Therapeutic Writing

2010-03-21T12:36:00.000-07:00

Private or Public?

It's an amazing difference, public versus private writing. Have you noticed? Public writing is all about attention, getting some that is. Of late, public writers have to be good at grabbing attention and they must capture us quickly, in less that 140 characters. Profundity must be fast, clean, hip.

But it's the private brand of writing that is more profound. Private writing is always excellent. It cannot be poorly written. Whatever is defined, for one person and one person only, is always worthwhile. If you doubt this, take the time to write for your own self. If you do, you can be open and honest. There is no one to judge. Except you, of course, and you will love what you write unconditionally.

2008-09-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

Invasion of privacy--above and beyond

Anyone who picks up The Private Writings of the "Saint of Calcutta" has to wonder how Mother Teresa would view becoming a hot topic ten years after her death. The 2007 book was edited and published by the priest who is serving as postulator of the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The reason given for the publication is to show the "depth and intensity of her holiness."

But many of the passages are from letters sent to her spiritual advisers and, while they are not protected as private under the sacred right of confession, she constantly begged her spiritual directors to destroy the correspondence. The letters show her confusion, pain, and sense of desolation, and many were written at the suggestion of her superiors. It is understandable why she not want her deepest thoughts known. And why she would expect repeated requests to be honored.

The purpose of the book is to show the mystical nature of her faith and devotion to service. When I started to post this blog, I was going to quote some of these dark passages. However, reading them again I decided that her wish for privacy should be respected.

2008-09-04T06:36:00.000-07:00

Let your light shine

One of the best human traits is the longing for fulfillment. We aspire to achieve. We strive to reach new heights. This allows us to change the world. But this longing is troublesome when fear or doubts interfere with our yearnings. Life experience may have taught that it's better to play safe. Habitual thoughts, fear, or conflict can keep us in the shadows.

So how can we move into the light? The answer is different for each individual, but a great way to start is through creative expression. A fresh, authentic approach is needed. For artists, creativity may be inborn. The rest of us can learn how to tap into the source of creativity. Any of the arts can help, but in this blog we concentrate on writing.

Expressive writing has many benefits. Journals and diaries can remain private, so there is no need to worry about letting go and making a full, honest disclosure. The ideas are fixed on paper or other storage media, making them visible as long as we want. We can go back to them later. See what we expressed when it was especially meaningful to do so. We can see patterns and progress. If necessary, we can take the inner thoughts to a trusted counselor to get help with the process of discovery and wellbeing. Writing is a great way to face and then understand problems, so we can discover way to move forward -- into the light.

2008-08-17T14:41:00.000-07:00

Anonymous Author

I don’t know who the author was; I don’t really want to. It seems appropriate that the author of “The Devil Invents Breast Cancer” remains anonymous.

I was looking through the notebooks I put together for the therapeutic support group at the local cancer center and came across the essay that another patient handed to me. It is impossible to pass the page containing this essay without stopping to reread it.

The writer, a breast cancer patient, wrote a creative essay about a meeting she envisioned taking place between the Devil and his demons. In it, Satan and his subordinates plotted ways to make modern women aware of the Devil’s existence—the solution they devised was breast cancer. They gleefully approved all the physical assaults that accompany aggressive treatment. Many professional authors would envy this writer; perhaps she is a professional writer. The irony of her work comes from a sophisticated, yet resigned awareness. She contrasts what happens with what should be. The pathos is controlled. The moral of the story builds without sentimentality. The author points out women lose control of their bodies; their hair falls out; they are unable to do things for their families. But the Devil fails when bonds with loved ones are strengthened, and the love they value most increases.

The author deserves accolades for creating this moving essay. But that was not the point. The point was personal healing. And writing privately then sharing with only a select few accomplishes everything the author set out to do.

2008-08-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Cancer

Lately I've read a number of letters written to you, many of them angry. I also corresponded with an ad agency person who thought he might put up a website that collected 'dear cancer' letters. Personally, I think that sort of letter is better kept private. Not that posting the details of illness or anger are a problem; people do it all the time. But emotional writing done privately has been shown to be more therapeutic. Coming to terms one-on-one is the real goal. If someone writes for publication, are they being completely open and honest in the disclosure? It has to be hard, nearly impossible, to ignore what others will think. How others might react. The writer inevitably has to write with readers in mind.

Having cancer demands a new level of openness. The real disclosing happens between the disease and the survivor. Learning to overcome the notion 'I have cancer' is something that takes place between mind, body, and spirit, not over the Internet. Not on posts. Not in blogs. It happens like handwritten letters used to, slowly, through a concerted effort.

Come with me, Cancer. You and I have a few things to discuss....

2008-07-10T07:27:00.000-07:00

Bring Forth What is Within You

The Gospel of Thomas, from the Nag Hammadi Library, advises us to access the spirit within. Saying number 70 tell us:

"When you bring forth that which is within yourselves, this that you have shall save you. If you do not have that within yourselves, this which you do not have within you will kill you." (English translation by Ecumenical Coptic Project.)

Another translation by Thomas O. Lambdin: "That which you have will save you if you bring it forth from yourselves. That which you do not have within you will kill you if you do not have it within you."

The original work, the translations and commentaries are meant to be taken in a spiritual sense. They teach that salvation is within us. What religion does not recognize a divine presence within humankind? And what religion doesn't bring forth what's inside? None of them would exist if members didn't express the joy and redemption in prayer, song, and the written word.

But let's take saying number 70 one step further. Let's connect our spiritual sides with the emotional and the physical. Expressing -- or bringing forth -- what is within us can also save us emotionally and physically. What we resist persists, but giving the inner being a means to express itself is associated with healing and quality of life. And what life is meaningful without defining and expressing its worth by speaking, singing, and writing?

Pick up a pen or pencil and write a list of five traits you have that make life worth living. Embrace these facets of your personality by defining them. Writing down their meaning reinforces their value and makes them a larger part of your life experience.

