Tag Archives: Writing To Heal

Susan Borkin on JournalTalk

When Your Heart Speaks, Take Good Notes!

Susan Borkin on JournalTalkMy guest this week was pioneering the field of writing therapy before such a field even existed, and long before the word “journaling” became an internet buzzword. Susan Borkin continues to make a difference for seekers of healing through words, as a psychotherapist and author of books including: When Your Heart Speaks, Take Good Notes, and Writing From The Inside Out. Her newest book, The Healing Power of Writing: A Therapist’s Guide to Using Journaling With Clients, contains a practical collection of exercises for anyone interested in personal transformation.

The Healing Power of Writing, by Susan BorkinOur conversation knocked on the doors of many interesting questions. Are some people more affected by the power of words than others? How did the practice of psychotherapy promote the notion of writing to heal? What was the origin of the “Aha!” moment? Is writing therapy more effective than talk therapy? You won’t want to miss the unique journal-writing exercise that Susan shares with her clients to reduce anxiety and manage unrealistic fears.

When Your Heart Speaks, Take Good Notes (by Susan Borkin)Exclusive Offer for JournalTalk Listeners: Listen to this episode for details about receiving a copy of Susan Borkin’s book When Your Heart Speaks, Take Good Notes absolutely free. (JournalTalk, Episode #67, January 26, 2016)

To Join our Community: Please post comments and questions below, to further the dialogue. And connect with other JournalTalk friends in our private Facebook group

To Subscribe to JournalTalk:
By email: Click here.
Apple/iPhone/iTunes: Click here.
Google/Feedburner: Click here.

For Coaching with Nathan Ohren: Click here.
To Join the JournalTalk Community on Facebook:
Click here.
To Listen to this week’s JournalTalk: Click on the “play” button > at the top of this page.

Writing for Health & Wellness

JT_JohnEvansReturning to JournalTalk is Dr. John Evans, founder of Wellness and Writing Connections. Back in Episode #15, Dr. Evans shared about his connection to the rewriting of the landmark research compendium, Writing To Heal, by Dr. James Pennebaker. In this episode, Dr. Evans shares an update on that work (including its new title, Expressive Writing For Health) as well as some heart-stirring examples of the kind of work that he does. Don’t miss this: Dr. Evans reads some writings from one workshop participant (shared with the author’s permission, of course). Very moving!

In addition to this interview, I am pleased to introduce to you Albert Diaz Cruz, a journaling workshop aficionado, who will be sharing book reviews from journaling experts with us from time to time. His first book review is on The New Diary by Tristine Rainer. Please leave a comment below to enter the drawing for a copy of this book mailed to you for free!  (JournalTalk, Episode #24, February 6, 2014)

Credits:
Audio Editing: Netrix Marketing
Music: AudioNetwork.com
Voiceover: Kym Maher, Tami Egbert & Thomas Gerrard

To Subscribe:
Apple/iPhone/iTunes: Click here.
Google/Feedburner: Click here.
Blubrry site: Click here.

To Listen:
Click on the “play” button > below.

Writing To Heal

Who knew, back in Episode #4 when I discovered the amazing-but-unavailable book, Writing To Heal, that I’d eventually be interviewing the co-author of its revised and updated edition?!!

I learned a lot from my guest this week, John F. Evans, MAT, MA , Ed.D., a consultant, writing clinician, and an integrative health coach who speaks at national and international conferences about the power of writing to create better health, overcome trauma, and build resilience. He is also the founder and executive director of Wellness & Writing Connections, providing individual, group, and institutional life course guidance programs.

JT_JohnEvansThe first thing I learned from John is that I still have much more to learn about being an effective journaling coach!  With an astute-yet-modest perspective, John shares some of the scientifically proven health benefits of expressive writing (while cautioning me of the potential dangers of simply touting them to others)!  We also discuss the Pennebaker Paradigm, and the contribution that John is making to update and re-publish the landmark guidebook in this field, Writing To Heal, by Dr. James Pennebaker.  As mentioned in Episode #4, this groundbreaking and revered work has been out-of-print for several years.

John also publishes articles for Psychology Today in a column entitled Write Yourself Well, and is leading a workshop, “Transform Your Health”, with the International Association of Journal Writers later this month.  John teaches workshops at Duke Integrative Medicine, Duke Medical School, and the UNC Wellness Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  We’ll talk more about these in a future episode!  (JournalTalk, Episode #15, September 15, 2013)

Credits:
Music: Christopher Brooke, “Happy Me” and Paul Mottram, ”Easy Bean Swing” (AudioNetwork.com)
Voiceover: Tami Egbert and Kym Maher
Logo Art: Wendy Kipfmiller, Snixysnix.com

To Subscribe:
Apple/iPhone/iTunes: Click here.
Google/Feedburner: Click here.
Blubrry site: Click here.

To Listen:
Click on the “play” button > below.