Poetry Therapy

Poetry therapy involves three key elements: the client, the therapist, and literature. The goal of poetry therapy is to achieve psychological well-being and healing through the uses of poetry or other spoken or written media. In poetry therapy, a biblio-poetry therapist reads to the client in order to elicit emotional responses. The choice of poetry or verse is directly influenced by the situational emotional state that the client is in. The therapist also relies on the historical information provided by the client to better assess the tools and medium to be used in the therapy. The client provides emotional, verbal and physical responses throughout the reading of the poetry.The responses are discussed on social and cognitive levels and the client is encouraged to share their reactions to the words in a non-judgmental atmosphere. This method allows a client to explore intimate feelings that remain buried in their subconscious and identify how these feelings relate to their current life circumstances. Poetry Therapy was developed by Soranus, Eli Griefer, Dr. Leedy, Arthur Lerner, Ann White, Deborah Grayson, Gil Schloss, Ruth Lisa Schechter

• Training for Poetry Therapy Therapists
• Interactive Poetry Therapy
• Resources Related to Poetry Therapy

Training for Poetry Therapy Therapists

Therapists who practice poetry therapy receive extensive literary and clinical training so that they may better choose the medium to use and identify the most appropriate way to affect the healing process. Their intensive training allows them to employ the client as a resource for gauging if the styles of literature used are affecting genuine responses. Therapists will often change the styles used and may incorporate several different styles throughout the treatment process.

Interactive Poetry Therapy

Interactive poetry therapy harnesses the power of the poem and its potential to transform the human experience into emotionally laden words, prose and images. By reading poetry of all forms, clients become submerged in the metaphorical essence of the poems and begin to realize their own inner musings and the potential they have in real life. The healing process is facilitated even further when the client actively participates in the creation of his own poetry and the examination of the product he has manifested.

Resources Related to Poetry Therapy:

The Center for Journal Therapy

The National Association for Poetry Therapy

National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations