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Poetry Therapy: Testimony on Capitol Hill
Journal of Poetry Therapy, Vol. 10, No. 3, 1997
( Please note: I am in no ways a therapist; nor is anyone apart of H2H as of yet. This page is only to further inform you of how poetry is used for therapy.)
This report on poetry therapy was originally submitted to the National Coalition of Arts Therapies (NCATA) for testimony on Capitol Hill. The report presents an overview of the field of poetry therapy.
DEFINITIONS
Poetry therapy and bibliotherapy are terms used synonymously to describe the intentional use of poetry and other forms of literature for healing and personal growth. The term "biblio" means "books" and by extension, literature. "Therapy" is derived from the Greek word "therapeia," meaning "to serve or help medically," and suggests the concept of healing. Basically then, bibliotherapy is the use of literature to promote mental health (Hynes & Hynes-Berry, 1994). The poetic elements play a central role in heightening the emotional impact of the literature with the potential for katharsis-cleansing through the release of emotion.
The concept of katharsis was conceived by Aristotle who believed that poetry was a form of knowledge, having a positive moral effect on the psyche. The process of katharsis involved both a controlling and directing of emotions, reminiscent of William Wordsworth's lines in "Intimations of Immortality":
To me alone, there came a thought of grief:
A timely utterance gave that thought relief,
And I again am strong.
Imaginative literary material books; articles; stories; songs; poems; films or videos may be chosen to elicit both thoughts and feelings. The therapeutic experience is facilitated by a therapist, poet, or other professional trained in biblio/poetry therapy and may involve a one-to-one relationship, a couple, a family, or group process.
Developmental interactive bibliotherapy refers to the use of literature and creative writing with children, adults, and older persons to promote growth and development when working with healthy populations in environments such as schools, recreation centers, libraries, and nursing homes.
Clinical interactive bibliotherapy refers to the use of literature and creative writing to promote healing and growth in psychiatric units, community mental health centers, and in chemical dependency units.
Creative writing is a specific activity in which the participant's own creative writing is viewed as another avenue toward self-discovery. Different genres lend themselves to specific needs. For example, preschool and older children benefit from a technique called "mutual storytelling," in which the client and bibliotherapist tell a story together (Gardner, 1971). Junior high school kids read, write, and react enthusiastically to soap opera scenarios. Teens are especially responsive to song lyrics and may choose to write their own (Mazza, 1988). Journal writing is an excellent way to discover what has been learned over time through reflecting on personal experiences (Adams, 1990).
Life review and reminiscence have been particularly effective in helping the elderly (Reiter, 1994). A life review involves a person writing his or her autobiography using albums, letters, memoirs, and interviews in order to gather and integrate a person's life experience into a meaningful whole. Telling one's story through poems, songs, journals, or other expressions of the written word provides vital material for the therapeutic process. Finding one's own voice is a self-affirming process, often followed by greater self-understanding and new insight.
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