Humanities Arts Cultural Stu 0263 - Therapeutic Writing

The events of September 11, 2001 galvanized a public discussion about the utility of language to counteract the effects of trauma. Writers as diverse as astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson and poet Adrienne Rich have spoken and written about the salutary effects of writing on recovery from difficult experiences. Recent research has demonstrated that writing does more than provide access to the emotional realm; it can actually change the way we feel about painful experiences. Writing can have a beneficial effect on the emotional and cognitive lives of trauma survivors. This seminar investigates the relationship between writing and recovery by bringing together information on trauma theory, brain biology, and the composition process. It investigates a methodology for transforming iconic memories into aesthetically effective writing and studies selected narratives to determine their possible effects on writer, reader, and our larger culture. Prerequisite: One writing intensive course.

Independent Work In this course students are expected to spend 6-8 hours weekly on preparation and work outside of class time.