Writing Heals the Soul

I am amazed by the information packed into the Singer and Singer chapter, "Writing as Physical and Emotional Healing: Findings from Clinical Research." I am quite shocked about how writing has shown evidence of quicker patient recovery in patients receiving surgery; improved attitudes of those individuals dealing with the stress of cancer; improving situations for those with issues with physical pain on a regular basis; lowering high blood pressure levels; etc. Singer & Singer (2008) state that "it appears that writing can bring feeling to the surface for those who typically inhibit emotion for external (social isolation) or internal reasons (anger-in)" (p. 487). If this is the case, as the researchers have clearly stated, then why don't more medical doctors recommend this to their patients? Wouldn't it be great to improve an illness without the use of drugs? Perhaps, it wouldn't be great to those employed by the drug manufacturing companies, though!!

I think this could be very useful "therapy" in schools; however, what worries me is that my role as a teacher is to have to report problems that may appear in writing. So in one hand, if I tell the students to work through their emotions on paper, the other part of me thinks that if a student does write something that puts up red flags that could either endanger himself or others, it is my duty to report this to a counselor. (How does that effect the trustworthy relationship of my students?)

I was also very surprised to read in this article that writing researchers have not "hopped on this bandwagon" to promote expressive writing as healing. Why haven't writing researchers joined this community?