2008-06-23T06:59:00.000-07:00

The Journaling Buzz

Millions of blogs fight for readership. Thousands of writers create new ones every day. Not here. I don’t know how many hits my blog gets and don’t care. The purpose I have is not to make my writing stand out. My real audience is only one person. Yep, where I journal it’s all about me. The rest of the world’s bloggers have a daunting task, but I don’t strive to stand out in the crowd. My goal in writing is to stand away from the crowd. To write for myself. In fact, privacy is so important that the real writing takes place in a secluded spot, gets entered into a book, and then tucked away in a special place. When some problem keeps me awake at night or worries me in ways that interfere with more important things, I hash out the difficulty on the page. I use an archaic implement — a pen. By defining the problem, I deal with it. By putting it down on paper without outside influences or goals, the real purpose is served. I rest easier and find the energy to go out and create, not a buzz, but a real life.

2008-05-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

Flexible and Healthy

I recently discovered The Resiliency Center, directed by Al Siebert, PhD. His website shows the results of his research, and he tells us that "life's best survivors value being flexible, resilient, and adaptable above any other quality."

It's not easy to be flexible. But Dr. Siebert tells us that is healthy to not to be rigid. He recommends that we cultivate paradoxical traits. To me, his advice translates into replacing the conjunction "but" with "and."

The power of and means uniting desirable traits normally viewed as separate. It means making connections no one else is making. For example, it requires us to see where suffering and joy intersect. (A life designed to maximize joy is much different from one that is meant to minimize pain.) If we think about it for a while, the two experiences often come together. Hopefully with joy as the second outcome.

Here are some other contradictions that are related in ways not immediately apparent:

Poor and Wealthy
Demanding and Caring
Committed and Flexible
Idealistic and Practical
Passionate and Prudent
Emotional and Rational
Being and Doing
Success and Fulfillment
Individual and Inclusive
Rigorous and Fun
Transformed and Grounded
Physical and Spiritual
Chronically Ill and Well

Dr. Siebert reveals that "Paradoxical traits are, at the psychological level, like the opposing muscles in your body that contract and extend. Your ability to control how you move and react comes from being at the choice point between counter-balanced forces." His instructions to people who want to cultivate flexibility is to write a list "of all the ways in which you are both one way and the opposite. The more the pairs of opposites the better. Validate opposing qualities. Tell yourself, for example, ‘It is all right to be both optimistic and pessimistic.’”

To that I would add that the process of looking for ways to be flexible and defining them in ways that are personally meaningful are a healthy step everyone should take.

2008-05-07T07:22:00.000-07:00

Write an Affirmation

Affirmations can help change beliefs that have persisted for a long time. Writing an affirmation reinforces it. Repeating it to oneself can build and improve positive qualities. Affirmations function like cruise control on a car. Whether we’re up or down emotionally, an affirmation can move us forward.

Affirmations are stated in the presence tense, even if the statement is not yet true. To say “I will” puts a goal off to an undetermined time in the future. The present tense is more effective.

Here are some examples:

I am worthy of the good things in life.
I attract warm and loving people into my life.
I am filled with joy and laughter.
I am lovable.

Affirmations have many uses and come in as many forms as people have needs and desires. When used daily, they help keep thoughts positive and build qualities we wish to have. Take a few moments to write down three affirmations you could use in your life. Keep them simple. Whatever keeps you going in the right direction toward a goal is valid. Use them to counteract doubts.

2007-03-08T13:04:00.000-08:00

Check out the Secret secrets

Last night I watched the Secret DVD. I would have to rate it five out of five stars for pacing, punch and plot. I won’t give away that plot however, because the lure of the DVD is that the world’s most influential people have known and used the secret for centuries. People who are interested should check out their website. http://www.thesecret.tv/home.html Any group with the confidence to advertise a new era for mankind deserves a few minutes, or hours or days of time.

I especially like the emphasis they give to writing down a list of “gratitude” and “thankful for.” Many people have been saying for many years that each of us is the author of our destiny, but few have said it so well.

2007-02-18T07:47:00.000-08:00

I Prefer to Be—

One study about expressive writing randomly assigned participants to four different groups. People wrote 20 minutes a day for four days about:

a non-emotional control topic
a life trauma
their best possible future selves
both a trauma (the first two days) and their best possible future (the last two days.)

For the best possible self assignment, people were instructed to think about their futures as the realization of all their life dreams. At the end of the study researchers found that writing about one’s best possible self was associated with a significant increase in positive mood. Individuals who wrote about their best possible selves were also significantly higher in psychological wellbeing three weeks after the study was completed. Five months afterward, the best possible self group had the lowest number of visits to the doctor. Even the trauma only group and the combination group had significantly lower health visits than the control group.

So I tried it. What I wish for myself is potent and seductive. Taken seriously, the blend between wishing and reality begins to blur. The preferred self plans a bright future.

Then the skeptical part of the brain objects. “Wishing is not enough. A fervent desire of the heart cannot change one’s circumstance.”

But it can. And it does. Writing down one’s fervent hopes helps them to become part of a life experience. Hope is more concrete—just look at the page. Defining desire in words makes it easier to act upon.

Excuse me. I’ve got to go now. Got to write down what I want and then find ways to make it come true.

2007-02-10T07:16:00.000-08:00

Serenity

The magic of my first books helped get me started down the journaling path. Magical moments came early in life when Uncle Red sat down with my older sister and me for story time when we were just toddlers. I don’t recall what books he read, but the impression was deep and lasting. Then when I learned to read for myself any place in the world became part of my life experience.

Whatever people remember about their first books, they are powerful pathways, not just to learning but to our emotional lives. Stories help us adjust to bad times, get past them. Find some benefit. This process is even more powerful when we write our own stories. The process of finding the language to define experience stirs the senses and affects us in positive ways. Journaling has application in many aspects of life—from romance to health. Writing one’s life history even helps to understand our feelings about money and why we make the financial choices we do. Consider the blogs shown at:

http://womensfinancialserenity.blogspot.com/

2007-01-22T13:37:00.000-08:00

Fond Memories
This week I received the invitation to a high school reunion. I’m not going to be able to attend, and I’m sorry that I’m not. The people on the committee have gone to a great deal of trouble and have given some thought to ways to span the years and bring classmates back together. One of the things they did was send around questionnaires that asked us to recall fond high school memories. How cool is that? Writing about the good experiences is a wonderful way to peel back the years. Writing the answer gave me something to laugh about.

