Q&A
Poetry as Therapy
With its power to speak to the heart, poetry can transform our clients’ lives for the better. Pioneering psychiatrist Norman Rosenthal shares his thoughts.
Do you think the benefit of poetry comes from a visceral felt experience of the beauty and sound of the words and that this is soothing or sparks new ways of thinking? Kind of like looking at awe-inspiring art can make you tear up and marvel.
How would you recommend starting a conversation with clients about reading poetry/other creative writing as a therapy tool? And how do you choose the poet and poems for each client? Thanks
How can I use poetry in the therapy of a person with PTSD (following COVID at risk of death)? The person likes to write poems. I asked her to write the experience of her illness and she chose to write a poem. How else can I use it?
Can you recommend to me some literature in Spanish about the topic? Thank you.
Do you have insights into the mechanism(s) through which poetry heals? Thank you.
Is it just reading poetry that you prescribe or can writing poetry be medicine also? Do you ever get asked about the Sylvia Plath effect?
How can poetry help with grief and is there a specific poem that you would recommend?
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