Expressive writing

What it is and where it comes from

Writing freely for a few minutes about an emotionally difficult experience, without worrying about grammar or coherence, is an intervention extensively studied by psychologist James Pennebaker since the 1980s. His studies show that expressing thoughts and feelings about stressful events in writing, repeated over several days, is associated with improvements in mood and some physical health indicators over the medium term, compared to writing about neutral topics.

• James W. Pennebaker, Joshua M. Smyth, Opening Up: The Healing Power of Expressing Emotions (1997 (revisado 2016)) — Síntesis de décadas de investigación sobre escritura expresiva y sus efectos en bienestar emocional y salud física.

How to practice it

1. 1.Set aside 15-20 minutes and write without stopping about what is worrying or affecting you, without editing or correcting.
2. 2.Don't worry about spelling, structure, or whether it makes sense to someone else — it's just for you.
3. 3.Include both the facts and how they made you feel.
4. 4.Repeat for 3-4 consecutive days to notice the cumulative effect described in the research.
5. 5.You can keep or destroy what you wrote afterward; the benefit is in the process of writing, not in rereading it.