I filled out my questionnaire by saying: In second year Latin class, Jennifer had a difficult time translating Cesar out loud. (Didn’t we all?) Miss Brown [the teacher] did not offer to help; she just let Jennifer struggle. Jennifer hemmed and hawed but didn’t know the right verb. Finally she ended the torture and blurted out something like, “…and the soldiers rose from the dead!”

Miss Brown expelled a blast of air, bit her lip, but then started to giggle. Once started, she couldn’t stop. She listed to the side and almost fell off her chair from laughing. The picture of Miss Brown rumbling with laughter, tilted thirty-degrees starboard has stayed with me all these years. (Other than that, did anyone ever see Miss Brown smile?)

It was fun to write, even better to recall those carefree times. Before I opened the questionnaire, the day had seemed frustrating. Afterward, I felt better. I remembered Jennifer’s confusion as part of the common humanity that connects us all.

2007-01-03T05:44:00.000-08:00

Morning consitutional

This morning the sky overhead was totally clear, and; the full moon was totally cool. My morning walk took me out the door at 6:12 a.m. when the moon was still full in the west and the eastern horizon was just starting to blush. Choosing which way to turn was a difficult decision. I could howl at the moon or watch the sky put on a morning coat. At one point near a park I stopped and turned back and forth, west to east and east to west. Moon Sun. Sun Moon. It was hard to start walking again and much easier to wait for the universe to make the first move.

2007-01-02T07:22:00.000-08:00

Dear Temporal Lobes:

I recently read that writing lights up the temporal lobes of the brain, and that the physiology involved in the processes of defining thought and putting it down in writing uses different areas of brain than those employed for speech and listening. The article went on to say that the temporal lobes seem to have more direct connections with the emotional centers of the brain. The inference was that writing allows one to access emotion in ways that are different, and in some ways or in some instances, superior to talking.

So—good morning, Temporal Lobes. What are you feeling today? Do the next moments, hours and days seem hopeful? The rest of the mind needs to get involved soon. There are many calls to make and people to persuade. But for now, let’s spend a quiet time together, seeing what might burble up from below. (Pause) Yes, I see. The problems are great, but, you’re right. The power to imagine is also the power to solve. Creativity and writing are the ways forward. Thanks again. We’ll get together again soon.

Best wishes, Georgiann

2006-12-27T09:35:00.000-08:00

The Value of Monologues

What does it mean to heal oneself through journaling? Do the words have to be exceptional? In one sense they do—healing happens when people yield to honest emotions. Self-healing doesn’t mean performing extraordinary feats or putting on a brave face. In fact, compliance, conformity, self-sacrifice, denial of hostility or anger, and non-expression of emotion seem to be related to poor health. Long-term studies are underway and suggest the personality traits that actively enhance longevity are a sense of meaning and purpose in life, a sense of personal responsibility for one’s health, an ability to express one’s needs and emotions while maintaining a sense of humor.

In his book, Peace, Love & Healing, Dr. Bernie S. Siegel gives many suggestions for ways to stay well or get better if you’re not well to begin with; one of his prescriptions is: “Do things that bring you a sense of fulfillment, joy, and purpose, that validate your worth. See you life as your own creation, and strive to make it a positive one.” If you accept the value of his statement, journaling can help by allowing you to explore your own sense of fulfillment free from outside influences. Writing solely for oneself voices the internal monologues. Write about the best possible outcome for your situation. Don’t worry about whether it is practical or immediately attainable. Assume the role of a scientist and research what works best for you. Put your explorations down on paper or on a computer. Write down the inner ramblings, trust your instincts, and become more aware of what truly makes life worthwhile. No one else can define “joy, truth, or love” for you. Finding the words to express those values is one prescription each of us should write for ourselves.

2006-12-13T06:07:00.000-08:00

Elegy at the Death of a Friend

My thoughts drop off.

Logic’s loops unwrap.

Half-drunk beverages litter the house.

My thoughts fall off an emotional cliff.

My mind cannot grasp the idea.

2006-11-10T06:01:00.000-08:00

Writing becomes self-healing when it taps into emotions

In our writing workshop it continually happens that people find things out about themselves by writing. We provide a writing topic each month, but we always leave the door open for the subconscious mind to bring up issues that are percolating beneath the surface. The topics we write about are like incentives. We give the mind permission to open up to the hand — and (with a little practice) people find that the heart also gets involved. They uncover wonderful, challenging things that they did not realize before they wrote about them.

People find themselves writing about:

Something that they are thinking or worrying about too much
Something that they are dreaming about
Something that they feel is affecting their lives in an unhealthy way
Something that they have been avoiding for days, weeks, or years

When this happens, writing becomes self-healing.

2006-10-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

Dear Cancer Patient,

I am sorry about your diagnosis. Everyone who goes through cancer treatment has a different experience. I cannot understand all of what you are going through but can relate to some of it. The last five years have not been easy for me either. Seven surgeries, nonexistent white blood cell count, two courses of chemotherapy and resulting heart damage have made me an expert—not about cancer—but about myself.

What has helped me survive an aggressive form of the disease? Good question. I was diagnosed before the latest advances that allow doctors to know immediately whether chemotherapy is working. So the doctors took their best guess, gave me a chance to fight back, and I went along with the decisions, not particularly confident of the outcome.

The “sinking in” of the possibility that I could have died has come back recently with the diagnosis of cancers affecting two close family members. They have aggressive forms of the disease too. Will they make it? Nothing is certain.

