Creative writing at a Swedish psychiatric inpatient clinic. Perspectives from the authors who guided the patients. An interview study

Abstract

Creative writing might support recovery and wellbeing of patients with mental distress. Writing activities often take place in communities, social service facilities, or outpatient care, including psychotherapy. Hospitalized individuals however also need meaningful activities. Therefore, a one-year creative writing project was established at a Swedish psychiatric inpatient clinic. Creative writing workshops were led by established authors. The purpose was to provide opportunities for patients to develop their writing, support recovery, and offer meaningful activities. This study is based on interviews with the four authors who led the activities. The aim of the study was to understand the prerequisites and possibilities of integrating creative writing activities, led by authors, at psychiatric inpatient clinics. The authors sensed that a high level of flexibility was needed during workshops. Moreover, the time frame and the room need to be adapted to writing activities. Moreover, they described meaningful and supportive encounters, belonging, and joy. Clinical recommendations are presented.

Creative Art: Connection to Health and Well-Being

“…Patients wrote about painful memories that they could not verbally express, and most were able to facilitate healing by distancing themselves from their traumatic experiences in writing (Cooper, 2010). Similarly, Punzi (2021) described creative writing as an activity that involves "contemplation and self-reflection." In interviewing the authors who guided psychiatric inpatients through creative writing classes, Punzi (2021) learned that creative writing included "curiosity and joy as well as reflections on difficult emotions and existential questions" (para.…”

“…Encounters). The creative writing sessions became an opportunity for sharing emotions, encouraging meaning-making, and promoting a sense of belonging (Punzi, 2021). In writing about and sharing feelings and experiences, participants improved their feelings of well-being and aided themselves in recovery (Punzi, 2021).…”

“…Poetry, as noted above, is a crucial part of creative writing. Creative writing participants in the Punzi (2021) article appreciated that their poetry could express their feelings thoroughly yet in a concise format. Comparably, the study by Perry and Edwards (2019) on arts-based learning approaches adapted for mobile learning found that a method they originated called poetweet (a short form of poetry) could convey students' emotions, ideas, and complex feelings.…”

Ana dili olarak Türkçe eğitimindeki yaratıcı yazma tezlerine analitik bir bakış: kapsam belirleme incelemesi

“…Edebiyat, sanat, dil eğitimi, yabancı dil eğitimi, dil bilim, psikoloji gibi alanlarda araştırmalara konu olmuş ve olmaya devam etmektedir. Psikoloji alanında yaratıcı yazma, zihinsel sıkıntısı olan hastaların iyileşmesini ve refahını destekleyebilecek bir faaliyettir (Punzi, 2020). Yaratıcı yazma sürecindeki deneyimsel öğrenme, bireylerin yaratıcı bir şekilde yazarken zor duygularını bilişsel olarak işlenmesini sağlamakta ve bunun terapötik etkileri bulunmaktadır (Deveney, 2020).…”