Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
Grief is a response to a traumatic event, which can include loss, abandonment, abuse, suicide, or any other experience that affects an individual emotionally or physically. Too few evidence-based interventions acknowledge the unique and individualized experiences of grief (Stroebe, 2017). Writing can help individuals explore the depths of their grief and traumatic experiences (Larsen, 2022). This project explores different writing interventions that have been used for coping strategies. Then, it proposes a therapeutic writing tool that can account for individual differences in grief and describe considerations for its application in clinical and non-clinical settings. The online letter-writing program, “Sincerely Yours,” could help participants address their grief by writing a letter to anyone of their choosing. It’s hypothesized that the intervention will yield therapeutic benefits such as self-disclosure, exposure to unresolved feelings and conflicts, and overall grief processing.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Jaclyn Spivey
Recommended Citation
Oliver, Raegyn, "Sincerely Yours: A Therapeutic Writing Approach to Grief" (2025). Student Scholar Symposium. 33.
https://digitalcollections.lipscomb.edu/student_scholars_symposium/2025/Full_schedule/33
Included in
Sincerely Yours: A Therapeutic Writing Approach to Grief
Grief is a response to a traumatic event, which can include loss, abandonment, abuse, suicide, or any other experience that affects an individual emotionally or physically. Too few evidence-based interventions acknowledge the unique and individualized experiences of grief (Stroebe, 2017). Writing can help individuals explore the depths of their grief and traumatic experiences (Larsen, 2022). This project explores different writing interventions that have been used for coping strategies. Then, it proposes a therapeutic writing tool that can account for individual differences in grief and describe considerations for its application in clinical and non-clinical settings. The online letter-writing program, “Sincerely Yours,” could help participants address their grief by writing a letter to anyone of their choosing. It’s hypothesized that the intervention will yield therapeutic benefits such as self-disclosure, exposure to unresolved feelings and conflicts, and overall grief processing.