The immune system is the police and border guard for the body. It seeks and destroys invaders. A cancer is a mutation, and by the time a cell is cancerous it is identifiable as different from the rest of the body. By rights, no one should get cancer and yet we do, because the immune system gets switched off by environmental factors or as a response to unrelieved stress. Obviously my policing system was not working well. The important part of that sentence is: that was in the past. Lately, the immune police have returned to duty.

Ultimately the power to survive comes after the aggressive medical treatment. The “adjunct” therapies are what pushed me onto the road toward survivorship. After the initial shock and after the doctors had done their best to knock down the cancer, I was able to link mind and body and spirit. Somehow I tapped into the power the mind has to heal the body. My body parts demanded permission to be sick. I told them they also had the power to get better.

Items known to be self-healing include: yoga, therapeutic writing, tai chi, acupuncture, social support, stillness meditation, hypnosis, and guided imagery. What is important for each patient is to explore what techniques work best for him or her. My solution arrived in several separate shipments. I investigated therapeutic writing first then yoga. Later on I learned all I could about meditation, guided imagery and medical hypnosis. Which technique saved my life? The answer can only be: my exploration of the possibilities.

2006-06-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

Simplicity

Arrange for some time to sit quietly in a place of refuge. Allow yourself to become calm and attentive, using breath to settle yourself in your body and heart.

Then in a gentle way review your current life. Bring to mind each of several areas, including work, your relationships or family, your finances, your leisure, your possessions, your goals, your spiritual life. One by one, as each area comes to mind, ask yourself the following questions: What would it be like to simplify this part of my life? What could I let go easily? What could I do to make this part of my life more quiet and simple?

Write about the choices that arise from within. At first, jot them down without censoring or editing. For now, just capture them on paper. Allow a great many ideas to emerge.

Later go back to read what you wrote. Notice which ideas feel comfortable and which feel difficult or frightening. The object is not to change anything immediately. In this moment you are simply noting where you desire more simplicity in your life and where this is possible. How can you make room for simplicity? Take the time to become aware of what steps you might take then make a resolution to make changes.

Reinforce the notion that simplicity is possible by choosing one idea and actually putting it into place. As you change your attitudes about your habits and lifestyle, it becomes easier to simplify.

2006-05-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

Engage both sides of your brain

There is one writing technique that deserves a column of its own, and that is putting the pen or pencil in your non-dominant hand. When I first say that, people look at me funny. They say something like, ‘It’s hard to write that way and defeats the purpose of trying to get your emotions down on paper.’

But the purpose of therapeutic journaling is to help you understand how to look at life in new ways. If writing with the wrong hand is too hard at first, start out by doing other things that you don't normally do with your non-dominant hand. Brushing your teeth, eating lunch, dialing the telephone, flipping a coin, etc... By exercising both hands you are giving the opposite side of your brain a chance to perform. A right-handed person will always be using the left side of their brain and the other side will never get a chance to learn how to do certain activities. Allowing the non-dominate side of the brain to do activities it doesn't normally do will quickly create all sorts of new associations in that part of the mind. This is an easy exercise, and it has excellent results.

And so it is with journaling, it is an opportunity to find talents, joys and sorrows that were deeply covered over by the habits of a lifetime. Give yourself permission to go inside. You may be surprised by what you find if you open yourselves to the process.

Remember to trust your instincts too. At first, you may find that writing makes you feel worse, but do not get caught in a spiral of self-pity. If writing does not provide benefits or solutions, seek guidance from a doctor or professional counselor. Journaling is not a substitute for medical treatment. It is a method of self-help that has helped many people in a wide variety of situations.

In future posts, I will explore other writing methods.

2006-05-09T10:19:00.000-07:00

Writing is a Great Way to Disengage

The first research studies in the 1980s showed that journaling about one’s deepest emotions had health benefits no one expected to find. Later studies questioned the writing process. How could expressive writing work so well? The researchers began to focus on “content” analysis. They evaluated the essays participants wrote, looking for the use of insight words, causal words and words associated with cognitive activity and found these types of words correlated with health benefits. The people who expressed more positive emotion (relative to negative emotion) enjoyed the greatest health benefits. Finding something good to write about, even when recalling negative experiences, helped people disengage from the trauma.

Here are a few writing techniques that help put distance or a new perspective on a difficult experience:

Third-person point of view instead of “I said” change to “He said…she said.”
Second-person point of view, “You said…”
Humor/Satire, no one will read it, so let the jokes fly.
Role Playing (take someone else’s part)

In future posts, I will explore more writing methods.

2006-05-03T06:26:00.000-07:00

Pencil Experiments

Using a variety of writing techniques will make journaling more interesting and revealing. Here are four writing methods that can help you get at the heart of a matter:

Write a fan letter to yourself. People often are more considerate of others than they are to themselves. Take the time to nurture yourself and appreciate all your accomplishments. You have been braver than you realized. Though you were scared you managed to do wonderful things for yourself and others. You do not need to mail the letter to obtain the health benefits of writing, but this time consider actually mailing the letter. When you open the envelope, it can reinforce a sense of accomplishment.
Rapid writing or stream of consciousness is meant to capture whatever bubbles up from the subconscious mind. Start writing about your favorite color or time of the year and then follow the connections wherever they take you.
Consider writing play dialogue, using the present tense. It will amaze you how the dramatic format taps into feelings. Step into character. Create or recreate a conflict and then resolve it. This may help you find the emotions that lurk just below the surface.
Or create a self dialogue between the inner and outer person. Let your inner self tell higher intelligence anything that needs to be said.

In future posts, I will explore other writing methods designed to help you relieve stress and create a better sense of awareness.

2006-04-19T07:05:00.000-07:00

Talking vs Writing

There are times when even the most emotionally open person will want to write about their feelings. For example, when a person is confused about what he would like to do. Writing helps to achieve clarity without the influence of other people. Consider the advantages of talking and writing, and use both to improve the quality of your life.

