How Writing Can Lead to Healing
Dr. Tyra Seldon
As a writing coach, I have had the privilege of working with some amazing writers from diverse backgrounds. Many of my clients are first time writers who don’t necessarily consider themselves authors, but they do consider themselves people who have stories that need to be told. These stories are often deeply personal and powerful. Many are born out of trauma, pain, disappointment, and loss.
The beauty of stories that are so deeply rooted in topics that we often associate with negativity is that they become fertile ground for healing—not only for the readers but for the writers as well. This healing is often mediated through the ability of the pen to create bridges of understanding, empathy, and love.
It is the pen that, proverbially, is mightier than the sword. Used as a tool for centuries by persons who have wanted to empower, motivate, and inspire others, we often turn to words during our times of need. It is for this reason that each of us has an opportunity through our writing to transform that which has hurt us into something that can heal and repair us. In many ways, writing is a gift that we give ourselves to unlock our feelings and to process life’s happenings.
By writing from the heart and authentically sharing one’s story, it creates an opportunity to show others how daunting situations, stressful relationships, and insurmountable obstacles have been overcome by others. By writing from the heart, we also become free—no longer trapped by shame, hurt, disappointment and fear. In this sense, writing is not only cathartic; it is therapeutic.
For anyone who is reading this who is considering writing from a place of pain, I want to encourage you to take the first step towards your own healing process. Whether it is through journaling, keeping a diary, writing a short story, creating a poem, outlining your memoir or writing a novel, the key is to tap into your own voice and carve out your story.
As Maya Angelou once said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.” When you free that story deep inside of you, you will begin the process of freeing yourself.
About the Author
Tyra Seldon, Ph.D. is a former English professor turned writer, editor and small business owner. Passionate about the English language and the craft of storytelling, she launched Seldon Writing Group, LLC in 2011.
Seldon Writing Group, LLC (SWG) is comprised of writers, editors, typesetters, and graphic designers. The SWG team has worked with education tech companies, celebrities, aspiring writers, entrepreneurs, media outlets, Fortune 500 companies, school districts, and government agencies to develop their written content. With clients in almost every state, Seldon Writing Group, LLC has helped a diverse range of authors “write their dreams into reality.”
Dr. Seldon has authored Write Like a Champion: A Guide to Improving Your Child’s Writing Skills; Time to Pivot: Shifting from Ideation to Execution to Sustainability; and over 400 public blogs and articles. She’s a regular contributor to Freelancer’s Union, Black Doctor and numerous other platforms including Shoppe Black, Black Coffy, and Slant. When she’s not writing, she’s traveling the world, one continent at a time.
To learn more or to schedule a coaching session, e-mail: staff@seldonwritinggroup.com