Therapeutic+writing

Therapeutic WritingTherapeutic Writing

Poetry and StoriesPoetry and Stories

Left Brain…………Right BrainLeft Brain…………Right Brain

• LogicalLogical• Puts experience into Puts experience into

wordswords• RationalRational• LanguageLanguage

• SymbolicSymbolic• Uses metaphorsUses metaphors• Experiences feelingsExperiences feelings• CreativeCreative• VisualVisual

Left HemisphereLeft Hemisphere Right HemisphereRight Hemisphere

• Dominant for linguistic and Dominant for linguistic and verbal thoughtverbal thought

• Logical, detailed, organised Logical, detailed, organised and non emotionaland non emotional

• Thinking take the form of a Thinking take the form of a series of words, heard within series of words, heard within one’s own head, organised in one’s own head, organised in a logical ordera logical order

• Stores and recalls verbal non Stores and recalls verbal non emotional memoriesemotional memories..

• Dominant for perception, Dominant for perception, expression and mediation of expression and mediation of emotions. emotions.

• Disorganised information Disorganised information presented in random, fashion, presented in random, fashion, often in short burstsoften in short bursts

• Thinking in non verbal and takes Thinking in non verbal and takes the forms of images, feelings, the forms of images, feelings, body sensations, smells.body sensations, smells.

• Stores and recalls emotional, Stores and recalls emotional, personal and autobiographical personal and autobiographical memoriesmemories


• Unable to correctly perceive Unable to correctly perceive emotions, therefore tends to view emotions, therefore tends to view or express all emotions in a or express all emotions in a positive or neutral light.positive or neutral light.

• Has problem drawing conclusions Has problem drawing conclusions on partial information: Sees only on partial information: Sees only the forest.the forest.

• Can draw conclusions Can draw conclusions based on partial based on partial information. Sees the information. Sees the trees, sees possibilities.trees, sees possibilities.

• Emotionally and socially Emotionally and socially astute and intuitive. Very astute and intuitive. Very perceptive at interpreting, perceptive at interpreting, the meaning of body the meaning of body language facial language facial expression, voice tones, expression, voice tones, hidden meanings.hidden meanings.


• Interprets symbols and metaphors Interprets symbols and metaphors concretely and literally, this concretely and literally, this missing their symbolic or hidden missing their symbolic or hidden message and meaningmessage and meaning

• Tends to have lapses in attention Tends to have lapses in attention and become unresponsive. Only and become unresponsive. Only pays attention to the right side of pays attention to the right side of the body.the body.

• Understands the Understands the language of metaphor, language of metaphor, symbols, myths, fairy symbols, myths, fairy tales, jokes but unable to tales, jokes but unable to understand complex, non understand complex, non emotional, written or emotional, written or spoken language.spoken language.

• Pays attention to Pays attention to information coming information coming through visual, auditory through visual, auditory and tactical senses from and tactical senses from both sides of the body.both sides of the body.

The processing of emotions is different The processing of emotions is different in the MALE and Female.in the MALE and Female.

Although, as a rule, these differences do not apply to all men and Although, as a rule, these differences do not apply to all men and womenwomen

There are two emotional systems in the There are two emotional systems in the human brainhuman brain

MalesMales

• Tend to briefly feel emotions Tend to briefly feel emotions they observe, but tend to keep they observe, but tend to keep boundary between emotions boundary between emotions of self and others.of self and others.

• Tend to cognitively and Tend to cognitively and analytically seek solutions analytically seek solutions rather than become absorbed rather than become absorbed in mirroring of others emotions.in mirroring of others emotions.

FemalesFemales

• Tend to mirror the emotions of Tend to mirror the emotions of others in a way of connecting others in a way of connecting with them.with them.

• Typically have almost 20% Typically have almost 20% more brain cells in areas more brain cells in areas dealing with emotions,dealing with emotions,

Mirror Neurons create EmpathyMirror Neurons create Empathy

• Empathy is created by mirror neurons by Empathy is created by mirror neurons by duplicating emotions observed in others.duplicating emotions observed in others.

• Nature seems to have created mirror neurons as Nature seems to have created mirror neurons as a learning devicea learning device

• Females tend to have more mirror neurons than Females tend to have more mirror neurons than males.males.

Research has discovered that Research has discovered that the ability to feel the beating’s of the ability to feel the beating’s of one’s heart and count the beat one’s heart and count the beat is correlated with high levels of is correlated with high levels of empathyempathy

The split of the child brainThe split of the child brain• The connections between the right and left The connections between the right and left

hemispheres of a child’s brain – the hemispheres of a child’s brain – the corpus callosum do not become mature corpus callosum do not become mature until about the age of 12.until about the age of 12.

• This means the left doesn’t know what the This means the left doesn’t know what the right is doing.right is doing.

A child does not think in word A child does not think in word until about the age of 5, before until about the age of 5, before that time are only used that time are only used externallyexternally

Young children are typically Young children are typically unable to put words or explain unable to put words or explain why they are feeling it behaving why they are feeling it behaving a particular way.a particular way.

The Adolescent BrainThe Adolescent Brain

• A lot of growth takes place in the brain between the ages of 3 and A lot of growth takes place in the brain between the ages of 3 and 15 – moving form back to front (white matter).15 – moving form back to front (white matter).

• At the same time, billions of brain connections are being pruned At the same time, billions of brain connections are being pruned away, with remaining ones coated with insulating substance to away, with remaining ones coated with insulating substance to protect them (grey matter).protect them (grey matter).

• Language undergoes rapid growth from 6 to 12 then drastically Language undergoes rapid growth from 6 to 12 then drastically shuts off. (coincides with end of critical period for learning foreign shuts off. (coincides with end of critical period for learning foreign language).language).

• The last to mature, about 24 are the frontal lobes. Frontal lobes The last to mature, about 24 are the frontal lobes. Frontal lobes control planning, judgement, strategizing.control planning, judgement, strategizing.

SymbolsSymbols

• A symbol – a word or image which implies one thing but A symbol – a word or image which implies one thing but means something else.means something else.

• SunsetSunset• SunriseSunrise• Locked doorLocked door• Tornado/hurricane/stormTornado/hurricane/storm• LightLight• WitchWitch• Hole in the heartHole in the heart• MirrorMirror• Burned.Burned.

MetaphorsMetaphors

• Metapors – using language the use of Metapors – using language the use of language to talk about one thing while language to talk about one thing while meaning something else.meaning something else.

• Watching paint dryWatching paint dry• Not the sharpest knife in the drawerNot the sharpest knife in the drawer• Give me the bottom lineGive me the bottom line• Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Education

Therapeutic+writing