Talking	Writing
Talk is learned earlier in life. It is automatic.	Writing must be taught.
It takes less effort to speak than write, but either way of increasing understanding and insight reduces stress and enhances a healthy lifestyle.	Writing takes some thought. Increasing understanding and insight reduces stress and enhances a healthy lifestyle.
Talk is spontaneous.	Writing is deliberate. Rewriting to create a coherent story produces benefits.
Talk depends on the social context. (Acceptance from listeners is crucial to talk becoming therapeutic.)	Writing is independent. It is therapeutic if it allows you to experience your emotions.
Unless it is tape recorded, talking doesn’t leave a record.	Writing can be as permanent as desired. When people in studies expanded their stories to include positive emotion words, it predicted better health in the upcoming months.
Speech has simpler syntax and grammar.	Because it is more complex, there is more retention in reading and writing.
Talking is influenced by the personal presence of others. This can be either good or bad.	Writing promotes self-awareness, free from outside influences. It allows you to reconcile events in ways you can be comfortable with.

2006-04-09T12:54:00.000-07:00

Journaling Allows You to Create a Private Space

Each of us has a different idea of happiness. Each of us has certain items that speak to us as a token of fulfillment. We strive so hard to overcome life’s problems we don’t take the time to treat ourselves with kindness. Journaling means giving ourselves permission to go inside. Writing helps us define what comforts and inspires us.

Try this: Number a page from 1 to 25. List twenty-five things that represent contentment. Don’t take the time to rank them in any order of importance; just capture the first 25 things that come to mind. For example:

Green tea
Extra pillows on the bed
Toys for the children who visit
Family photos
An herb garden that attracts butterflies, and so on.

When finished, scan your list and select a symbol that you can use to celebrate contentment. Pick something meaningful to you, an item that conjures up one of the best times you’ve ever had. Then when you sit down to write, think of the journal as this symbol. Use it to bring back the feeling of contentment and make it part of your current experience. If you reinforce this symbol of contentment, you will be able to recall and use it when you need to relax.

2006-03-20T04:46:00.000-08:00

The Role of Intention

Whatever reasons you have for writing in your journal, you can get more out of the experience if you start with an intention. Take a moment to think about what you hope to gain from journaling.

Write your intention down on the first page of your journal, if you like, but then place the goal in the back of your mind. Don’t worry about how you’re going to achieve it. Try to tap into the power of the subconscious. The mind and body relegate a good deal of high-level, sophisticated thinking to what is called the adaptive unconscious, which does an excellent job of sizing up the world, influencing our emotions, or initiating action.

Now that you have an intention, let go of it. Trust that small answers will gradually start to add up, and eventually something will click. Your mind may hand you a solution in a eureka moment. Maybe not today. Be patient with the process. Open up to the possibility that the subconscious and the body possess an internal wisdom. Give yourself permission to tap into the power inside.

2006-03-13T10:37:00.000-08:00

Let Healing Happen

When you go to a doctor, he prescribes a medication for you to take, or a treatment you will undergo, your body starts the healing process before the medicine is in your system or the exercise or surgical procedure has taken place. For most people, just seeing a doctor gives confidence that healing will occur. Depending on the patient’s cultural background, this is true whether the physician is a neurosurgeon at the Mayo Clinic or a tribal witch doctor. What happens is that healing starts when you believe it will occur. Your mind buys into it and your body makes it happen. The great physician and humanitarian, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, said, "The witch doctor succeeds for the same reason all the rest of us (medical doctors) succeed. Each patient carries his own doctor inside himself. They come to us not knowing that truth. We are at our best when we give the doctor who resides within each patient a chance to go to work."

2006-03-06T06:55:00.000-08:00

Exceptional Cancer Patients

Any cancer patient interested in learning more about the advances being made in diagnsis and treatment should read CURE magazine. Cancer patients can receive a free subscription by signing up at: http://www.curetoday.com/. The magazine focuses on updates, research, and education for cancer patients and survivors. The Winter, 2005 issue has an article called, “Diagnostic Tools.” A small excerpt from that article talks about the exceptional recovery of a patient named Mr. Carley:

When Carley awoke from his third surgery, the surgeon told him that he had 38 tumors ranging in size from a marble to a golf ball. "He said they just closed me back up because there was nothing they could do. But I remember him saying, ‘Chris, they’re always coming up with new treatments.’ "

Five months later he began taking Gleevec. Within a month his tumors vanished, a response his physicians described as "jaw-dropping." Now a 10-year survivor with eight grandchildren, Carley has since founded the Chicago chapter of the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the Carley Cancer Research Center.

The gentleman that they gave as an example, Mr. Carley, sounds like one of the exceptional cancer patients we sometimes hear about, who defy the odds. The CURE article doesn’t go into the specifics of how he made such a remarkable recovery. If he followed the pattern of other exceptional patients, he had social support, expressed his emotions, asserted his basic needs without endangering his relationships, and he felt empowered, first by participating in his recovery and, in his case, after his treatment by finding something that he got excited about doing.

Social Support can come from family, friends, church, or a cancer support group, which are available in most areas. If your medical facility doesn’t provide a support group, you may want to volunteer to start one. When I started a journaling support group, I got more out of it than anyone else.
Expressing emotions is possible by talking to a professional or family OR by writing a journal. People are surprised by the notion that they should express their deepest feelings, but research has shown that doing so is essential to recovering from cancer.
Empowerment happens in a different way for each patient. It can be as simple as guided meditation or as complex as beginning a research center like Mr. Carley. Bringing a sense of control back into the one’s life is the third trait of exceptional cancer patients.
And finally, exceptional patients have a passion for living. They find something that brings them joy, and they pursue it with renewed vigor.

Carley founded a research center, but the rest us can’t or won’t want to do that. What we can do is find things that comfort us. I chose a symbol of comfort (something very meaningful to me) and keep it near my bed. Each time I see that symbol I remember that everything in life can work out well. Then to bring back a sense of control I chose to do things for myself that bolster the immune system. For me, that was as simple as eating more foods that contain antioxidants and practicing yoga. I believe that it is not as important what a person chooses to do, as it is to investigate what feels right, to trust one’s intuition, and then to actually make some kind of physical change. Putting a symbol of comfort by my bed reminds me, “all can be well.” If I practice yoga three times a week, it becomes an affirmation that, all is well.

