Har någon läst din dagbok utan din tillåtelse?
Jag tror att vi är många som varit med om den upplevelsen någongång under livet och det kan kännas traumatiserade. Som att någon bryter sig in i din själ och läser dina allra djupaste känslor och tankar. För egen del var jag runt 12-13 år när jag kom in i mitt rum och fann min bror och hans vän på sängkanten skrattandes framför min dagbok. Jag är glad att det inte ärrade mig för livet och förhindrade mitt skrivande vilket skulle kunnat ske. Efter en sådan upplevelse är det många som skräms till tystnad, som helt plötsligt inte har någon att prata med.
Studier visar att folk ofta använder sina dagböcker för att lösa problem och lätta sina hjärta. Andra använder den för att lyssna inåt och kommunicera med sig själv, endast hälften av de tillfrågade i Adams studie (1996) kände att de ville dela sitt skrivande med andra.
Flera deltagare i studien upplevde att de fick en inre visdom av skrivandet, andra såg det som ett sätt att hålla minnen vid liv. Det finns lika många anledningar till att skriva som det finns författare men mitt intresseområde handlar om terapeutiskt skrivande. Ett skrivande för personlig utveckling och läkning. Enligt Adams studie (1996) så var det många som önskade skriva terapeutiskt men hade svårt att komma igång. De önskade skrivtekniker, strukturer och rutiner för att hitta till sitt skrivande vilket mitt syfte är att hjälpa dig med.
De flesta som arbetar med terapeutiskt skrivande finner det hjälpsamt, användbart och läkande, men i stunder kan det självklart också vara smärtsamt. Adam, Ohren och Hudsons studie visade att deltagarna efter 30-dagars skrivande kände:
- Klarhet och insikt i problem eller känslor
- Minskad stress
- Att de kände sig själv bättre
- Att de skrev med större lätthet än tidigare
- Att de hade hittat nya passioner och mål
- Att de hade hittat hållbara rutiner
- Att de fann skrivandet meditativt
- Att de blev mer produktiva
- Att de mådde bättre psykiskt
Det finns mycket forskning och litteratur inom området. Här finner du ett urval.
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Adams, Kathleen, Nathan Ohren, and Brenda Hudson. 2015. The 30-Day Digital Journal Challenge: A Report for Helping Professionals. Wheat Ridge CO: Center for Journal Therapy.
Baker, Ellen K. 2003. Caring for Ourselves: A Therapist’s Guide to Personal and Professional Well-Being. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
Baldwin, Christina. 2008. Storycatcher: Making Sense of Our Lives through the Power and Practice of Story. Novato CA: New World Library.
—. 1990. Life’s Companion
Bender, Sheila. 2000. A Year in the Life: Journaling for Self-Discovery. Cincinnati: Walking Stick Press.
Bennett, Hal Zina. 2001. Write from the Heart: Unleashing the Power of Your Creativity. Novato CA: New World Library.
Bolton, Gillie, Victoria Field, and Kate Thompson, Eds. 2006. Writing Works: A Resource Handbook for Therapeutic Writing Workshops and Activities. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
—-. 2004.Writing Cures: An Introductory Handbook of Writing in Counselling and Therapy. East Sussex: Brunner-Routledge.
Burton, Chad M. and Laura A. King. 2004. The Health Benefits of Writing about Intensely Positive Experiences, Journal of Research in Personality. 38:92, 150-63.
Evans, John F. , Ed. 2010. Wellness & Writing Connections. Enumclaw, WA: Idyll Arbor.
Francisco, Leia. 2016. Writing through Transitions, 2nd Ed. Kerrville, TX: Francisco & Associates.
Gold, Richard. 2014. Writing with At-Risk Youth: The Pongo Teen Writing Method. Lanham MD: Rowman and Littlefield Publishing.
Jacobi, Tobi and Ann Folwell Stanford. 2014. Women, Writing and Prison: Activists, Scholars and Writers Speak Out. Lanham MD: Rowman and Littlefield.
Jacobs, Beth. 2004. Writing for Emotional Balance Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
King, Laura A. 2001. The Health Benefits of Writing about Life Goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 27:7, 798-807.
King, Laura A. and Kathi N. Miner. 2000. Writing about the Perceived Benefits of Traumatic Events: Implications for Physical Health. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 26: 2, 220-230.
Klug, Ronald. 2002. How to Keep a Spiritual Journal: A Guide to Journal Keeping for Inner Growth and Personal Discovery, 2nd Ed. Minneapolis: Augsburg Press.
Lee, Janet Mentore. 2009. The Daily Doodle: A Journal for Children Ages 4-7. North Charleston, SC: BookSurge Publishing.
—-. 2011. The Daily Doodle: A Journal for Children Ages 7-10. North Charleston, SC: BookSurge Publishing.
