Megan Reily CHHS125 Writing as Healing Psychology

I have always been interested in the healing powers of poetry since I started using it to vent or share difficult feelings. I was curious how my favorite poets used their poetry to heal themselves. I wanted to learn more about the connection of depression and writing poetry. PERSONAL CONNECTION

Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton could not find a way to heal by writing confessional poetry because they focused too much on the individual self; although, it is still possible to heal through writing poetry if it is written for the good of the whole, like the poetry of Maya Angelou. THESIS

Harshly criticized because of high number of suicides. Poets used it to try to heal. Free all pain and intimate details of life. Air out dirty laundry. Connected with self-absorption and narcissism. Individualistic nature and wording. CONFESSIONAL POETRY

Traumatic life Became obsessed with death Wrote for themselves Both committed suicide early in their lives Wrote about their own pain Individualistic writing made them more trapped in their minds. PLATH AND SEXTON

Grew up oppressed Joined Civil Rights Movement Wrote for the people Understood the need for revolution and rights Wrote for the good of the community as a whole Her poetry healed her ANGELOU

Readers need something to gain Discover something about their own humanity Do not retraumatize Control emotions on the page Do not glamorize dangerous lifestyles Write for the good of the whole Work towards solving an issue HOW TO WRITE POETRY

Anyone who is interested in poetry Poets who want to know about healing What not to do Who to read to find influence COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Degout, Yasmin. (2009). “The Poetry of Maya Angelou: Liberation Ideology and Technique.” Maya Angelou. Bloom, Harold. New York: Infobase Publishing, Desalvo, L. (1999), Writing as a Way of Healing, Boston, MA: Beacon Press Hall, C. (1989). Anne Sexton. Boston: Twayne Publishers. Holbrook, D. (1988). Sylvia Plath : Poetry and Existence. London: Athlone Press Pennebaker, J. Wiltsey, S. (2001). “Word use in Poetry of Suicidal and Nonsuicidal Poets.” Psychosomatic Medicine July/August 2001 vol. 63 no Images: (Slide 4) (Slide 4) Angelou jpg (Slide 5) Angelou jpg REFERENCES

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