2006-02-28T11:26:00.000-08:00

Undo Stress

One theory of the mind/body connection is that thoughts and feelings are chemical. Every thought and feeling translates itself into a complex set of chemical triggers that cause neurons to fire. Even healthy, well-adjusted people have trouble dealing with life’s daily assaults. If we could reconstruct life’s events, we could also change the structure and pattern of brain activity and, in the process, minimize stress. When we are under fire, our bodies react with a “fight or flight” response. Blood is redirected to the arms and legs, preparing either to fight or run away. In this state, it is much harder for the mind to be productive, and the stress hormones the body produces make us more susceptible to illness.

As a practical matter, we cannot reconstruct our lives or undo physiological changes that happen without our knowledge or consent. We can, however, lessen the long-term harm with a variety of relaxation techniques. One of the ways that is receiving increased attention is journaling. Writing can help release stress and return us to a more healthy state. It can also capture, increase and allow us to relive the pleasure of happy times.

2006-02-20T06:31:00.000-08:00

Journaling 101

Find a private spot.

Write only for yourself
It doesn’t matter how or where you write, but if you use a computer secure the files to keep them private

Get comfy.

Create a ritual, one that is meaningful for you:

Play soft background music, choosing something that relaxes you without interfering
Wear your favorite slippers or sweater
Make some tea or cocoa
Surround yourself with meaningful pictures or icons

Date your entries.

Write as needed.

If worries or problems insert themselves into your life, you may want to write about it for 4 days in a row, at least 20 minutes per day
By day 3 don’t repeat what you have already written
Try to change to a different point of view or perspective
By day 4 try to find a purpose or a benefit from the upheaval you are going through

Don’t edit as you go.

Spelling and grammar don’t matter
Writing skill is not important
Putting your deepest thoughts and emotions into words is what provides health benefits

Start with an intention then let it go.

Some people start writing about health issues but find themselves moving into marital problems. That’s okay. Go where the process leads you
Tap into the unconscious mind

Express deepest emotions.

Record events, but also find meanings:

Create a story with you and other people involved.
Tie it to other events, childhood, family history or future
How is the trauma affecting your life?
Where can you go from here?
What insight have you gained?

TRUST YOUR INTUITION

At first, you may find that writing makes you feel worse, but do not get caught in a spiral of self-pity. If writing does not provide benefits or solutions, seek guidance from a doctor or professional counselor. Journaling is not a substitute for medical treatment. It is a method of self-help that has helped many people in a wide variety of situations.

2006-02-06T06:20:00.000-08:00

The Body-mind Connection

Today, let’s consider how physical experiences can influence the mind:

Think of lying down in the sand, the morning sun gently warming your skin, the ocean lapping at your feet, a rustle of pine needles somewhere behind you, a light summer breeze blowing, 78 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. Take your time and savor the experience.

The warmth of your skin is comfortable. Your breathing is easy, unimpeded by any resistance in the chest or the throat. Your muscles are so relaxed that you can not sense any pull. The sand supports all your joints. The body feels light, grounded but airy. You have the energy to move, but you prefer to remain quiet. The pleasure of the moment is felt in the body, but the sensations are so diffuse that it is difficult to describe precisely where it is happening. You have a desire to get up, but instead just stay put and savor the stillness.

Warmth passes sweetly through your blood. The breeze caresses your face. And these sensations eventually impress the mind.

If you direct attention away from the well-being of the moment and think about what is happening, your mind fills with pleasurable thoughts. What you usually regard as "body" and as "mind" blend in harmony. Any conflicts now ease. Any opposites now seemed less important. Thoughts jell around a word like, “tranquility.”

It is possible to bring the mind-body connection into journaling. When you concentrate on your feelings, define them, and then reinforce them with the physical act like writing, it captures good emotions and makes them part of your life experience. On the other hand when feelings are negative or unpleasant, writing them down has a way of telling your mind that you can handle it. You have dealt with the upheaval and can move on.

2006-01-31T04:47:00.000-08:00

Start with an intention but then let it go

Whatever reasons you have for writing in your journal, you can get more out of the experience if you start with an Intention and then let it go. Determine what you hope to gain from journaling but don’t be concerned with the results. Write your intention down on the first page of your journal, if you like, but then place the goal in the back of your mind. Don’t worry about how you’re going to achieve it.

Try to tap into the power of the subconscious mind. Scientists do this when the work on a complex problem. The cure for Alzheimer’s is so huge that they cannot attack the problem in its entirety. They break it down into small, tiny subjects that they can work on. Gradually the small answers start to add up, and eventually something clicks. They have eureka moments when their minds seem to hand them a solution. The mind relegates a good deal of high-level, sophisticated thinking to what is called the adaptive unconscious, which does an excellent job of sizing up the world, assessing danger, or initiating action.

Get comfy, relax. You may want to devise a ritual to help set the mood. Light a candle, make a cup of green tea, wear your favorite slippers. You may also want to go to a unique place away from work or home such as a library. Or if you write at home make one room look different with colored light bulbs or a special throw.
Find a private spot. You may want to destroy or hide what you have written. It is enough to deal with your own emotional upheavals. You don’t need anyone else judging you or being offended by what you write.
Date the entries.
Write regularly. Each of you will define how often you need to write for yourselves. It doesn’t have to mean every day. Maybe you only want to write once a week. Maybe you want to write every day for four days, for at least 20 minutes, the way Dr. Pennebaker suggests, and then not come back to your journal until you feel the need to.
Don’t edit as you go. Don’t overanalyze. Go with the flow. Whatever you write will be fine. Studies show that the education or writing ability made no difference in the therapeutic benefits of writing.

2006-01-23T17:10:00.000-08:00

Challenge Your Own Identity

Journaling is one way to become more aware of the joy and mystery of life. Get comfy, relax. You may want to devise a ritual to help set the mood. Light a candle, make a cup of green tea, or wear your favorite slippers. You may also want to go to a unique place away from work or home such as a library.

