Study Buddy (Challenger): How writing therapy helps you understand yourself better
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Putting time aside to journal is a simple but effective way to get to know yourself better. Photo: ShutterstockContent provided by British Council
Read the following text, and answer questions 1-9 below:
[1] Writing therapy is an affordable practice that does not take long, delivers results quickly, can be done anywhere and can improve your mental health. Also known as journal therapy or therapeutic writing, it is said to help people unveil the subconscious nooks of themselves that are hard to comprehend. “It’s the start of a process that ends with you knowing yourself better,” said Dr Adak Pirmorady, a psychoanalyst and psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy specialist at Charité University Hospital in Berlin, Germany.
[2] “It’s for people who are suited to it,” elaborated Pirmorady – people who like expressing themselves, enjoy language and do not find writing difficult. It must always be closely supervised, she said, noting that patients with severe disorders – such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – require psychotherapeutic care in parallel with writing therapy.
[3] All you need is some paper or a notebook, and a pen or pencil. Certified writing therapist Doris Honig recommended writing by hand, explaining that “it’s usually slower than typing and gives your subconscious time to work”. You are also less tempted to make corrections or produce a finished text.
[4] Honig said that the reason for writing therapy’s effectiveness remains somewhat fuzzy despite studies of the phenomenon. Its origins lie in expressive writing, a form of writing therapy developed chiefly by James Pennebaker, a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin in the United States. In his work with students, Pennebaker discovered that writing about traumatic experiences helped one cope with them. He also found that it bolstered the immune system as the writers became more relaxed, optimistic and calmer.
[5] Writing therapy can be free writing or more structured with specific themes. In the former, you start with something on your mind and write down whatever pops into your head. For example, it could be a letter you never send, and no one reads, addressed to someone you have fought with or even yourself.
[6] Whatever method one chooses – a matter of taste – Honig said they must not judge or self-censor what they write and should try not to think about proper grammar and spelling. And it is crucial to spend at least 10 minutes on it. Honig and Pirmorady agree that it can be helpful to make writing a routine. For instance, you can devote minutes to it every morning or evening or set a goal of two pages per day, whether something to write about immediately occurs to you or not. “The more regularly you do it, the easier it will become,” Honig said.
[7] You should also find or create the right setting for writing, suggested Pirmorady. You could retire to a quiet place, turn off your smartphone, perhaps brew some tea or light a candle – whatever makes for a pleasant atmosphere. “For some people not used to it, simply giving yourself this protected space will trigger something in you,” she said. As beneficial as writing therapy can be, it is not about becoming your best self, per se, Pirmorady pointed out. Rather, “it’s about understanding yourself better and using this understanding to recognise your needs better and meet them”.
Source: dpa, January 8
Face Off: Should schools continue to teach penmanship in the digital age?
Questions
1. In paragraph 1, the phrase “unveil the subconscious nooks of themselves” suggests that writing therapy can help individuals …
A. access and process hidden or unconscious thoughts and emotions.
B. learn to control their emotions and suppress negative feelings.
C. enhance their memory and cognitive abilities.
D. manage anxiety.
2. What specific disorder is mentioned in paragraph 2 as requiring additional support alongside writing therapy?
3. Paragraph 3 notes the …
A. essential tools for writing therapy.
B. recommended method for writing therapy.
C. reason for writing instead of typing.
D. all of the above
4. Based on your understanding of paragraph 4, what do we know about writing therapy’s effectiveness?
5. How are writing therapy and physical health linked, according to paragraph 4?
6. Find a word in paragraph 4 that describes “events that are emotionally distressing”.
7. Based on your understanding of paragraph 5, what is the central aspect of free writing?
8. In paragraph 6, why do Honig and Pirmorady recommend establishing a writing therapy routine?
9. What is the primary goal of writing therapy, according to Pirmorady in paragraph 7?
Answers
1. A
2. post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
3. D
4. Research is incomplete, and much is left to learn about how it works. (accept all similar answers)
5. Writing therapy might have a positive effect on your immune system.
6. traumatic
7. Writing freely and naturally, without referring to rules or a plan. (accept all similar answers)
8. Regular practice can make writing therapy feel more natural and easy over time as it becomes a habit. (accept all reasonable answers)
9. To understand yourself better and use that understanding to recognise what your needs are and meet them.