Writing a journal is not just about keeping a record of daily events - journal writing provides a unique therapeutic opportunity for facilitating healing and growth.

The author of this book guides the reader through developing journal writing to use as a therapeutic tool. Keeping a journal can help the writer to develop a better understanding of themselves, their relationships and the world around them, as well as improve skills of problem-solving, decision-making and planning. As such, journal writing can be a powerful complement to verbal therapy, offering an effective and affordable way of extending support to troubled clients. The book includes advice on working with individuals, facilitating a therapeutic writing group, proposed clinical applications, practical techniques, useful journal prompts, exercises and case vignettes.

This clear guide to the basics of journaling and its development as a therapeutic medium will be a valuable handbook for therapists, health and social care practitioners, teachers, life coaches, writing facilitators and any professional seeking personal development in themselves or their clients.

Préface
A book that introduces the theory and practice of therapeutic journal writing for counsellors and therapists

Auteur

Kate Thompson MA is a BACP Senior Accredited Counsellor and Supervisor in private practice. She runs training courses in Journal Writing for Therapeutic Purposes, and is a faculty member of the Center for Journal Therapy in Colorado, USA, where she also trained. She is a professional member of Lapidus, the national UK organisation for the literary arts and personal development. She is co-editor, with Gillie Bolton and Victoria Field, of Writing Works: A Resource Handbook for Therapeutic Writing Workshops and Activities and Writing Routes: A Resource Handbook of Therapeutic Writing, both published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Contenu
Acknowledgements. Foreword. Kathleen Adams, Center for Journal Therapy, USA. Preface. Part 1. Understanding the basics. Introduction. 1. Preparing for therapeutic journal writing. 2. Using therapeutic journal writing in practice settings. Part 2. Structured techniques. 3. Beginnings and endings. 4. Lists. 5. Stepping stones. 6. Description and deeper. Part 3. Less structured techniques. 7. Journal dialogues. 8. Unsent letters. 9. Perspectives. 10. Opening up. Part 4. Applications for practice. 11. What works for whom? 12. Journal writing in professional supervision. Afterword. List of journal prompts. About the author: A personal journey from diary to therapeutic journal writing. References. Index.