Here’s a few suggested resources related to reflexive writing and other expressive arts…
Through the Looking-Glass, and what I found there: an authoethnography on working well with reflexive writing practice. My MA thesis on how reflexive, or purposeful self-reflective, writing practice can help prevent workplace burnout >> Through the Looking-Glass, and what I found there: an authoethnography on working well with reflexive writing practice
An interview with Julia Cameron herself, on the ZoomerRadio show Finding Your Bliss with Judy Librach. Julia talks about “The Artist’s Way” and her new book, “It’s Never Too Late to Begin Again.” >> News Flash: Julia Cameron
Can poetry possibly matter in a time like this? Harvard’s Tracy K. Smith knows the answer. Poetry is having a moment, in large part because poets such as Smith and Amanda Gorman are ready to meet the moment — with ambitious questions, incomplete answers, and what Smith calls “empathetic imagination.” >> Can poetry possibly matter in a time like this? Harvard’s Tracy K. Smith knows the answer
How To Be At Home, a video poem about the pandemic. Lean into loneliness — and know you’re not alone in it. Filmmaker Andrea Dorfman reunites with poet Tanya Davis to craft tender and profound animation on the theme of isolation, providing a wise and soaringly lyrical sequel to their viral hit How to Be Alone. >> How To Be At Home
The Artist’s Way at 30: Alicia Keys, Pete Townshend and the surprising re-birth of a creativity classic. Three decades after it was first published, Julia Cameron’s creativity manual was a lockdown hit. Could we all learn from her guide to ‘artistic recovery’? >> The Artist’s Way at 30: Alicia Keys, Pete Townshend and the surprising re-birth of a creativity classic
The Shape of the Void: Toward a Definition of Poetry. “Poetry leaves something out,” New York Times columnist Elisa Gabbert says. But that’s hardly the extent of it. >> What is Poetry?
How Poetry Can Light up Our Darker Moments: a look at the role poetry plays in well-being >> How poetry can light up our darker moments
‘Why are we here?’ and other questions for an astrophysicist-folklorist. Moiya McTier’s latest book is an ‘autobiography’ of the Milky Way — told from the galaxy’s perspective. An interview with CBC Radio Canada. >> ‘Why are we here?’ and other questions for an astrophysicist-folklorist
Wellbeing Poetry Competition: results from a 2022 call-out for poetry with a mental health theme, run by Oxford Brookes University’s new Wellbeing group and Poetry Centre >> Wellbeing poetry competition
Why Poetry is One of the Most Powerful Forms of Therapy: Both writing and reading poetry, through their expression of feelings and words have highly therapeutic effects on the mind, via Medium.com >> Why poetry is one of the most powerful forms of therapy
Wellbeing and Poetry: a short article on the efficacy of poetry for wellbeing from the Doctoral College at the University of Southampton in the UK >> Wellbeing and poetry
Journal of Poetry Therapy: a leader in the field, this peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal is sponsored by the National Association of Poetry Therapy (US-based). Follow this link for current calls for papers >> Journal of Poetry Therapy
This Western University researcher looks at how poets can evolve alongside social media trends: a PhD candidate is focusing her research on #instapoetry and how the medium affects the message >> This Western University researcher looks at how poets can evolve alongside social media trends
Being a Writer/Poet, from research to poetry: Watch this talk from the University of Toronto’s OISE department on Dr. Elizabeth Bolton’s dissertation-turned-poetry collection. Very interesting discussion on what comes after Pennebaker >> Being a Writer/Poet: From Research to Poetry
Poet Rupi Kaur on her upcoming writing book: ‘It’s meant to send readers on a journey of self-exploration.’ Entertainment Weekly interviews the #instapoet on her latest book >> Poet Rupi Kaur on her upcoming writing book: ‘It’s meant to send readers on a journey of self-exploration.’
Healing Through Words: CBC Books takes a look at #instapoet Rupi Kaur’s latest book about self-reflective writing >> Healing through words
What is Self-Efficacy Theory in Psychology? Self-efficacy is not self-image, self-worth, or any other similar construct. It is often assigned the same meaning as variables such as these, along with confidence, self-esteem, or optimism; however, it has a slightly different definition than any of these related concepts >> What is Self-Efficacy Theory in Psychology?
Six Ways Social Media Negatively Affects Your Health: The rise of social media has meant that we as a global population are more connected than we have ever been in the history of time >> Six ways social media negatively affects your health
Why Everyone Should Try Forest Bathing: In its simplest of definitions, forest therapy is a mindful nature practice. An article about shinrin-yoku from Vogue Magazine >> Why Everyone Should Try Forest Bathing
Why Walking Helps Us Think: What is it about walking, in particular, that makes it so amenable to thinking and writing? The answer begins with changes to our chemistry >> Why walking helps us think
Write to Learn: Reflective Practice Writing. Reflection is a state of mind, an ongoing constituent of practice, not a technique or curriculum element. It is a way of learning from one’s own experience to inform practice, widen perspectives and challenge assumptions, taken-for-granteds and damaging social and cultural biases and a way of learning from the experience of others >> Write to Learn: Reflective Practice Writing
‘Every Poem Breaks a Silence that Had to be Overcome’: The Therapeutic Power of Poetry Writing. The creation of poetry can be an intensely healing process, as therapeutic as the other arts and talking therapies >> ‘Every Poem Breaks a Silence that Had to be Overcome’: The Therapeutic Power of Poetry Writing
Forbidden Notebooks: A Woman’s Right to Write, a review of the novel Forbidden Notebook by Alba de Céspedes. “Main character Valeria Cossati’s impulse to keep a diary leads not so much to the knowledge of good and evil as it does to the self-knowledge advocated by Socrates and serving as a cornerstone of philosophical inquiry ever since.” >> Forbidden Notebooks: A Woman’s Right to Write
Why doesn’t the writing cure help poets? This paper examines the literature on creative writing and mental illness and relates it to the “writing cure” research that shows that expressive writing improves health. >> Why doesn’t the writing cure help poets?
Why you procrastinate (it has nothing to do with self-control): If procrastination isn’t about laziness, then what is it about? >> Why you procrastinate (it has nothing to do with self-control)
Effect of Reflective Writing on Burnout in Medical Trainees: This is the first study to show through both quantitative and qualitative data that medical students who participated in the course “Narrative Perspective and Reflective Writing,” a fourth-year elective at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, experienced lower burnout. Preliminary data suggests that the course also fostered increased resilience. >> Effect of Reflective Writing on Burnout in Medical Trainees
Burnout isn’t just a millennial affliction: Anne Helen Petersen’s BuzzFeed essay correctly captures a very real condition, but in limiting it to a single generation, she precludes the most promising solutions >> Burnout isn’t just a millennial affliction
How burnout became a sinister and insidious epidemic: Half a million people in the UK suffer from work-related stress, and psychological breakdown can creep up without warning. But what, exactly, is this ‘state of vital exhaustion’, and how can you come back from it? >> How burnout became a sinister and insidious epidemic
A Cure for Burnout? Burnout is a rapidly growing issue within all medical specialties, with up to half of all US physicians reporting professional burnout and dissatisfaction with work-life balance >> A Cure for Burnout?
Generation burnout: A viral essay strikes a chord and sparks debate with the masses. The most important place to start when wading into any wellbeing-related conversation is with an acknowledgement that it is OK to not be OK >> Generation burnout: A viral essay strikes a chord and sparks debate with the masses.
7 Super Simple Tips for Unlocking Your Creative Genius: Here are a few science-backed hacks that are sure to boost your creativity >> 7 Super Simple Tips for Unlocking Your Creative Genius
So you want to be a TLA (writing for healing/change) facilitator? Writer and teacher Joanna Tebbs Young shares her personal journey towards writing for wellbeing. From journaling to The Artist’s Way, it sounds awfully familiar…! >> So you want to be a TLA (writing for healing/change) facilitator?
‘15 Reasons to Live’ by Alan Zweig. This film is a poem; simply beautiful and will make you laugh, cry and reflect on your own reasons to live. Watch the full movie for free on Vimeo! >> 15 Reasons to Live
Here are some industry leaders, organizations & events that promote, credit and/or further the field of writing therapy…
International Federation of Biblio/Poetry Therapy – get trained as a poetry therapist or poetry facilitator!
National Association of Poetry Therapy – promoting growth and healing through language, symbol and story.
LAPIDUS International – “where words and wellness meet” (UK-based).
Transformative Language Arts Network – a network of teachers, artists and scholars who “envision a merger of the the language arts with individual and collective liberation: writing, storytelling, theatre, and music can work towards community-building, cultural and ecological restoration, and personal development.”
Victoria Field – a prominent practitioner of writing therapy, based in the United Kingdom. She is also an IFBPT mentor for those seeking certification.
Gillie Bolton – a leader in the field of writing therapy, with many useful books written about its theory and practice.
Everyday People Typewriter Poems – poems typed on the spot by writer Cathy Thorne! A fun, interactive addition to your next event, plus Cathy offers personalized poetry on her social media channels and hosts guided writing workshops. Check her out!
Resilience Farm Retreat – Heal, Connect, and Grow with Nature in Binbrook, Ontario. A combination of offerings that include: Guided Nature Walk – Art Therapy – Connecting with Animals – Horse Grooming Therapy – Guided Mindful Meditation – Fire Circle. >> Resilience Farm Retreat
Write To Heal – A WriteWell Workshop Series: Unleashing the Power of Creativity For Personal Transformation. These workshops take place in Oakville, Ontario. Check out the events listing for more details >> http://mywordsnow.com/events/.
And, just for fun, here’s some links to things also named “creativity unlocked” because great minds think alike!
Unlock Your Creativity Workshop: a two hour workshop focused on unlocking your creative potential hosted by artisan shop Brika in 2018 >> Unlock Your Creativity Workshop
Creativity Unlocked: ELLE Profiles TED 2014 Speaker Sarah Lewis >> The Lavin Agency
Creativity Unlocked: a FastCo. Works Podcast. This limited-edition series is brought to you by Microsoft 365, featuring influencers from Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies and Most Creative People communities. >> Creativity Unlocked: A FastCo. Works Podcast