Tensed up? Write it down
Dear Diary, … If you’ve ever kept a diary, you may recall particular entries with a chuckle, or at least a sense of nostalgia. Writing in your diary most likely helped you through some tough times. Today, bookstore shelves are stocked with an ever increasing array of diaries and journals. That’s because we know intuitively that putting thoughts and feelings on paper can help us feel better.
For more than 20 years, researchers in the area of health psychology have studied the effects of writing on health. In the Oxford Handbook of Health Psychology (in press), James Pennebaker, a pioneer in the field, and Cindy Chung, both from the University of Texas at Austin write, “…when people transform their feelings and thoughts about personally upsetting experiences into language, their physical and mental health often improve.”
In several of the studies on the effects of writing on health, people were asked to write for 10-30 minutes each day for 3-5 consecutive days. The experimental groups wrote about their very deepest thoughts and feelings regarding traumatic experiences, conflicts or stressors. Reviews of the research indicate that writing about the emotional aspects of deeply personal issues may reduce physician visits, reduce aspirin use, improve immune function, decrease blood pressure, improve mood and significantly decrease emotional distress.
Holly Makimaa puts the research into practice. Makimaa, who has a degree in psychology from Michigan State University and has kept a journal since age 15, says, “Writing has the power to take people to the deepest level of their being and find out what’s there.” Makimaa teaches a class called Writing through Change at the Center for Yoga in East Lansing and a memoir writing class at Lansing Community College. The Writing through Change class helps people process and deal with life events such as career change, pregnancy, divorce, illness or death of a loved one—or any kind of life change requiring refocusing.
“I like to work with people to develop customized journaling exercises,” says Makimaa. “I help people take writing in the direction that’s the best fit for their particular situation—that’s when writing flows. There are many aspects of journaling that people aren’t aware of that could make all the difference in its effectiveness.” Makimaa provides tools and techniques to encourage people to express their deepest feelings so they can get the greatest benefit from writing, such as how to remove writing blocks. “I break down the myths of how writing ‘should’ be. For instance, I teach people how to fire their inner censor or editor that blocks self-expression.”
Makimaa offers these tips to write from the heart:
Find a place to write in privacy.
Figure out a way to keep your writing confidential: Stash your journal in a locked drawer, save computer documents in a secured file, or destroy the papers or document when you’re done.
Write for yourself only—not for an audience.
Write without worrying about spelling, punctuation or grammar. And don’t go back later to edit.
Set a timer and write continuously for 20 minutes about your deepest thoughts and feelings on a particular topic.
Try writing by starting off with “If I were totally free to say what I really think or feel about this issue, I would say…”
Write without lifting the pen off the paper, except between words.
Try writing in novel ways: Write on unlined paper; write with your non-dominant hand; write with the paper on a diagonal; write fast and messy.
After writing about emotional issues, many people feel upset at first, but feel better after a few hours—once thoughts and feelings are processed. “Writing about feelings can be scary,” says Makimaa. “Some people feel that they’ll be swallowed up by their feelings. It helps to write for a short amount of time, get away from it for awhile to get perspective and let life happen, then go back to it.” Makimaa suggests seeking professional help, such as counseling, if writing about an emotional issue is overly traumatic.
Although journaling isn’t for everyone, it’s a form of self expression that is helpful to many, especially when “writing rules” are tossed aside. “Writing is a simple, cost-effective and self-empowering way to work through emotional issues,” says Makimaa. “Try it and see what your experience is.”
Holly Makimaa is in private practice at Oasis Health and Wellness in the Center for Yoga, East Lansing, where she offers Reiki, holistic journaling and spiritual companioning. Visit her Web page, http://oasishealth.net/holly.html, or send an e-mail to makimaah@msu.edu.
Karen Giles-Smith, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian and freelance writer based in Mason, Michigan. Visit her Web site and blog at TheWellnessWriter.com
my father practices Reiki and it is helpful for the general health.*:*
[...] For an article about journaling and health in the May issue ofHealthy & Fit Magazine, I interviewed Holly Makimaa, a Michigan-based writer and writing instructor. Makimaa teaches a class called Writing through Change at The Center for Yoga in East Lansing. After the interview, I was so intrigued by the transformative power of journaling and descriptions of her customized journaling exercises that I decided to take her Writing through Change class. [...]