Writing Therapy and Blogging

Writing is therapeutic, and many people engage in expressive writing as a part of therapy for a variety of issues. This type of writing often speeds recovery, helps with clarity during therapy sessions, and can even inspire others to share their experiences.

There are many therapy blogs out there, but there are also a number of therapeutic writing blogs as well. While writing is great therapy, often the act of starting a blog and putting your thoughts out in a more public forum has a certain appeal to many people. There are a number of reasons, in that you find an audience and can build a community of like-minded individuals. However, writing therapy and blogging go well together for several other reasons as well.

You Are Your Own Boss

Sometimes life just feels out of control. From work to home to our finances we can feel like we really are simply riding a wave controlled by someone else, or perhaps that just seems entirely out of control. Blogging gives you a real choice, a chance at control.

Why? You are your own boss. You control what you and others post on your blog, what kind of ads are on your website if any. You set topics, your editorial calendar, and when and how things are posted and shared. You can moderate comments controlling even how others offer feedback on your site.

This can not only be a great feeling, taking control of one area can be great therapy and inspire you to take control over other aspects of your life.

It’s an Escape from the Mundane

Let’s face it. Many of us are pretty dull at the core. We go to the same gas stations, grocery stores, laundromats, and car washes week after week. We go to work at the same time every day, return at the same time, watch the same TV shows, and go to bed at the same time to do it all over again.

While this might be fulfilling in some ways, sometimes we need a break from this mundane reality to explore something else. An expressive writing blog lets you do just that: explore the what if’s, write about things you would not normally research and experience, and explore new ideas in a new way.

Just the act of writing can change your mind in a number of ways. First, you may desire to try some things rather than just writing about them. The second is that these types of writing tend to lift your spirits and can serve almost the same purpose as image therapy. The images that form in your mind are just as powerful or more so than those you are just shown on a screen.

Expressive writing as therapy done on a blog can seriously impact your happiness and the effectiveness of your therapy.

You Enjoy Working

For some people, work itself is an escape and a form of therapy. Make no mistake. Blogging is work, and hard work at times. You will need to keep up with posting, comments, updates, and other aspects of maintaining your blog. You will want to share your posts on social media to help build an audience, which means you will want to build a strong social media presence as well.

If you are someone who enjoys working, blogging as a part of your writing therapy is definitely one of the best methods for you.

It is a Place to Play

Remember when you were a kid, and you felt free to explore nearly any idea or pay with nearly anything as a toy? Well, blogging can be a great way to set yourself up with a playground. Words are your toys, but they can be about anything. From poetry to essays, from serious articles to funny stories, your blog is literally your place to play.

Even though it will be work, there is nothing wrong with keeping things light and making sure that you enjoy your blogging adventure too. Play is simply another form of exploration, part of escaping the mundane and making sure that the work you have to do is not drudgery.

Want to capture that feeling of playing and the freedom to explore? Start a blog as a part of writing therapy and begin to enjoy these rewards.

Taking Ownership

Perhaps the most important part of writing therapy and blogging is to take ownership and make the blog your own. Focus on what you are interested in and what you want to accomplish. Don’t be distracted by the “you should” and “you could” and the “this would be great on your blog” crowd. You will get hundreds of suggestions the more your audience grows.

Before you implement any of these ideas, ask yourself some questions first. Is this what you want to do, or what someone else wants you to do? Are you doing this as part of your blog mission, or just to make a little extra money? Why are you even considering the idea?

If it isn’t yours, if it does not fit why you want to run a blog, stop. Pause, and then throw out those ideas that do not jive with the spirit of play, expressiveness, and joy you strive to convey.

Blogging can be a great part of writing therapy. Just be sure to keep it yours, preserve your place to play, enjoy the work, and remember you are your own boss. Your blog should be what you want it to be.