It is best to find a private spot. You may want to destroy or hide what you have written. It is enough to deal with your own emotional upheavals. You don’t need anyone else judging you or being offended by what you write. It is not necessary to show what you write to anyone to receive the health benefits of journaling.

Writing privately is a good way to explore what is at the center of your life. Write for twenty minutes about your sense of who you are. Begin with the phrase “I am…” For example: I am a person who loves children. I am often happy. I am sometimes frightened. I am confused about my work. I am strong…etc. Feel free to change the sentence structure and follow any line of thought. Without censoring or judging the sentences, simple keep writing continuously for at least twenty minutes. If you feel like going longer, feel free to continue.

Notice what you wrote. Notice what you feel when you read it. Are there certain themes, things that repeat? What predominant impression do you come away with? …Which sentences seem most troubling? Which seem most accurate?

Which phrase seemed most important? Tomorrow or the next time you write in your journal, spend a while reflecting on this single element, the one that felt the most powerful when you wrote it. Become aware of what it may want to reveal to you.

2006-01-16T08:35:00.000-08:00

A Magic Pen

There are an infinite number of reasons for keeping a journal. The act of writing makes you more aware and helps you pay attention to details you would otherwise miss. Paper and pen provide you with a vehicle to bring actions and feelings into the open.

Writing increases understanding and insight, reduces stress and enhances a healthy lifestyle.
Writing is deliberate, and rewriting journal entries to create a coherent story or gain insight produces health benefits.
Writing is therapeutic when it allows you to experience your emotions.
Writing can be as permanent as desired. When study participants expanded their stories to include positive emotion words, it predicted better health in the upcoming months.
Because writing is more complex than talking, people retain more.
Writing promotes self-awareness, free from outside influences. It allows you to reconcile events in ways you can be comfortable with.

2006-01-09T06:10:00.000-08:00

Use the Mind to Heal the Body

We cannot control emotional responses, and we shouldn’t try. Emotions are not a question of right or wrong — they just happen. Picture this: You are strolling down a quiet street, enjoying the sunshine. You pass a picket fence. All of a sudden a dog charges the fence, teeth bared. It jumps and almost clears the top. Your heart leaps in your chest and you shudder away from his angry bark. If you had a bad previous experience with a dog, the fear may be paralyzing, not really connected to the current situation.

Fear is not always rational. It depends on one’s coping skills and life experience. Each and every feeling translates itself into a complex set of chemical triggers that cause neurons to fire. Even healthy, well-adjusted people are subject to daily assaults, which make it much harder for the mind to be productive. Stress hormones make us more susceptible to illness, but we cannot reconstruct our lives or undo physiological changes that happen automatically. We can, however, lessen the long-term harm with a variety of relaxation techniques.

Thousands of self-help methods are available. No one system is right for everyone, but researchers have shown that journaling has some surprising health benefits. Putting a bad experience into words by writing it down has a way of telling the unconscious emotional channels that we have dealt with that issue and can move on. The mind can undo the effects stressful situations have on the body.

2006-01-04T06:38:00.000-08:00

Who, Me?

Each of us has a different idea of happiness. Each of us has certain items that speak to us as a token of fulfillment. Sometimes we are so busy that we overlook treating ourselves symbolically in way that match our accomplishments. Take a piece of paper and number the page from 1 to 25. List 25 things that represent contentment to you. Don’t take the time to rank them in any order of importance; just capture the first 25 things that come to mind. For example:

Green tea
Extra pillows on the bed
Toys for the children who visit
Family photos
An herb garden that attracts butterflies, and so forth...

Once you have your own list, review it and select something that you can use to celebrate contentment. Choose something that has special meaning to you, because it reminds you of an experience or time in your life that was happy. It can be an object, color, texture, view. In your journal describe this item in specific detail. How it looks, feels, reassures you. Find out why it comforts you. Write about this special item's history. Speak quietly to this private symbol of contentment.

Then whenever you encounter this item in real life, you will be reminded of life's rewards. Or when you are under stress, you can visualize the symbol and draw on its power to bring contentment back into your life.

2005-12-23T07:41:00.000-08:00

Holiday Greetings

Writing about periods of upheaval in your journal has a way of telling your subconscious, “I can handle it.”

Rewriting those episodes helps you make things better.

Putting worries down on paper helps to close the issue, “I’ve dealt with that and can move on.”

Finding words to describe your hopes and dreams can make them part of your life story.

Trust your intuition and find what works for you.

Best wishes, Georgiann

2005-12-19T12:10:00.000-08:00

Why Write?

Researchers in behavioral science have shown that therapeutic writing can be a good way of dealing with the stress of disease. It may be very beneficial for you; it is not a substitute for talking to family, friends and medical personnel.

Consider the Advantages of Writing:

Feelings happen below the level of awareness. Your nervous system responds to your thoughts and images as if they were real and happening now. There is no past or future for the nervous system. There is only now. Your body reacts to the images in the present and provides the appropriate level of energy. There is no distress when you focus on the present. Distress occurs when you have elicited more energy than you can use now. You do this by worrying, by presenting images of work or threat in the future or the past but do nothing about it now. Your body possesses a wisdom that has been honed since the first forms of life. In order to work in harmony with this inner wisdom, you need to learn how to communicate with your body and mind in clear images that elicit the right amount of energy for your goals. The body is a faithful servant that responds to the images you and your environment present to it.

As you read the following passage, notice how your body responds to the images:
Imagine that you are in a garden. The green grass, trees, and flowers present you with a quiet, peaceful feeling. Not far away is a lush lemon tree, heavy with bright, yellow lemons; its leaves are a deep green. As you approach this tree, your attention is drawn to a particularly large, ripe lemon. You reach for it, pluck it, and take a closer look. You can see and feel the pitted texture of its skin. You now grasp it firmly and cut it open, watching as the juice begins to flow. The fragrance of fresh lemon is in the air. As you bring the freshly cut lemon closer, and prepare to bite into it, you become aware that your body has already prepared you for the tartness of the lemon's juice.

