My third encounter with therapeutic writing

Attempts one and two felt like false starts. Perhaps because of the topics I chose, or because three to five sessions are recommended.

Session three, however, surprised me. I was able to write about the most pivotal trauma of my childhood. In its entirety. Without stopping. Past attempts to write about it ended in tears, emotional eating, and a heaviness that made it hard to breathe or function.

Not this time. Why?

Pronoun choice.

In The Secret Life of Pronouns, James W. Pennebaker talks about the impact pronoun choices can have. Therapeutic writing (aka expressive writing or therapeutic journaling) encourages people to play with pronouns and the different perspectives they offer.

“She” instead of “I” offered a step back from that overwhelmingly sad scenario. I watched the story like a movie playing in my mind as my fingertips tapped out the words. Seeing this little girl objectively brought profound new insight — how she struggled to comprehend what was happening, her vulnerability and confusion.

The story still lingers, but I became more functional after the writing exercise. It didn’t topple me.

Is therapy over? Am I ‘cured?’

No. But I feel stronger and wiser. Self-compassion suddenly arrived and decided to stay — the biggest surprise of all.