The Seed Of Healing
When I can, I do hospice work with Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association. They do in home hospice and hospice in board and care facilities as well as nurse services. Volunteers attend a 8 week class. You learn the best ways to interact with with the patients and what to expect. It teaches you far more than you can even imagine.
Once a year they have a retreat and I went this year. It’s at a beach home and it’s a lovely time of getting the soul nourished. This year they had a Registered Poet Therapist. I didn’t even know there was such a category. Her name is Dr. Perie Longo and she is amazing. She gave a great talk and did some poetry reading for caregivers. She also taught us exercises on how to write as caregivers.
One statistic she shared was this: “Writing about emotions and stress can boost immune functioning in patients…By writing, you put some structure and organization to anxious feelings. It helps you get past them.” James Pennebaker, Researcher from University of Austin, Texas.
This only needs to be done 10-15 minutes three times a week to get the immune boosting benefits. This assists the patient, the caregiver and it’s also a valuable tool for grief counseling. It’s easy to start by asking what emotion is coming up for you and then begin writing as if you are talking to the emotion. This is only one of the ways she shared with us. There are many techniques. It was absolutely wonderful, heart opening and revealing. Many of us shared some wonderful poems and we all got a glimpse into the world of caregiving in its’ many forms. They were touching and some opened up to writing poetry for the first time.
Dr. Perie Longo was a great facilitator and teacher. I leave you with this quote shared by Dr. Longo from a poem by Gregory Orr. “Because poems are meanings, even the saddest poem I write is proof that I want to survive. And therefore it represents an affirmation of life in all its complexities and contradictions.” For more information on Poetry Therapy, check out Dr. Longo’s website. Have you ever written poetry? Have you ever wanted to do so? Would you consider this to help yourself or a loved you who is faced with a serious illness?
Juleianne, I’ve never heard of a Poet Therapist either but after reading your post I can see how it could benefit, especially just being able to get a handle on the thoughts. I don’t write poetry but I can see how family members putting their thoughts on paper would be helpful to other family members.
Thanks for sharing this and thank you for your work with hospice,
Jean
Gratitude Coach
http://socgratitude.com/32934
Dr. Longo had many stories about it helps including her own journey of writing during the years of her husband’s transition. It was truly inspiring.
Journaling has long been used as an adjunct to therapies exactly for the reasons you mention around emotional release. Blessings to you for volunteering with Livingston. They provided care to my dad during the final weeks of his life.
Sorry I took so long to reply! Thank you for sharing that.This was news to me and yet it wasn’t. It made such perfect sense. It was a very impressive talk.
I’ve done work as and with a drama therapist, dance therapist, voice therapist but never a poet therapist. I think this is such a brilliant idea because poetry can go so quickly to the heart of an emotion, issue or story. It is so exciting to see healing arts come together with expressive arts for a brand new hybrid that makes us all more human
Yes, and with a little training, it is easy to start writing with sentence starters. It really opened many sets of eyes that day!
Hospice is wonderful and poetry in addition to that would be so therapeutic to everyone.
Sue Bock
http://couragetoadventure.com
http://bestlifeafterbreastcancer.com
Hospice is rewarding. I’ve only had short times with clients. I’m sure this is much more valuable when you’ve been with one longer. Although I’ve just remembered one that was quite unnerving for me. Hmmmm
Julieanne,
Remarkable. My mother is primary caregiver to my ailing grandmother, battling dementia.I’m going to share this blog and the information with her. What a wonderful and unexpected blessing.Thank you.
Peace and good to you.
I would love to hear if your mother tries this and how it helps her. I’m so glad I wrote this blog if it will help even one person.
Writing about feeling states is so powerful. So is drawing and movement. These practices can help “generalize” and free-up intense feeling states so that they don’t get stuck in the body and create mischief. I experienced poetry writing in a college class many years ago. I enjoyed learning about the rhythm and cadence patterns. I still have my little stack of poems which I read every once in a while.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I’m still learning about it and I’ve had good experiences writing poems.
Wow. So that’s why journaling works for people. Now I know. May even journal.
Glad you got so much how of this. It was eye opening and mind expanding.
Thanks, Julieanne. Great food for thought. Fascinating to wonder what is actually making the difference in our immune system. The act of writing, what we’re writing about, getting into the reflective state, getting free of distress. What else? And just what immunity changes are occurring, and what are they influencing?
If poetry works, music probably works, too. I’m going to look into this, and maybe find a physiological answer to why music helps us feel good.
Running very behind, I wanted to acknowledge your reply, Robbie. Music most definitely works. They have done studies with patients who just sit and stare and they don’t interact. Don’t remember if it was the daughter or the caregiver but they created a CD of this man’s favorite music which included Cab Calloway and other jazz greats. They put it on an Ipod and put it on him. He began to listen and then drum his fingers. If they took the head set off and they asked him questions, he would respond to them. He also ate better. So it helps patients with memory problems. Check it out. I’m sure you’ll find more studies.
I believe I need to do some of this wrting now. Got massive mind chatter and feelings and not sure what they are. Maybe it’ s time to try my hand at this to see if it helps. Thanks for responding and sharing your knowledge! And it’s great that this so resonated with you.