“Writing is the painting of the voice.”

— Voltaire

A window that looks at the role of writing in the arts therapies.

When we paint a picture, we may start with an idea or the suggestion of a vision in our head. What comes out, grows, flows, takes on a life of its own. The same is true of writing. The words on the page create colours of their own. If we let go to the process of writing and allow ourselves to swim in it, it is as if we cease to exist. The chorus of little voices in our head – the critic, the worrier, the moralist, the judge, the fearmonger, or any other siblings – fall away and we are absorbed by the flow of the here and now. It is as if we are channelling words from somewhere beyond us, rather than consciously making decisions about what to write.

This is the mental state described as ´flow´ which can happen when we are fully immersed in the act of creation, whether we are writing or singing or playing an instrument or any other medium. It is a state of joy and there is something mystical about it; the creator and the universe seem to become one.

Of course, it is not an experience that can be turned on like a tap, and some may find it easier to access than others, but there is a core – like the stone inside a piece of fruit – which lies at the heart of any act of authentic creation. This is a crucial aspect of the arts therapies, which tap into the life-affirming joy of creativity. One of the reasons they can do this so effectively is the emphasis on process rather than product. It does not matter whether a poem or a story or a piece of writing is any ‘good’; it is not about the result; it is about the process.

Writing can be playful. The invention of characters and scenarios and stories gives us a sense of agency, which boosts our self-esteem. It also creates distance from the rawness of our lives. Whether consciously or unconsciously, we pour our own pain onto the page – and in doing so, we transform it.

 As an author, I know this from personal experience. I wrote my first novel during an extended period of immobility, having been diagnosed with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. The act of writing created a different kind of movement, which was liberating and helped me cope. There was another surprise in store. My central character had suffered sexual abuse in childhood. So had I. I hadn´t intended to write about this, but it happened, and for the first time I was able to express something in a way I never had, within the safety of art. It was cathartic; it helped me process emotions that had been repressed for years.

But writing is not only about the act of expression; something else happens too. Once a piece of writing is created, once words are on a page, we can interact with them. Our reactions to what we write, and the witnessing by other people of what we write, are a crucial part of the power of writing in arts therapy. Words and stories can speak to us and give us insight into who we are, and what we feel, and the narratives we live. A metaphor, born intuitively, can contain a lesson. The piece of writing becomes a mirror we can look in to discover more about ourselves.

There is a particular form of writing, which takes this one step further, called stream-of-consciousness writing. The idea here is that you remove the act of thinking about what you are writing as much as possible by continuing to write non-stop, without taking the pen off the page. The effect is to remove all intention or judgement during the process of writing and allow the subconscious to surface. What comes out of this can be intense and evoke strong emotions. This is an extremely intimate form of dialoguing with yourself, and you will never be asked to read out a piece of stream-of-consciousness writing, though you may choose to share some of what came up for you afterwards.

Whatever form writing takes - be it stream-of-consciousness journaling, a song, a poem, a story - our inner voice becomes a paintbrush. The paintings we create are an invitation to feelings of release, empowerment, empathy, joy, and a more intimate dialogue with ourselves.