal recovering. There's a lot about staying in the moment, using tools that help lift the reader to a more positive level of self. Dreams, pictures, writing...all are used to bring more of an awareness to healing.
"What do you want?"
Thanks to netgalley for the early read! It's a book one could reread again and again when needing a lift.