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MAIS 616: Writing the Self (Rev. A4) Report a Broken Link

MAIS 616 Writing the Self focuses on exploring the human development potential of writing. We invite students to review, study, discuss, and evaluate existing contexts where writing is being used for therapy, creativity, and self-expression, and for research on the writing process.

Week 1

Baikie, K. A., & Wilhelm, K. (2005). Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 11(5), 338–346.
Jones, A. H. (2006). Essay writing and healing. The Lancet, 368(December Supplement), S3–S4.
Lengelle, R., & Meijers. F. (2009). Mystery to mastery: An exploration of what happens in the black box of writing and healing. Journal of Poetry Therapy, 22(2), 57–75.  
Lengelle, R., & Den Elzen, K. (2023). Introduction. In K. Den Elzen & R. Lengelle (Eds.), Writing for wellbeing: Theory, research, and practice (pp. 1–12). Routledge.

Week 3

Baker, J. R., & Moore, S. M. (2008). Blogging as a social tool: A psychological examination of the effects of blogging. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 11(6), 747–749.
Chew, J. (1992). A grounded theory investigation of journal writing [PhD thesis]. University of Alberta.

Read the "Introduction" and "Literature Review"
Bolton, G. (1999). Keeping a journal: The diamonds of the dustheap. In The therapeutic potential of creative writing: Writing myself (pp. 29–48). Jessica Kingsely Publishers.
Goldberg, N. (2016). Writing fearlessly; First thoughts [Blog post]. Helpful words.

Week 4

Bender, S. (1998). Practice with tools for poetry writing. In Writing personal poetry: Creating poems from your life experiences (pp. 40–55). Writer’s Digest Books.
Fox, J. (1997). Landscapes of relationship: Reflecting on intimacy, marriage and longing. In Poetic medicine: The healing art of poem-making (pp. 125–158). Tarcher-Putnam.
Caroline Myss Library. (2010). Poet. In A Gallery of Archetypes.
Carroll R. (2005). Finding the words to say it: The healing power of poetry. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: eCAM, 2(2), 161–172.

Week 5

King, S. (2000). On writing. In On writing: A memoir of the craft (pp. 173–200). Scribner.
Hunt, C. (2000). Excerpt from Finding a writing voice. In Therapeutic dimensions of autobiography in creative writing (pp. 29–33). Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Week 7

Katie, B. (2019). The work of Byron Katie: An introduction. Byron Katie International.
Lengelle, R. (2001). An early miscarriage. Birth Issues.
Lengelle, R. (2005). Writing towards personal development. Writers Guild of Alberta, January-February, 7–8.
Troop, N. A., Chilcot, J., Hutchings, L., & Varnaite, G. (2013). Expressive writing, self-criticism, and self-reassurance. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 86(4), 374–386.

Week 9

Mitchell, F. (2001). Frances Driscoll and The Rape Poems. Poets & Writers, 29(3), 43–46.
Vega, J. P. (2001). Poetry in prisons: Part one. Poets & Writers, 29(3), 56–58.
Otis, L. (2001). Poetry in prisons: Part two. Poets & Writers, 29(3), 58–62.
Lengelle, R. (2013). Writing and healing: Research, a model, and practice. Transition, Summer, 3–6.
Baker, K. C., & Mazza, N. (2004). The healing power of writing: Applying the expressive/creative component of poetry therapy. Journal of Poetry Therapy, 17(3), 141–154.
Nix, J. (2012, May 9). Finding poetry in illness; A reader's journey of self-transformation from disease to ease. Poetry Foundation.
Saresma, T. (2003). "Art as a way to Life": Bereavement and the healing power of arts and writing. Qualitative Inquiry, 9(4), 603–620.
Rickett, C. (2011). My Body/my calamity. My body/my dignity: The role of autobiographical writing as a therapeutic and ethical strategy for dealing with a cancer diagnosis [Paper presentation]. Ethical Imaginations: Writing Worlds, 16th conference of the Australasian Association of Writing Programs, Byron Bay, Australia.
Rickett, C., Greive, C., & Gordon, J. (2011). Something to hang my life on: The health benefits of writing poetry for people with serious illnesses. Australasian Psychiatry, 19(3), 265–268.

Week 11

Pennebaker, J. W. (1990). Excerpt from Becoming healthier through writing. In Opening up: The healing power of confiding in others (pp. 41–51; 213–214). William Morrow and Company.
Baikie, K. A. (2008). Who does expressive writing work for? Examination of alexithymia, splitting, and repressive coping style as moderators of the expressive writing paradigm. British Journal of Health Psychology, 13(1), 61–66.
Sloan, D. M., & Marx, B. P. (2004). Taking pen to hand: Evaluating theories underlying the written disclosure paradigm. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11(2),121–137.
Kaufman, J. C., & Sexton, J. D. (2006). Why doesn’t the writing cure help poets? Review of General Psychology, 10(3), 268–282.
Boudreau, J. D., Liben, S., & Fuks, A. (2012). A faculty development workshop in narrative-based reflective writing. Perspectives on Medical Education, 1(3), 143–154.

Week 12

Georges, E. (1995). A cultural and historical perspective on confession. In J. W. Pennebaker (Ed.), Emotion, disclosure, & health. (pp. 11–22). American Psychological Association.
Wellenkamp, J. (1995). Cultural similarities and differences regarding emotional disclosure: Some examples from Indonesia and the Pacific. In J. W. Pennebaker (Ed.), Emotion, disclosure, & health. (pp. 293–311). American Psychological Association.
Ho, D. Y. F. (1995). Selfhood and identity in Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism: Contrasts with the West. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 25(2), 115–139.

Week 13

Moran, M. H. (2004). Toward a writing and healing approach in the basic writing classroom: One professor’s personal odyssey. Journal of Basic Writing, 23(2), 93–115.
Bochner, A. P. (1997). It’s about time: Narrative and the divided self. Qualitative Inquiry, 3(4), 418–438.
Lengelle, R., & Meijers, F. (2010). Narratives at work: Writing as a transformative tool for career management. Career Learning Café.
Wright, J. K. (2005). Writing therapy in brief workplace counselling. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 5(2), 111–119.
Spera, S. P., Buhrfeind, E. D., & Pennebaker, J. W. (1994). Expressive writing and coping with job loss. Academy of Management Journal, 37(3), 722–733.
Barclay, L. J., & Skarlicki, D. P. (2009). Healing the wounds of organizational injustice: Examining the benefits of expressive writing. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(2), 511–523.
Wright, J., & Chung, M. C. (2001). Mastery or mystery? Therapeutic writing: A review of the literature. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 29(3), 277–291.
Philips, D., Linington, L., & Penman, D. (1999). Introduction. In Writing well: Creative writing and mental health (pp. 13–38; 143–144). Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Pennebaker, J. W. (1990). Excerpt from Beyond traumas: Writing and well-Being. In Opening up: The healing power of confiding in others (pp. 193–199; 233–234). William Morrow and Company.

Week 14

Pennebaker, J. W. (1990). The downside of writing. In Opening up: The healing power of confiding in others (pp. 202–206). William Morrow and Company.
Burton, C. M., & King, L. A. (2008). Effects of (very) brief writing on health: The two-minute miracle. British Journal of Health Psychology, 13(1), 9–14.
Nicholls, S. (2009). Beyond expressive writing: Evolving models of developmental creative writing. Journal of Health Psychology, 14(2), 171–180.
Williamson, C., & Wright, J. K. (2018). How creative does writing have to be in order to be therapeutic? A dialogue on the practice and research of writing to recover and survive. Journal of Poetry Therapy, 31(2), 113–123.