Date of Award
Spring 5-21-2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
MA - Master of Arts
Department
Expressive Therapies
Advisor
Dr. Ara Parker
Abstract
Journal writing is a popular intervention to bring into therapeutic work with groups and individual clients, particularly within applications of expressive arts therapies. Yet often participants become resistant when encouraged to explore more challenging episodes of their lives through writing, even though studies have shown that excavating these events is precisely what benefits health and wellbeing through expressive writing applications. This literature review provides a deeper understanding of the role of interoception and mindful, contemplative movement on unlocking the stories our bodies hold. An arts-based, autoethnographic practice informed the selection of literature. This paper investigates the theoretical connections to similar therapeutic orientations such as narrative therapy; applications such as writing the trauma narrative; how interoceptive awareness aids in accessing implicit memory. Findings in the literature also identify how integrating interoceptive training can aid in emotional regulation and in titrating and tolerating discomfort when engaged in evidence-based expressive writing protocols toward healing outcomes. A review of existing applications within expressive arts therapies reveals many natural entry points for bringing the language of the body – sensory awareness – into cognition to support the expressive writing process.
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Recommended Citation
Corey, Julianne, "Interoception and Expressive Writing in Expressive Arts Therapies: A Trauma-informed Approach – Literature Review" (2022). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 411.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/411
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The author owns the copyright to this work.
