Writing about Difficult Experiences

• Trying Writing about Difficult Experiences Now
• Alternatives to Writing
• Monitor Your Response
• Planning for Change
• Sources

It is common for us to encounter difficult events in our lives. Loss of health or independence, living with chronic pain, or the loss of a dream—such as traveling in retirement—are challenging experiences. Writing about such experiences can help us cope.

The key elements of the Pennebaker Method of writing to heal are outlined below:

• Select any event – recent or in the past. You may choose to write about the most difficult experience of your life, but it may be more helpful to write about the issues that are of concern to you right now. Is there something that you are spending a lot of time thinking about? Writing can help you resolve that issue. Is there something that you can’t tell others because you are ashamed or embarrassed about it? Then write about that. It is most important to take action – to begin to write about something.
• Write whenever you want to, about whatever you wish.
• However, do not use writing as a substitute for actions which you should take, such as apologizing to someone you have wronged.
• Once you have selected a topic, just begin to write. If you find it difficult to begin, just write “I am finding it very difficult to write about this experience,” and keep writing whatever comes into your mind. The important thing is to just start writing!
• Tell the story of your experience, with plenty of details. Don’t make it a “newspaper account,” with “just the facts.”
• Be sure to include your feelings about the event. Write what you feel and explore why you feel that way. Linking your feelings with the troubling event will help provide you the health benefits of writing.
• If you run out of things to say, just repeat what you have already written.

Just write…don’t worry about spelling, neatness or grammar!

To gain the most benefit from the Pennebaker Methods, you should write continuously for fifteen to twenty minutes, or longer. Write about the same topic for four sessions on four consecutive days or within a week or so.

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Try It Now

Take some time to try the Writing about Difficult Experiences exercise now. Click here if you would like to write using your computer. Please remember, if you want to save what you have typed, you will have to save it to your computer.

Remember that your writing doesn't have to be perfect, and is for your eyes only!

See an example of Writing about Difficult Experiences.

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Alternatives to Writing

What if you hate to write, or are unable to write? Is there a substitute? Several laboratory studies have shown that talking into a tape recorder will give comparable results to the writing techniques described. Follow the same format as for writing, and be sure to protect your privacy as you talk and when you store your results. You can try using a tape recorder with either the Pennebaker or the Capture Moments methods.

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Monitor Your Response

Use the “Response Worksheet” to think about what you currently do in terms of finding ways to process your emotions. Explore how you might be able to use writing to better manage your pain by sharing your thoughts with others, including support professionals.

DOWNLOAD RESPONSE WORKSHEET-EMOTIONS THROUGH WRITING

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Planning for Change

Use the “Action Plan Worksheet” to identify one thing you would like to change about how you process your emotions and how you will begin to use writing as a tool for that purpose.

DOWNLOAD ACTION PLAN WORKSHEET-EMOTIONS THROUGH WRITING

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Sources

Pennebaker, James. (1997). Opening Up: The Healing Power of Expressing Emotions, revised edition. New York: Guilford Press.

Pennebaker, James. (2004). Writing to Heal: A Guided Journal for Recovering from Trauma and Emotional Upheaval. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Press.

James W. Pennebaker’s home page
http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/homepage/Faculty/
Pennebaker/Home2000/JWPhome.htm

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