It does not cost anything or take long, gives quick results, works everywhere and could improve mental health.
Writing therapy, also known as journal therapy or therapeutic writing, is said to help people tap into the subconscious nooks of themselves that are hard to get a handle on.
“It’s the start of a process that ends with you knowing yourself better,” says Dr Adak Pirmorady, a psychoanalyst and specialist in psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy at Charité University Hospital in Berlin, Germany.
The process can lead to painful realisations. “We all have facets of ourselves that we don’t feel are positive, or that even disturb us,” she says.
Writing therapy is for anyone who wants a clearer insight into themself, says certified writing therapist Doris Hönig, based in Bosau, Germany. It can also help people in a midlife crisis, and those who have been diagnosed with a disease or lost a loved one.