Chapter 7: Poetry Therapy

McCulliss, Debbie

doi:10.1163/9780857249562_008

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Group therapeutic writing interventions have been found to enhance group cohesion (Golden, ), and group poetry therapy has been found to improve attitudes and increase self‐discovery as compared to conventional group psychotherapy (Mazza, ; as cited in McCulliss, ). Participation in a therapeutic creative writing group has been found to promote personal growth, decrease feelings of isolation, increase confidence, increase participants' sense of support and enhance both desire and ability to communicate about experiences (Fair, Connor, Albright, Wise, & Jones, ).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reading and writing for well‐being: A qualitative exploration of the therapeutic experience of older adult participants in a bibliotherapy and creative writing group

Malyn

Thomas

Ramsey-Wade

2020

Couns and Psychother Res

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This study provides a qualitative exploration of the therapeutic mechanisms occurring within three community-based reading and writing for well-being groups, primarily attended by older adults, located in a large city in England. It is increasingly accepted that community-based participatory arts programmes can contribute to health and well-being (Clift, 2012). However, research in this area has tended to focus on the visual and performing arts, with less attention given to literary interventions. Additionally, whilst the concept of bibliotherapy stretches back centuries, writings on this topic have been predominantly anecdotal and the research literature is thin (Detrixhe, 2010). This study aims to develop a deeper understanding of the therapeutic mechanisms occurring within these groups which facilitate well-being, with the objectives of: 1) enhancing practitioners' ability to effectively implement such interventions, and 2) contributing to the development of a strong theoretical base from which such interventions can be meaningfully evaluated. Twelve individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted for this study and analysed using thematic analysis, following the guidelines of Braun & Clarke (2006). Four overarching themes were developed through the analysis, which are expressed through a relational framework. These include: 'Relationship to self', 'Relationship with others', 'Relationship to facilitator' and 'An intermediary object'. It is concluded that, whilst some of the therapeutic processes are similar to those occurring in other community-based participatory arts programmes, additional key processes are related to unique features of the literary arts, as well as the facilitator's group design, training, and way of relating.

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%