Did you begin to pucker? The point is that even if we don’t fully understand or articulate our situation, our bodies respond and create minor or major biological changes. Joy boosts, not only the spirit, but also the body’s processes. At the other extreme, stressful events have a detrimental effect even if we do our best to shake them off. Writing is a tool for becoming more aware of your deepest feelings. And writing is a way of letting go of unhappiness. Expressive writing can help you overcome intrusive thoughts or worries that insert themselves into your life.

Expressive Writing Guidelines:

If you feel your writing about a particular topic is too much for you to handle, then choose something else. If you aren’t ready to address a particularly painful topic, write about something else. If you feel a particular topic will make you flip out, don’t write about it. Later on when you are ready, go back and tackle this subject.
Be aware that you can feel somewhat saddened or depressed after expressive writing. Don’t push yourself to do something you know intuitively is wrong. Write for yourself and no one else. After a few days, you should begin to feel better. (Four days is a good point to gauge your progress.) If you are still overly sad or concerned, seek help. Talk your doctor or a qualified professional counselor.
Another concern is privacy. If someone finds and reads your expressive writing, it may change your relationship with that person forever, sometimes in a bad way. Secure or destroy the pages no one else should read.
The final concern is that — if you reduce your inner conflicts — you may affect the course of your life and the lives of others in unintended ways. Statistically most people say that their life changes were beneficial, but they also acknowledge the power of expressive writing. In some cases, people quit their jobs, stopped seeing current friends and moved to a new city, because they realized they were on a life path they did not really want.

For more information consult:

The Writing Cure: How Expressive Writing Promotes Health and Emotional Well-Being,
Stephen J. Lepore and Joshua M. Smyth, American Psychological Association, 2002

Writing to Heal, A Guided Journal for Recovering from Trauma and Emotional Upheaval,
James W. Pennebaker, Ph.D. New Harbinger Publications, 2004

Cancer a Personal Challenge, edited by Dr. Bob Rich, Anina’s Book Company, Australia, available as a download from http://bobwriting.com

Backstory

2005-12-13T05:39:00.000-08:00

Backstory for The Acts of Judas

The nurse sprays my shoulder with anesthetic. The icy fluid quickly deadens the skin. Moments later she inserts a 22-gauge needle into the subcutaneous catheter that leads directly to a vein. A catheter is a relatively safe way to pump one of the strongest chemotherapy drugs available into my body. The prospects frighten me, but the alternative is even more frightening. I watch the needle going in, and I do what I must to survive.

Six surgeries, six months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments kept the cancer from spreading. While going through chemotherapy, it was sometimes difficult to think clearly. My thoughts would stick like a programming loop, and I would say the same things several times without realizing it. In other ways, however, my thoughts were more lucid than before. I learned empathy, especially for people who face hard choices, and I understood life’s challenges in ways I never had.

Both the good and bad experiences of 2001 influenced the novel I was writing. The book ultimately became The Acts of Judas. The idea for ACTS had occurred to me five years earlier. In 1996 I traded novels with a fellow writer, Phil Porter. Phil and I “met” in an on-line writing workshop. His fiction was filled with exciting action scenes, and mine was character-driven. I appreciated his honest critiques of my work and agreed to read a draft of a novel he was working on. Phil was writing a story about the conflicts between Jewish Pharisees and Sadducees at the time of Christ.

My exchanges with Phil sparked an interest I had in Judas Iscariot. I wrote a fictional gospel, as if it were penned by Judas. I also did some preliminary research, but nothing more came of the idea until 2001. That was the year I took out the old files and began to plot the rest of the story. If a Judas scroll turned up in modern times, what controversy would arise? Who would find it? What would the discoverers do — use it for political purposes, or burn it? If you think back to 2001, you may recall that President Bush was beginning his first term. The Palestinians thought Bush favored Israel, and they responded by raising the stakes with more violence. Tensions in the Middle East escalated.

In March I decided to go ahead with my novel. In April the doctors diagnosed my cancer. I coped by not talking about it. Avoidance was my defense mechanism. Instead of facing it openly I put personal pain and uncertainty into the characters. I could vividly imagine how they reacted to duress. By the end of the summer in 2001 I was struggling with the accumulative effects of chemotherapy and trying to write a cohesive ending to the book. Then September 11th made personal concerns fade into the background.

When I finally came back to the book, the terrorists’ actions made the ending clearer. I knew I had to incorporate those events into the story. Not long after that Treble Heart Books agreed to publish the novel. It took two years to see the book in print. Now whenever I look at the cover, I remember what I went through and, more importantly, what the world has gone through. My own future looks bright. I wish I could say the same for everyone who survived the upheaval of 2001.

Treble Heart Books released my novel, The Acts of Judas, in December of 2004. Publication took my journey down a very different road. Whatever else happens, I believe that releasing my emotions vicariously through my characters was a factor in my recovery.

To read the book's reviews, please visit: http://www.trebleheartbooks.com/WDBaldino.html

2005-12-12T13:12:00.000-08:00

Periodically I hear about someone new in my circle of friends who has been diagnosed with cancer. Everything I have read and experienced leads me to believe three things about surviving cancer:

That the patient needs to feel like an important member of the health care team. His or her satisfaction with the treatment plan works as well as any medication.
A patient needs to take charge of the healing process (mentally and spiritually, and not just physically.)
He needs to embrace a lifestyle that cherishes and encourages the immune system (the act of choosing what that means for each individual--diet, meditation, massage, music, yoga, etc.--is as important as any of the adjunct therapies he picks.)

Personally, my diet was good before I was diagnosed. I have added yoga and therapeutic journaling. Both comfort me. Both help me move to a climate of health. When you hear of someone who received bad health news, share the four E's with them. They need to

Embrace a healthy lifestyle.
Enhance their immune system.

Help make these goals a reality by:

Expressing deepest

Emotion, either by talking about these deepest experiences with someone who allows you to be totally open, or by journaling. Putting those feelings down on paper has a healing quality, which is hard to understand until you try it.