therapeutic writing exercise a chance to experiment with therapeutic writing see the handout description for a typical James Pennebaker set of instructions feel free to water these down for today – for example you could just write about a minor/moderate stress (current or past) write really digging down into your feelings and thoughts about what happened what you write will remain entirely private to you

mechanisms and effects stops the cumulative stress & vulnerability produced by constant work of inhibition recovering/working through deeply upsetting memories encourages reassessment increases personal sense of resilience & one’s ability to tolerate intense emotions reduces isolation and makes sharing with others easier reduction in intrusive memories and thoughts improved psychological well being improvements in immune function & physical health reduced dependence on health professionals and other helping agencies

mechanisms and effects stops cumulative stress produced by constant work of inhibition: Cole, S. W., M. E. Kemeny, et al. (1996). "Elevated physical health risk among gay men who conceal their homosexual identity." Health Psychology 15: 243 - 251. Larson, D. G. and R. L. Chastain (1990). "Self concealment: conceptualization, measurement, and health implications." Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology 9(4): 439 - 455. Finkenauer, C. and Rimé, B. (1998). "Keeping emotional memories secret : health and subjective wellbeing when emotions are not shared." J Health Psychology 3(1): 47 - 58. Hunt, M. G. (1998). "The only way out is through: emotional processing and recovery after a depressing life event." Behaviour Research and Therapy 36(4): 361 - 384.

mechanisms and effects working through upsetting memories promotes reassessment: making “emotional” memories more “autobiographical” & promot-ing reassessment are considered key cognitive therapy interventions Reynolds, M. & C. Brewin (1999). "Intrusive memories in depression and posttraumatic stress disorder." Behav Res Ther 37(3): 201-15. Smyth, J., N. True, et al. (2001). "Effects of writing about traumatic experiences: the necessity for narrative structuring." Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology 20(2): 161-172.. Brewin, C. R. (2001). "A cognitive neuroscience account of posttraumatic stress disorder and its treatment." Behav Res Ther 39(4): 373-93.

mechanisms and effects increases personal sense of resilience & one’s ability to tolerate intense emotions: Hunt, M. G. (1998). "The only way out is through: emotional processing and recovery after a depressing life event." Behaviour Research and Therapy 36(4): 361-84. reduces isolation and makes sharing with others easier: Pennebaker, J., J. M. Smyth, et al. (1999). "Disclosure and health: an interview with James W Pennebaker; plus comments by various other authors." Advances in Mind-Body Medicine 15(3): 161-195.

information from the web go to the “good knowledge” page of www.goodmedicine.org.uk , then open “past lectures and training seminars” in the “lectures, leaflets and what’s new” section; this talk, the writing handout, research links and other related talks can all be found in “emotional expression & therapeutic writing seminars”; look too in http://homepage. psy.utexas.edu/HomePage/Faculty/ Pennebaker/Home2000/JWPhome.htm