Product Description

By the best-selling author of Writing on Both Sides of the Brain, an inspirational guide to releasing past and present emotional pains through therapeutic writing. In moments of grief or loss, we often turn to the written word to say what cannot be said aloud. Indeed, directing sadness, rage, or confusion at the page can be tremendously cathartic and liberating. As we express our deepest feelings without reserve in poetry or prose, we feel the power of our words begin to draw out some of the pain in our hearts and replace it with hope. But fears about writing honestly and self-criticism can stand in the way of making use of this powerful therapeutic tool. With Pen in Hand is an inspirational and practical guide to breaking through these roadblocks and to helping one "write to heal. " Outlining writing techniques that are best for working through pain and for privately collecting raw emotions--"Writing a Letter of Goodbye," "Interviewing Your Body," "Rapid-Writing," and more--Henriette Klauser shares stories and tips that will help readers gain comfort from what they commit to paper. For the accomplished writer and non-writer alike, With Pen in Hand will help one make use of the kind of expression that in the aftermath of a crisis or loss, can make one whole again.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1011199 in Books
• Published on: 2002-12-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

About the Author
The best-selling author of many practical books on writing, Henriette Anne Klauser, Ph.D., has been featured in Redbook, O! The Oprah Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Glamour, and New Age Journal, and has been interviewed by USA Today, the London Times, and the Washington Post.

Customer Reviews

Lightweight and Disappointing
The author has a Phd and the title supposedly explores issues of depth regarding the healing power of writing. In reality it's a series of stories followed with conclusions most of which are little more than platitudes. I found a strange uniformity to a lot of the writing supposedly produced by different people dealing with very different problems. Similarly, I'm not convinced by a series of claims of the success of writing in dealing with some desperate emotional states - from surviving Vietnam to recovering from rape. Especially since there little evidence outside of the author's own observations of these cases. Some other sources are referenced although - interestingly - non of the more challenging work presented by people like Celia Hunt in the UK. All in all very limited and disappointing.