"You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better."

Over three decades of scientific research confirms that structured writing about emotional experiences produces measurable changes in both psychological and physical health for many people. Brain imaging studies reveal the mechanism: putting difficult feelings into words activates the prefrontal cortex while quieting the amygdala shifting the brain from reactive alarm to reflective processing. Writing transforms fragmented emotional memories into coherent narrative and reduces the physiological burden of chronic suppression.

Sessions are tailored to individual needs but follow a consistent structure: centering practices (physical or mental, depending on your needs), guided writing exercises, close reading of your own and others' work, and reflection. When appropriate, I analyze your writing using LIWC (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count), a validated tool developed alongside the expressive writing research. LIWC reveals patterns you can't see yourself—shifts in causal thinking, emotional processing, and self-reference that research links to reduced stress and improved well-being. This feedback helps you recognize your own cognitive shifts and reinforces the neural pathways that support healing.

Techniques vary by session and may include:

• Expressive writing: 15-20 minutes of continuous writing about your deepest thoughts and feelings regarding a difficult experience—the original Pennebaker protocol shown to improve immune function and reduce stress
• Perspective shifting: Writing about an experience in third person, then first person, exploring how narrative distance affects processing
• Non-dominant hand dialogue: Accessing different neural pathways by writing a conversation with your younger self, for example, then examining the language for reframing opportunities or insights
• Close reading and response: Reading aloud a resonant passage, then writing what surfaces and witnessing 

At the beginning and end of our work, you'll complete validated assessments measuring stress and affect. Combined with linguistic analysis of your writing, by the end of our sessions, you'll see concrete evidence of transformation not just in how you feel, but how your language and cognition have shifted, which indicates genuine cognitive and emotional integration. When our language changes—more causal words, more perspective-taking, more insight—our relationship to the experience has fundamentally shifted. Pennebaker's calls this "cognitive reappraisal". It's the brain's shift from rumination to meaning-making, from being trapped in your story to becoming its author.

I'm a therapeutic writing facilitator, not a licensed therapist. I guide you through evidence-based practices and provide linguistic feedback, but I don't diagnose or treat clinical conditions. This work is appropriate for those processing trauma, grief, chronic pain, life transitions, end-of-life questions, or ruminative thought patterns. 

However, research suggests expressive writing is not appropriate for those currently in acute psychological crisis, experiencing active psychosis, or who have difficulty regulating intense emotions without professional support. If you're uncertain whether this work is right for you, we'll discuss it during your free consultation. All clients complete a screening process before beginning.