All Psyched Up: The magic of writing

By Linda Hancock on March 15, 2025.

A few years ago, I took a telehealth course from a children’s trauma centre in San Diego. The presenter talked about how important it is for patients to use their neurological system to help organize thoughts and heal.

She began by stating that she gives each person a stack of blank paper and a pen. She asks them to just doodle on the first page to get the brain and pathways started. Then, on the second page, she suggests that the person draw what happened before the trauma. Artistic skills are not required.

When the patient is finished with this page, the therapist states, “Then what happened?” and recommends that the third page be used to draw that scene. This goes on and on until the whole story is told in pictures.

I have used this technique with several clients and found it to be very effective. It not only facilitates healing but also puts things in order. Do you remember when you would rent a video from a box store and follow directions on the label to rewind before returning it? Using this method helps trauma patients to draw the whole story (like watching the movie) and then put it away in proper order (like rewinding). Without this technique, clients usually might try to remember pieces of the situation in random order over and over again while trying to make sense of it.

There is magic in writing things down! When you are thinking about things they go around and around in your head but when you put pen to paper there is a beginning and an end. And writing with a pen is better than using a computer or phone.

Often, over the years, I have had clients tell me that they are overwhelmed with problems. Interestingly, when we make a list, there are never more than six items! Doing this certainly helps to put things in perspective and initiate making a plan to resolve them.

This week, I talked with a client who is very hard on himself. He was telling me about how many things he had done wrong and how many challenges he was facing. I asked him if he had ever made a list of all the things that he had done well in life. I mentioned a few to help him get started. He had served in the military, raised children, purchased an acreage, learned to supervise sub-contractors and built his credit. He seemed surprised by this recommendation and agreed to do the exercise as homework.

What is going on in your head? Is it full of “to do” items, worries, stored information, upcoming appointments or financial calculations?

Perhaps this is the time to get a journal or scribbler that will become a holding place for all your thoughts. (Better than using sticky notes that can easily be misplaced!)

Oh, and remember to also make a list of all the things that you have learned or accomplished over the years. That will boost your spirits and encourage you to keep making progress.

Dr. Linda Hancock, the author of “Life is An Adventure…every step of the way” and “Open for Business Success” is a Registered Psychologist who has a private practice in Calgary. She can be reached by email at office@drlindahancock.com

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