Creative Writing Therapy

Use of the Creative Arts for healing and personal growth purposes has grown in popularity over the last number of years and now there is significant research to back up the claims made by practitioners.  One of the ways I think creative writing helps people process trauma is that is enables the trauma to be held in the body of a crafted piece of expressive writing instead of only in their own psyches and bodies.

(See for instance, The Writing Cure by Lepore and Smyth)

In addition, Creative Writing Therapy and similar endeavours aim to bring the stories of others to our collective attention.  This contributes to values-making by fostering respect for individuals, tolerance of difference and a deepening of compassion.  These are the values which enable a vibrant, muscular and intelligent democracy to thrive.

Choices from the Heart

Kew Neighbourhood Learning Centre has a commitment to working with people who suffer from a Psychiatric Illness.  I was employed to interview a number of these clients and write their life stories. ‘Choices from the Heart’ is both recognition of the importance of their lives and an educative tool for the broader community to promote understanding of this condition and the experiences of its sufferers.  The result is a moving testament to resilience in the face of adversity.

It is a terrific publication, and its principal author, Anne Carson, deserves to be commended, as does the centre and the Kew East community bank branch of the Bendigo Bank for the support of the project.  Josh Frydenberg to Federal Parliament

Kaleidoscope: Autism from the eyes of Mothers

InSpectrum Support Group are a group of feisty, charming mothers who have been through significant challenges in raising a child on the Autism Spectrum.  In 2012 they employed me to assist them write their stories.  In the process they discovered how much they shared and together celebrated their strength and resilience.

This book has been written  … so that you will understand some of our triumphs and tragedies… We are writing from our hearts, about the people who have shaped us more than all others, our children.  Emma Norton in Kaleidoscope: Autism through the eyes of Mothers

The Sound of Colours

A current project funded by Boroondara Council through Kew Neighbourhood House to assist parents and workers to write stories about raising and working with children on the Autism Spectrum.  Another opportunity to celebrate  the resilience and huge-heartedness of mothers of and workers with this group of children and to educate the broader community.

“From Carol’s introduction: At ten years of age he was diagnosed with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder.  With lots of wows, we have lived out this new diagnosis over the last five months. I always said our family is here to grow together in love.  By wisdom our house is built, by understanding it is established.  By knowledge all room are filled with precious treasures (Proverbs 24:3,4).”

All these books have been beautifully and elegantly designed by Joanne Marchese.
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