Free Writing Therapy as a Method of Relaxation

Free writing is a form of relaxation and an excellent form of therapy that you can indulged in from the comfort and privacy of your own home.

You can let your mind wander and take you to whatever happy place you want it to. If your happy place is a beach then let it take you there! If it is a pleasant childhood memory then let it take you there! Free writing gives you the permission to relax, be at peace in your personal haven and to visualize whatever positive scenario most appeals to you.

If you have never attempted free writing then you are in for a treat. Here is the technique:

The Free Writing Technique

Sit down in a comfortable chair with a pen and a pad of paper and allow your mind to wander in whatever direction it chooses. Close your eyes for a minute and revel in the mental picture that is conjured up. What do you see, feel, hear, smell and taste? Whatever it is your senses have provided you, now you can open your eyes and write it down. Anything that comes to mind that is. It doesn’t have to make any sense, nor does it have to be in sentences or even be written across the page in an orderly fashion. Just write.

Healing Writing Therapy

It is called free writing because it is all about being free. It is an excellent way to relax yourself. You are taking the time to free yourself from all worries and to do as you please. So go on, give it a try! Not only is it relaxing, free writing can also be fun to do.

Free writing is a restful and soothing activity but it is so much more than that. It is a way to help discover something new, or learn something about yourself that is buried deep in your mind. It is a portal to your innermost thoughts and feelings. Try it yourself and see what you can release in your psyche and also what insights you can glean about your inner life.

Basic Guidelines for Free Writing

Free writing follows a few basis guidelines. They are as follows:

• Write nonstop for a set period of time. For example 15 to 25 minutes is a good allotment of time. As a beginner you might want to start with 10 minutes.
• Write whatever comes into your head, no matter how strange it might seem.
• Don’t make corrections as you write as that would defeat the purpose of the exercise.
• Write even if you don’t know what to write or think you have nothing to say.
• Don’t make any judgments about what you are writing and don’t censor yourself. If something inappropriate passes through your mind, don’t hesitate to jot it down.
• Don’t cross anything out on the page. Write the new idea down but leave the old idea in place.
• Don’t concern yourself with proper spelling or punctuation and your free writing will be quicker and more fluent.

If you discover that your free writing is neat and coherent then you probably haven’t loosened up enough to grasp the logic behind the exercise. Remember that the process of free writing is what is important, not the end result. You will always be successful if you follow the guidelines listed above.

The Benefits of Free Writing

Free writing has so many benefits. The most obvious include:

• It can be a valve to release inner tensions.
• It is freeing to the psyche.
• It opens you up to explore new and special things about yourself such as your feelings, thoughts, dreams, goals, etc.
• Free writing can be fun and soothing.

Free writing can be done by anyone. You do not have to be good at writing to make this healing exercise work for you. Give it a try and see how it is done!

Becca