Feature Story: Writing to Heal: Research shows writing about emotional experiences can have tangible health benefits For nearly 20 years, Dr. James W. Pennebaker has been giving people an assignment: write down your deepest feelings about an emotional upheaval in your life for 15 or 20 minutes a day for four consecutive days. Many of those who followed his simple instructions have found their immune systems strengthened. Pennebaker, a professor in the Department of Psychology at The University of Texas at Austin and author of several books, including “Opening Up” and “Writing to Heal,” is a pioneer in the study of using expressive writing as a route to healing. “When people are given the opportunity to write about emotional upheavals, they often experience improved health,” Pennebaker says. In his early research Pennebaker was interested in how people who have powerful secrets are more prone to a variety of health problems. It turned out that often they would, and that it wasn’t even necessary for people to tell their secrets to someone else. The Charlotte, N.C. Vivé Griffith Office of Public Affairs
100 Excellent Art Therapy Exercises for Your Mind, Body, and Soul January 9th, 2011 Pablo Picasso once said, "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." It's no surprise, then, that many people around the world use art as a means to deal with stress, trauma and unhappiness – or to just find greater peace and meaning in their lives. If you're curious about what art therapy has to offer, you can try out some of these great solo exercises at home to help nurse your mind, body and soul back to health. If you like the experience, you can also seek out professional art therapy treatment in your area. Emotions Deal with emotions like anger and sadness through these helpful exercises. Draw or paint your emotions. Relaxation Art therapy can be a great way to relax. Paint to music. Happiness Art can not only help you deal with the bad stuff, but also help you appreciate and focus on the good. Draw your vision of a perfect day. Portraits Often, a great way to get to know yourself and your relationships with others is through portraits. Collaging Self
Journal Writing Prompts Creative Writing Journal Prompts 1. Imagine you had a hundred dollars, but you couldn't keep it. You had to give it away to a person or charity. Who would you give it to? 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. See also: Writing Prompts This page has printable writing prompt worksheets. Persuasive Writing Prompts Check out our collection of persuasive writing topics. Writing Story Pictures Write a creative stories to describe what's happening in these pictures.
how to be creative: re-create what's broken | Inner Canvas | InnerCanvas The creative process is chock-full of hope. Because it is an ever revolving door, even in the direst of moments when we feel backed into that dank and dead end alley, it invites us to re-create our brokenness. In the broadest sense of things, the creative process allows us to believe in that old adage that is said to come from Nietzsche: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” Because, really, what choice do we have but to make something out of our tragedy? In essence, there are no new projects. Don’t get me wrong–I’m not talking about repetition where there is the factory line of rubber stamping going on over and over again–endlessly. What is your inner canvas inviting you to re-create? Here’s a story about Mandy. When we met, she thought she was a dead end. In our work, I kept asking the question, what is it that your inner canvas is inviting you to create? At first, she only recycled the old stories. “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”
art journaling as a creative process Writing Exercises and Prompts for Journaling, Prose, Poetry and Memoirs These Writing Exercises are a collection of prompts originally published in The Journal Newsletter. The prompts include journaling prompts, prose prompts, poetry prompts, free writing prompts, and memoir prompts. Jump to the exercises you would like to see: Prompts Copyright © by Susan Michael and David Michael. Journaling Prompts Journaling Prompt - Imagine yourself in a place you like to be (not necessarily someplace you like to *go*). Journaling Prompt - Pretend that you see yourself walking into a room. Journaling Prompt - Create a list of images that symbolize the following: toughness, cruelty toughness, strength Journaling Prompt - Close your eyes for a minute and imagine you are skydiving. Journaling Prompt - Sit yourself in a favorite spot, or imagine an ideal place and describe it as an expanding bubble or sphere. Journaling Prompt - Hold your hands out in front of you, palms down. Journaling Prompt - By what do you measure your value as a person? Free Writing Prompts
Journaling Prompt – Hone Your Writing Skills With Colors | Creat May 13th, 2009 by Avital Most people are blessed with all 5 senses: Sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. I am constantly using all five senses throughout my creative journey and cannot imagine what would I do if one of my senses was impaired. However I have come across very creative people who were unable to see, hear or taste, so I know that creativity can for a certain extent compensate for the loss of one of the senses. One of the things I cannot imagine how can one compensate for is the ability to see colors (which is funny as my father is color blind). The broad spectrum of colors, the different tones and shades, the richness, the effect of combining different colors together. For this week’s journaling prompt try to describe colors to a blind person. Share Do you think colors can be described to a blind person? Tags: colors, creative writing, guided writing, journaling, Journaling Prompt
10 Journal Keeping Ideas that Will Enhance Your Life What should I write about? Will it sound dumb? Will I run out of ideas before I even get started? Keeping a journal can be a rewarding experience, but lots of people don’t know where to begin. My personal favorites are reflection and goal journals, but everyone has a different favorite. And that’s okay! 1. There was a green robot. Dream journals are a lot of fun. 2. A “record-keeping” journal is nothing but the facts. 3. Gratitude journals are extremely rewarding. 4. Online journaling, or blogging, has gained popularity in recent years. 5. If words aren’t your thing, consider a collage or art journal. 6. Are you the brilliant thinker? 7. Scholars regularly publish in academic journals, but what about keeping your own personal academic journal? 8. A gift journal is unlike every other journal because *gasp* it’s not meant for you. 9. Therapy and personal reflection journals can be difficult. But it can be extremely helpful in allowing you to move on from those things. 10.
Supplies for Journaling There's oodles of creative fun to be had painting an art journal, which is art-making, diary-keeping, and journaling all in one. The starting point is having a stash of supplies organized and easily available so you never have to interrupt your creative flow because of a lack of something. Then some appealing paper or journal to work in, and a nice pen. 1. Gather Your Usual Painting Supplies Image: © 2008 Marion Boddy-Evans. All your existing art supplies -- paints and brushes, crayons, pencils, paper, canvas, etc. -- can be used for art journaling or creating altered pages. 2. Photo © Marion Boddy-Evans. If you're concerned about the longevity of what you're creating, use archival glue and tape, which will last and not "eat" the paper over time. If you're using with acrylic paint, this also works as a glue, as does many acrylic mediums (especially those that dry clear rather than white). 3. Marker pens make it easy to add lettering. 4. 5. 6. Image ©Marion Boddy-Evans. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Journal Writing Prompts for Life Story Writers Journal Writing Topics to Have Fun With This is a new page on my site and I will be updating this page on a regular basis with new journal writing prompts, journal writing topics and ideas. Journal writing prompts can have several purposes, but the ones on this web page will be for the purpose of sparking memories from one's life through creative writing prompts. I also would like to invite you to submit some of your favorite journal prompts, in the form provided below. Basically a "mining" of your memories. Your responses (private or public) will help you piece together events from your life. The journal writing prompts on this page will get you started and really thinking about the great life that you have lived so far! Describe The People in Your Life Look at your life as a play and you are, of course, the lead character. There are many "supporting actors" in your life story. One of the simplest ways to do this is respond to the following "award show" type questions. Who is the...