There are a number of different types of writing therapy.  One popular form is known as journal therapy or journaling.  Unlike the kind of diary writing in which a person keeps a log of daily events, journal therapy focuses on expressing and exploring emotions and delving into one's internal life.  In addition to putting a problem or concern into words, journal therapy also can help people work out a solution.  By going through the process of actually writing emotional situations and feelings out, something significant transpires.  Our minds go beyond just thinking a scenario or feeling and this can yield a greater understanding and opportunity through processing them in written words.  We often find and discover conclusions or associations that we may never before have thought possible.  The additional step of writing something out often produces results we may have never imagined.  Journaling also provides a record of our emotional experiences that we can look back to and draw upon when we may want to remember a particular feeling or expressive moment.  The process of writing and recording these emotional responses in our daily lives allows us to experience them with greater awareness, understanding and perception.  This heightened level of processing our emotional lives can be a tremendous and crucial release that enables us to heal through understanding particular situational issues. 

Journal therapy should be an informal release and expression of feelings that require no traditional writing skills only a desire to be brutally honest when writing and processing what has transpired.  It is only when we achieve this level of honesty that we can truly access the therapeutic benefits this process can offer us.  We should allow our words to flow without editing or giving too much thought to structure, word choice or content.  Remember that you are the only one reading what you’ve written.  Journaling can be imperative to our emotional well being because it allows us to identify, process and ultimately recognize an emotional response.  Journal writing is about keeping emotion is check and being honest with ourselves which allows us to genuinely comprehend, overcome, let go and heal. 

The practice of journal writing can be revealed something like this:  After being turned down after what was thought of as a strong audition for the ultimate role, an actor experiences rejection.  He or she is dejected, confused, deflated, hopeless and unmotivated.  By journaling these feelings during a difficult time the actor becomes his/her own therapist.  He or she gets honest by writing down what they are experiencing and thus better understanding what thought process and emotions had brought he or she to the state they were in.  After writing this out the actor feels better, stronger and more aware of what had happened.  Something shifts and changes and the actor’s emotional response may not be so dire.  They are ready for the next audition.  Ready to play the next role with renewed vigor, enthusiasm, greater self-growth, awareness and a heightened perspective.

Two other popular types of writing therapy are letter therapy, which is often included as part of journal therapy, and poetry therapy.  Letter therapy involves writing very personal letters to people, living or dead.  Although these missives are usually never sent, they are intended to express the writer's most candid thoughts and feelings.  Complete honesty without editing thoughts or feelings is necessary to effectively utilize this exercise.  Letter therapy can successfully unleash and tap into deeply buried emotions and feelings directed or created by a specific individual.  The tone and content of the letter should come from the writer’s heart.  As with all these forms of therapeutic writing, structure, spelling, and grammar are not the point.  Expressing, discovering, uncovering, and recognizing ones feelings is the objective.  Letter therapy offers the writer the opportunity to tell someone the truth without the upset and possible danger of a face-to-face encounter.  Even though this avoids a face-to-face confrontation, it still forces the writer to confront and express his or her emotions, fears, insights, and observations.  Try to openly and honestly write a letter to someone who you are hurt, angered, saddened or madly in love without holding anything back. 

In poetry therapy, a person may create original verse that draws upon their experiences and emotions or to write responses to someone else's poems as a way of expressing their feelings.  Often poetry therapy includes reading and creating other forms of literature as well, such as short stories or memoirs.  Poetry therapy requires more writing knowledge and is the most formal style of therapeutic writing yet it can extremely informal in format, style and content.  Try choosing an emotion you are currently feeling and freely writing this emotion in the form of a poem.  This can allow a more creative outlet for releasing your feelings.  If this task feels too daunting, try responding to your favorite poem either by expressing what the poem means to you or your interpretation of a particular line or sentence in the poem.  This assignment can help you uncover buried emotions that you may have been incapable of accessing if it were for the poems initial inspiration.

Many people find writing therapy appealing because it is inexpensive, self-initiated, flexible and portable.  It also requires no natural writing talent; what matters is the ability to put one's innermost thoughts and emotions on paper.  Individuals can explore writing therapy by themselves or they can work one-on-one with a writing therapist, who may be a psychologist, psychotherapist, social worker or other mental health professional credentialed in this technique.  There are also writing therapy workshops available as well as guidebooks for home use.

By encouraging people to put difficult emotions and memories into words, writing therapy provides therapeutic release.  For this reason it has been shown to be particularly beneficial for those who tend to keep their feelings internalized. After actively participating in any form of writing therapy many people feel calmer and more in control of their emotions.  In addition, some scientists believe that the release offered by writing affects the body's physical capacity to withstand stress and to fight off stress-related infection and disease.  Writing therapy has also been shown to have a positive impact on heart rate and blood pressure.  Despite the numerous health benefits of therapeutic writing it remains an integral component to our own self-discovery, creative development and artistic enrichment.