Episode 8 - Reflective and Therapeutic Writing with Dr. Gillie Bolton

To many, the thought of writing likely conjures at least some of the following associations: furiously taking down notes in a lecture hall; penning an essay; composing a poem; typing an email; bashing out a blog post; and/or dashing off a Tweet. But what if writing could provide a means to analytically probe the innermost mental recesses for deeper reflective engagement with all aspects of our lives? Beyond even this, what if writing could serve as a powerful therapeutic tool in helping us work through trauma? Dr. Gillie Bolton has been exploring the unique reflective and therapeutic possibilities proffered by writing for decades as a creative writing teacher and facilitator working with a range of professionals. Dr. Bolton is a major pioneer in this field, and a sixth edition of her widely used book, Reflective Practice, was recently published. I asked her first to talk about her background, which included earning a degree in social anthropology from Cambridge University and working as a creative writing teacher at a residential college, as well as decades of experience facilitating writing workshops. We went on to discuss the nature of reflective writing, the tradition of reflective practice of which this emerged, how anyone can benefit from cultivating a regular practice in this fashion, through-the-mirror writing, an idea drawn from one of her favourite books, Alice in Wonderland, and the many positive aspects of maintaining a journal. Furthermore, I asked Dr. Bolton to define therapeutic writing, whether there is a potential danger in someone being re-traumatised through undertaking such a process, about the difficulty of conducting quantitative scientific studies to determine the efficacy of reflective and therapeutic writing, and how we can cultivate greater reflectiveness within ourselves and society at large. Dr. Bolton made the profoundly insightful observation that we are human beings and not “human doings.” She also stressed that we should be kind to ourselves and be willing to ask “why” to enable us to open up greater possibilities of exploration, curiosity, and personal growth. Dr. Bolton is a very special person who exudes the kind of authentic warmth, empathy, kindness, gentleness, thoughtfulness, and generosity of spirit the world desperately needs so much more of. This was an extraordinary conversation and if listeners derive even a small fraction of what I did after talking to her then it will be well worth their time.

Dr. Gillie Bolton’s website: https://www.gilliebolton.com

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