Expressive Writing

Researchers and clinicians have begun to search for alternative treatments that are lower in cost and easier to implement than traditional treatment methods. One promising alternative is expressive writing. When people transform their feelings and thoughts about emotional experiences into language, their physical and mental health often improves. An increasing number of studies indicate that having people write about their deeply felt emotions and thoughts can result in healthy improvements in social, psychological, behavioral, and biological measures. Expressive writing offers an alternative to traditional therapies with the advantage of lower cost and greater accessibility. This chapter will begin with an overview of the writing paradigm followed by evidence supporting the efficacy of expressive writing, as well as its potential limitations. The more compelling reasons for why expressive writing works will be presented next. The chapter will conclude with possible real-world applications and future directions.