Therapeutic Writing Group
At Solara Mental Health, we offer a number of therapy groups to provide a full treatment experience. Our therapy groups can be broad or specific, but one of the specific groups we offer is our therapeutic writing group.
In this group, a small group of veterans will meet together regularly, led by one of the expert clinicians at our mental health treatment center. The clinician will give the veterans a writing assignment to complete during that day’s session. These assignments vary, but can include writing a poem, diary entry, letter or short story. For example, a veteran may be asked to write a letter to a loved one or to write their life as if it were a fairy tale. These writing exercises are brief—veterans will generally have around ten minutes to work. This can be a particularly effective process for veterans who are comfortable thinking through and writing down their thoughts before saying them aloud.
Following the writing period, veterans then have the opportunity to share their writing with the group. Peers, along with the lead clinician, comment on the veteran’s writing, helping them to recognize themes and struggles present in the writing. As veterans engage in this process, they can release their pent-up or unrecognized emotions, expressing their feelings in words in a way they may not have done before. This provides a powerful emotional release, and helps veterans recognize issues they may not have been aware of before, allowing for greater self-awareness and full healing.
For more information about the therapeutic writing group, or about other treatments offered at Solara Mental Health, please contact us.