Focused expressive writing as self‐help for stress and trauma

Abstract

In the therapy process, the process of disclosing about stressful or traumatic events is often considered essential. One such manner is through focused expressive writing (FEW) about stressful or traumatic experiences. FEW is related to improvements in health and well-being, across a wide array of outcomes and participant characteristics. As FEW requires limited involvement of other individuals, is relatively low cost, and portable, it has tremendous potential as self-help. In particular, FEW may be an effective means to reach populations unwilling or unable to engage in psychotherapy. A case illustration of FEW is presented. Evidence and future directions for FEW as self-help are reviewed.

Potential Benefits of Canine Companionship for Military Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

“…Canines may also help by allowing veterans to express their feelings and clarify their thoughts without concern that the companion will interrupt, offer criticism or advice, or pass the information on to others, as may occur in human interactions. Confiding in one's companion dog, endorsed by most of the veterans on the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (Johnson et al, 1991), might confer benefits similar to that of expressive writing, in which disclosure of emotionally meaningful matters has been reported to help deal with traumatic experiences (Smyth & Helm, 2003). By receiving such confidences, canines may also provide a type of nonevaluative social support.…”

Self-help interventions for adjustment disorder problems: a randomized waiting-list controlled study in a sample of burglary victims

“…Furthermore, a promising exposure-based virtual reality self-help program named "EMMA's world" can be used in addition to face-to-face treatment for AjD though its effectiveness has not yet been evaluated in a clinical trial (Botella et al, 2006). Other authors have described the potential of self-administered expressive writing as a means of coping with stress and trauma and achieved improvements in health and well-being and reduction of psychopathology (Pennebaker & Chung, 2007;Rasmussen & Tomm, 1992;Smyth & Helm, 2003). Owing to the previously ill-defined status of AjD, no studies are available on the use of self-help interventions that are specifically directed at alleviating AjD symptoms.…”

Sustained Pain Reduction Through Affective Self-awareness in Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…This approach is also supported by recent theories on emotion and pain, including the roles of fear avoidance 34 and acceptance of pain experiences 35 . Finally, there is evidence demonstrating the beneficial effects of writing about stressful experiences and mindfulness meditation in fibromyalgia [36][37][38][39][40] .…”