Lepore, Stephen J. and Joshua M. Smyth, Eds. 2002.The Writing Cure: How Expressive Writing Promotes Health and Emotional Well-Being, Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
McGinnis, Ray. 2005. Writing the Sacred: A Psalm-Inspired Path to Appreciating and Writing Sacred Poetry. Vancouver, British Columbia: Northstone Publishing.
Metcalf, Linda Trichter, and Simon, Tobin. 2002. Writing the Mind Alive: The Proprioceptive Method for Finding Your Authentic Voice. New York City: Ballentine.
Pennebaker, James W.2016. Opening Up by Writing it Down, 3rd Ed. New York: Guilford Press.
—-. 2014. Writing to Heal: A Guided Journal for Recovering from Trauma and Emotional Upheaval. Wheat Ridge CO: Center for Journal Therapy.
Rainer, Tristine. 2004. The New Diary, 2nd Ed. Los Angeles: Tarcher/Perigee.
Reeves, Judy. 2002. Writing Alone, Writing Together: A Guide for Writers and Writers’ Groups. Novato, CA: New World Library.
Rico, Gabrielle Lusser. 2000. Writing the Natural Way, 2nd Ed. Los Angeles: JP Tarcher.
Ross, Deborah and Kathleen Adams. 2016. Your Brain on Ink: A Workbook on Neuroplasticity and the Journal Ladder. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Publishing.
Stahura, Barbara and Susan B. Schuster. 2009. After Brain Injury: Telling Your Story. Youngsville, NC: Lash & Associates Publications.
Thompson, Kate. 2011. Therapeutic Journal Writing. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Thompson, Kate and Kathleen Adams, Eds. 2015. Expressive Writing: Counseling and Healthcare, Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Publishing.
Thompson, Mary Reynolds. 2014. Reclaiming the Wild Soul: How Earth’s Landscapes Restore Us to Wholeness. Ashland, OR: White Cloud Press.
Willis, Claire. 2014. Lasting Words: A Guide to Finding Meaning at the End of Life. Brattleboro, VT: Green Writers Press.
Adams, Kathleen. 1999. Writing as Therapy. Counseling & Human Development. Denver: Love Publishing, 31:5.
—-. 1998. The Way of the Journal: A Journal Therapy Workbook for Healing, 2nd Ed., Lutherville MD: Sidran Press.
—-. 1996. The Structured Journal Therapy Assessment: A Report on 50 Cases, Journal of Poetry Therapy 10:2, 77-85.
—-. 1994. Mightier than the Sword: The Journal as a Path to Men’s Self-Discovery. New York: Warner Books, 1994.
—- 1990. Journal to the Self. New York: Grand Central Publishing.
Baldwin, Christina. 1990. Life’s Companion: Journal Writing as Spiritual Quest. New York: Bantam.
—-. 1978. One to One: Self-Understanding through Journal Writing New York: M. Evans.
Capacchione, Lucia. 1991. The Creative Journal: The Art of Finding Yourself. 2nd Ed. New Page Books.
Chapman, Joyce. 1991. Journaling for Joy: Writing Your Way to Personal Growth and Freedom.North Hollywood: Newcastle Publishing.
DeSalvo, Louise. 1999. Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our Stories Transforms Our Lives. San Francisco: Harper Collins.
Gendler, J. Ruth. 1994. The Book of Qualities. New York: Harper Perennial.
Hjelmstad, Lois Tschetter. 1993. Fine Black Lines: Reflections on Facing Cancer, Fear and Loneliness. Englewood CO; Mulberry Press.
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Kelsey, Morton T. 1980. Adventure Inward: Christian Growth through Personal Journal Writing. Minneapolis: Augsburg Press.
Metzger, Deena. 1992. Writing for Your Life: A Guide and Companion to the Inner World. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco.
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Pennebaker, James W., Michelle Colder, and Lisa K. Sharp. 1990. Accelerating the Coping Process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 58:3, 528-37.
Progoff, Ira. 1992. At a Journal Workshop. Los Angeles: Jeremy Tarcher.
Reeves, Judy. 1999. A Writer’s Book of Days: A Spirited Companion & Live Muse for the Writing Life. Novato, CA: New World Library.
Schiwy, Marlene. 1996. A Voice of Her Own: Women and the Journal Writing Journey. New York: Fireside.
Schneider, Pat. 1993. The Writer as an Artist: A New Approach to Writing Alone and With Others. Los Angeles: Lowell House.
Smyth, Joshua M., Arthur A. Stone, Adam Hurewitz, and Alan Kaell. 1999. Effects of writing about stressful experiences on symptom reduction in patients with asthma or rheumatoid arthritis: A randomized trial. JAMA. 281:14, 1304-1309.
Solly, Richard and Lloyd, Roseann. 1999. Journey Notes: Writing for Recovery and Spiritual Growth. San Francisco: Harper/Hazelden
Stillman, Peter. 1989. Families Writing. Cincinnati: Writer’s Digest Books.