During my college years, the personal essay course stood out as my absolute favorite among all my classes. By that point, I had been maintaining a journaling habit for nearly ten years, which had already revealed to me the profound impact of delving into personal life events via the medium of written expression.
At first, journaling did not prove immediately beneficial in my life. Back in my earlier days, I frequently used writing as a means to ruminate endlessly, to criticize myself harshly, to meticulously track calorie intake, or to perpetuate other unhelpful behavioral loops. However, as I progressively addressed my childhood trauma through therapeutic sessions and various alternative methods, the nature of my writing began to evolve in a more constructive direction.
Rather than fixating on pessimistic thoughts or engaging in relentless self-dissection, I started to question my ingrained viewpoints, contemplate the lessons I was absorbing, identify recurring themes in my behavior, and document my personal development. Gradually, these practices reshaped my self-perception and empowered me to revise the narrative of my existence in a more empowering way.
This transformative experience is precisely what attracts me to writing initiatives that extend far beyond basic journaling techniques. While writing holds immense potential on its own, a significant number of individuals require structured direction to harness it effectively for fostering substantial, positive transformations in their lives.
For those interested in delving into a more structured and guided form of writing practice, I strongly endorse a complimentary resource offered by Tiny Buddha contributor Nadia Colburn. Her free 90-minute Write to Heal class emphasizes guided writing exercises that incorporate body awareness, aimed at enabling participants to engage with their experiences from fresh perspectives, rather than merely transcribing them onto the page.
This method is intentionally facilitated to encourage participants to proceed at a deliberate pace, remain anchored in the present moment, and interact with their internal world in a manner that promotes supportiveness instead of evoking distress or overload.
In her forthcoming class, Nadia Colburn will delve into several key areas, including:
- The scientifically validated advantages of employing writing as a healing modality
- Distinctions between writing styles that facilitate healing and those that hinder it
- Common pitfalls individuals encounter during the healing journey and practical strategies to sidestep them
- A comprehensive explanation of embodied writing, along with hands-on techniques for its application
- Personal anecdotes from her healing path, coupled with insights drawn from over a decade of guiding clients in using writing for therapeutic purposes
Participants will emerge from the session equipped with:
- Practical exercises designed to harmonize mental and physical awareness
- A refreshed perspective on truly comprehending one’s personal narrative
- Techniques to prevent reactivation of past traumas during writing and healing endeavors
- Innovative approaches to elevate and nurture your well-being
- A more profound, nurturing connection to your life story
- Increased vitality and overall energy levels
- Actionable tools that can enhance immune function, emotional state, quality of sleep, and additional health aspects
This 90-minute interactive class provides an opportunity for attendees to pose their questions directly and includes access to a comprehensive 20-page guide featuring detailed lessons, thought-provoking writing prompts, interactive practices, and audio recordings. These materials allow you to continue your exploration independently, at a pace that suits your schedule.
Two convenient session dates are available, enabling you to select the timeframe that aligns best with your availability:
- Thursday, January 15th, at 3pm ET / 12pm PT / 8pm UK
- Friday, January 16th, at 12pm ET / 9am PT / 5pm UK
Unable to attend the live sessions? You can still secure the full guide and recording materials without any cost by signing up in advance.
About Nadia: PhD; RYT 200
Nadia Colburn is the accomplished author of two poetry collections that have garnered prestigious awards. Her essays and memoir pieces have appeared in over eighty esteemed outlets, such as The New Yorker, Slate, Lion’s Roar, and The Harvard Review. With a PhD in English and prior teaching experience at MIT, she eventually transitioned from academia to establish the Nadia Colburn Online Writing School. There, she instructs in writing through a holistic framework that is acutely sensitive to trauma.
Nadia’s pedagogical approach is profoundly influenced not only by her extensive teaching background but also by her personal voyage of recovery. Emerging from chronic illness and the shadows of childhood trauma, she ventured through diverse healing avenues, including traditional talk therapy, EMDR, somatic experiencing, meditation practices, and various other restorative traditions.
For an extended period, writing did not serve as a catalyst for deep transformation in her life. Much like countless others, her journaling provided a sense of companionship and reduced isolation, yet it fell short of driving tangible shifts. This dynamic changed profoundly once she wove writing together with embodied practices and complementary healing modalities.
Throughout her career as a writing instructor, Nadia has empowered thousands of students to fully embrace and express their authentic creative voices. She positions writing as a stable, grounding instrument for profound self-awareness and holistic integration—a sustained practice rather than a superficial remedy, one capable of nurturing authentic, enduring personal evolution.
I hold tremendous admiration for Nadia Colburn’s contributions to this field, and I feel privileged to introduce this exceptional free resource to you. My sincere hope is that it serves as a gateway for you to access profound healing and to cultivate significant, positive transformations in your life.
