Poetry and well-being: a pilot programme to evaluate the impact of creative writing for patients in short-term and long-term rehabilitation

The value of creative writing as an adjunct to clinical treatment is well-known. Creative writing has been used successfully in a wide range of healthcare and rehabilitation settings, with people suffering from aphasia, dementia, cancer, heart attacks, depression, mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety disorders, and dealing with pain. Poetry, in particular, has been identified as a powerful reflective tool. This project aimed to: facilitate the creation of a safe space in which participants can enjoy open discussion of written works, share readings and offer feedback; give participants the opportunity and basic skills to write expressively and creatively; evaluate whether the writing of poetry can help reframe personal narratives in a controlled setting in ways that facilitate meaningful self-reflection and improve well-being. The programme was delivered through eight face-to-face creative writing workshops, each lasting 1 hour, from February to May 2023. Fourteen participants engaged with the pilot programme. This paper discusses the practical lessons learnt regarding the staging of a programme outside an educational facility, as well as the specific dynamics of the hospital context, including creative pedagogical discoveries made in this participant-driven environment. The programme was evaluated through a survey, responses to which were overwhelmingly positive, especially in the qualitative comments. Participants welcomed the opportunity to express themselves creatively, both through oral storytelling and written work, in the safe space created during the programme. Interactions were dynamic and raised issues that were important to participants, who gave voice to the uniqueness of their experiences, helping re-establish agency.