Pen, Paper and Magic: Poetry Therapy

POETRY THERAPY & EXPRESSIVE WRITING

Much of what I do when facilitating workshops or individual sessions is based on what I have learned during my training for the Certified Poetry Therapist (CPT) credential and as a member of the National Association for Poetry Therapy (NAPT). Though not as widely known as its “sisters” in the creative arts therapies -- art therapy, music therapy, and drama therapy -- poetry therapy, the use of poetry for healing and personal growth, dates back to ancient times. Today practitioners apply the principles of poetry therapy in a wide variety of settings, from workshops focusing on personal growth (such as those offered by Pen, Paper and Magic) to group therapy in health care and mental health facilities. The NAPT website offers a comprehensive history of the field as well as an Integrated Medicine packet describing poetry therapy approaches to working with a diverse set of client populations.

Why poetry? Because of its condensed, highly symbolic nature, a carefully selected poem can provide an entry point toward thinking about, discussing, and writing about an issue or cluster of issues specific to the client(s). There’s room for interpretation and for relating the content of the poem to the individual’s own life story or way of looking at things.

Today “poetry therapy” is a growing and inclusive field, involving people from professions in education, health care, counseling, storytelling, and the arts (to name a few). Poetry is only one of the language arts represented in this community of practitioners: journaling, memoir, and story are other common emphases.

I tend to use the term “expressive writing” to describe the work I do at Pen, Paper and Magic. The focus here is on writing as a tool for self-expression, rather than solely focusing on the acquisition of literary techniques and skills.

-- Mary Caprio