Speaking to some friends about creativity, mental well being, therapy and how they overlap. It has occurred to me that I have been writing poetry for over 30 years. I have done this primarily as a way to get emotions and thoughts out of my head away from my day to day process. The similarities to therapy and even newer interesting therapy like EMDR is surprising.

The idea behind EMDR is those traumatic memories, when unprocessed, can become “stuck” in the brain, leading to a wide array of emotional and psychological difficulties - Steven Silver, PhD,

Granted EMDR relies on some more specific physical interaction, but the basic premise is closer than I would have thought. (You can learn more about EMDR over at The American Psychological Association. )

Bottom line, if you like many many many Americans, cannot afford mental healthcare take some time to be creative. Do it with some purpose and maybe it will help. At worst you have made something that wasn’t there before. In a culture where the predominant impulse is to consume…that is worth the while.