Therapeutic Journal Writing

Kate Thompson MA is a BACP Senior Accredited Counsellor and Supervisor in private practice. She runs training courses in Journal Writing for Therapeutic Purposes, and is a faculty member of the Center for Journal Therapy in Colorado, USA, where she also trained. She is a professional member of Lapidus, the national UK organisation for the literary arts and personal development. She is co-editor, with Gillie Bolton and Victoria Field, of Writing Works: A Resource Handbook for Therapeutic Writing Workshops and Activities and Writing Routes: A Resource Handbook of Therapeutic Writing, both published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

The book is part of an excellent series by Jessica Kingsley called Writing for Therapy or Personal Development which is edited by the country's leading exponent of writing for personal and professional development, including therapeutic contexts... the book provides a very practical and useful introduction to 'journal therapy'... this introductory book is a 'must' for any practitioner interested in developing the techniques or model in their own work... Part Two on the use of Structured Techniques is excellent. Likewise, the use discussion of Less Structured Techniques in Part Three is first class... engaging and accessible.

• Acknowledgements. Foreword. Kathleen Adams, Center for Journal Therapy, USA. Preface. Part 1. Understanding the basics. Introduction. 1. Preparing for therapeutic journal writing. 2. Using therapeutic journal writing in practice settings. Part 2. Structured techniques. 3. Beginnings and endings. 4. Lists. 5. Stepping stones. 6. Description and deeper. Part 3. Less structured techniques. 7. Journal dialogues. 8. Unsent letters. 9. Perspectives. 10. Opening up. Part 4. Applications for practice. 11. What works for whom? 12. Journal writing in professional supervision. Afterword. List of journal prompts. About the author: A personal journey from diary to therapeutic journal writing. References. Index.