Blog – List Post

Storytelling book writing concept, romance theme, butterflies flying over open book illustration banner, copy space on pastel pink background. Generative AI

19 Mar 2025 The Writing Shed

Dr. Maggie Is In the Shed expressive writing, journaling research, narrative structure, writing about trauma

The science behind emotional expression + . . .

For a trauma survivor such as myself, I have noticed that I continue to retell my story (to therapists, coaches, my partner) and retell it with different journaling tools (e.g., the dialogue tool to talk to my grandmother; the clustering tool to install positive memories about family). It feels like I am putting the pieces of me back together every time I learn a new insight or find a rich angle that is different from before.

And did you know that researchers have found that it is both the emotional expression and storytelling elements from the journaling experience that have been linked to health benefits?

The findings from a 2010 study conducted at University at Albany (SUNY) suggest that both emotional expression and narrative structure may be key elements linked to expressive writing mental health benefits, including a decrease in symptoms of stress and depression.

In this study, 101 college students were randomly assigned to 3 writing groups:

Group 1: Expressive writing (EW) group
Group 2: Narrative writing (NW) group: expressive writing group with narrative structure instructions
Group 3: Control group

The EW group wrote about a stressful or traumatic event in their life. The NW group wrote about a stressful or traumatic event in their life and were given instructions on how to structure it. The control group gave a factual description of the inside of their apartment/house.

Participants wrote for 20 minutes on the first day and 20 minutes two days later.

One month later, students self-reported symptoms of stress and depression, as well as levels of emotionality when writing. Outside judges assessed the level of narrative structure.

The researcher’s results found that:

The essays in the NW group evidenced higher levels of narrative structure than those in the EW group.
Greater narrative structure was linked to mental health gains.
Self-rated emotionality of essays was linked to lesser perceived stress at follow-up.
Both the NE and EW reported similar lower levels of perceived stress and depressive symptoms.

If you are a trauma survivor (I’m thinking of those who have experienced PTSD, developmental trauma, or childhood adverse experiences), I can relate to you if you feel that being able to tell one’s story coherently is a great relief.

Those who tell their stories can be reassured by the fact that physical and mental benefits should follow during the difficult task of writing about trauma, namely reduced symptoms of depression and perceived stress. I feel that reassurance alongside you!

Here is the study I referenced:

Danoff-Burg, Sharon et. al (2010). Does Narrative Writing Instruction Enhance the Benefits of Expressive Writing?, Anxiety, Stress & Coping, 23:3.

Meadow, River, bridge and trees in pages of an open book. Conceptual illustration

5 Mar 2025 The Writing Shed

Dear Pequenas Flores,, Dr. Maggie Is In the Shed disclosure benefits, expressive writing research, james pennebaker

Health benefits of storytelling

Did you know that the act of constructing your story has positive health benefits?

Simple things like . . .

having a beginning, middle, and an end or
creating characters that show a relationship with one another or
including back story

. . . are connected to gains in health. This is because these elements of structure help us make meaning out of painful experiences that are initially fragmented. These elements of structure also help bring mental coherence to things the body remembers only as chaos.

Coherence and meaning-making translates to mental and physical health benefits, including including lower levels of depression, decreased symptoms of chronic pain, and positive effects on immune function.

We know that telling our story can “adaptively transform and organize memory.”

Dr. Pennebaker puts it like this:

Once an experience has structure and meaning, it would follow that the emotional effects of that experience are more manageable. Constructing stories facilitates a sense of resolution, which results in less rumination and eventually allows disturbing experiences to subside gradually from conscious thought.

—from “Forming a Story: the Health Benefits of Narrative” (1999)

Want to try a non-pharmacological practice backed by scientific evidence?

Join me as I facilitate an online journaling workshop on Saturday, March 15, 2025 from 10 – 12 noon (MT) on Zoom.

We will learn two storytelling techniques in the journaling world—

the stepping stones tool (to honor where you have come from) and
a “storybook character” tool (a person with little to no limitations)

Learning the tools will help you practice self-compassion, notice how you became the person you are today, and experience the health benefits connected to the power of expressive writing. Make a “pay from the heart” gift to register for March workshop.

29 Jan 2025 The Writing Shed

Dear Pequenas Flores, journaltotheself, kathleenadams, newstories, toshed

Shedding old stories

What stories do you tell yourself? Do they serve you in some positive way?

Before I transformed self hate into self love, I told myself a story that I wasn’t beautiful. This message eventually rang false, and I let go of that story.

Before I knew my parents were doing the best they could, I told myself I was wounded. I eventually was tired of being a split person reduced to only two sides (wounded by parents or hopeful I would be loved the way I needed to be), and I let this old story go.

Before I realized I created the deep and beautiful roots of my own story, I didn’t set personal or emotional boundaries. Now I know how and this is part of my reinvented story.

What stories can you let go of? What stories can you add?

Here’s a “Captured Moment” journaling tool share to add a story of success to your memory:

“I still remember the pride I felt when I came in second in the 5th grade Reading Olympics. It felt great because I wanted it (an actual reward for reading!) from the inside out. What is an inside-out success (tiny or huge) you’ve savored? Write its story in 7 – 10 minutes. Read back and reflect.

Prompt taken from the Journal to the Self card deck by Kathleen Adams.