Foreword by Blake Morrison. Someone Says by David Hart. Acknowledgements. 1. Introduction. What this book offers and why. Gillie Bolton. Running groups. Victoria Field. Writing in therapy. Kate Thompson. Part One: Writing from without. 2. Warming Up and Working Together. Edited by Kate Thompson. 3. Writing About Place. Edited by Victoria Field. 4. Writing from Objects. Edited by Gillie Bolton. 5. Writing from Published Poems. Edited by Victoria Field. 6. Writing in Form. Edited by Victoria Field. Part Two: Writing from Within. 7. What People Need to Write. Edited by Kate Thompson. 8. Different Masks. Edited by Victoria Field. 9. Who Am I? Edited by Gillie Bolton. 10. Life's Journey. Edited by Gillie Bolton. 11. Loss and Change. Edited by Kate Thompson. 12. Conclusion. Index.
Gillie Bolton is a freelance consultant in Medical Humanities and Therapeutic Writing and lives in Derbyshire, UK. She is Literature and Medicine editor of the Journal of Medical Humanities and Progress in Palliative Care, and is associate editor of the Journal of Poetry Therapy. She is author of the key creative writing therapy text The Therapeutic Potential of Creative Writing: Writing Myself, also published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Victoria Field is a writer, poetry therapist and is Chair of Lapidus (Literary Arts in Personal Development), London, UK. She is also writer-in-residence at Truro Cathedral and was the first qualified poetry therapist in the UK. Kate Thompson is a BACP (the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) Senior Accredited Counsellor and Supervisor, a journal therapist, and Vice-Chair of Lapidus
This is an important resource for anyone who runs writing workshops
and a delightful, unputdownable adventure - yes, really! - for
anyone who thinks it matters that writing works... I loved the
chapters on place and objects, although, as before, I am not
looking for overtly 'therapeutic' outcomes. I delight in the
recognition of the importance of doing worthwhile, satisfying work.
The authors clearly believe that a rigorous attitude to quality is
in no way in conflict with catharsis and discovery. I loved the
succinctness of the accounts “This is what I wanted to do. This is
what happened”. I read this book as I read many creative writing
handbooks: as a total immersion experience in a familiar but
stimulating pool; a pool that refreshes, relaxes, buoys me up,
gives me opportunities for vigorous exercise.
*Lapidus Quarterly*
The subheading explains what Writing Works is all about: A resource
handbook for therapeutic writing workshops and activities.The use
of creative writing as a route to personal development is a
powerful and therapeutic tool, and therapeutic writing groups are
run not only by writers but also by health professionals,
occupational therapists and nurses as well as social workers of
various kinds. And these groups will often take place in community
centres, hospitals, schools, homes for the elderly and
rehabilitation centres. This is a highly specialised field in which
group leaders will encourage participants to use writing (as the
book puts it) 'to explore themselves and their situations, and to
express what they think or feel'. The practical aspects of running
such a group are explained in the early chapters, and there are
also plenty of suggestions for writing exercises that can be set
and explored in group sessions. Typical exercises would involve
allowing an inanimate object to 'speak' and to write down what it
says, using published poems as a springboard for therapeutic
writing, and using writing to explore the ways in which group
members believe they are perceived by others.
*Writers Magazine*
Three editors; but – including these three – forty nine
contributors. Is it this number and variety of voices which makes
Writing Works not merely interesting, but satisfying. It is a
collection of simple, sound and enthusiastic advice about using
writing as therapy, and it is all the better for spelling out what
might be taken for granted.- the importance of the organization,
context, location amenities needed before even beginning to work
with those who are writing to learn about themselves….Writing works
contains many exercises and activity which any creative writing
teacher could use with success. In fact, although this is a
handbook for therapists, is has a great deal to teach us about how
we think through what we are doing, and why, in any writing
course/class/workshop. It is also extremely readable, and edited in
such a skilful way that it feels as if there is one editor, rather
than three. The tone is reassuring, consistent, warm – and a real
testament to the work of Lapidus as an organization, as well as the
sensitivity of the teachers who contributed... Every NAWE member
should buy this book.
*NAWE NEWS- Supplement to Writing in Education*
The book is full of vignettes from practitioners' experiences of
using creative writing in many different ways to bring about
therapeutic expression or catharsis. It is presented as a resource
handbook for therapeutic writing workshops and activities, and as
such contains many interesting approaches and ideas for running
successful therapeutic groups…It would be an excellent resource for
ideas and developing skills for experienced occupational therapists
in mental health and educational settings.
*British Journal of Occupational Therapy*
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