When most of us write we have goals and objectives: We are sharing something on Facebook, we are e-mailing for work, we are trying to finish a report. Free writing is the polar opposite of all of this. It is directionless, goalless, and entirely for you. It allows your mind to unwind onto the page and provides an excellent window into your inner thoughts as they exist at this moment. In a therapeutic context, it is an excellent way to de-stress and take a look at what is actually going on in your mind.
So how do you start? Find a comfortable place to write. Take a minute and notice how you feel in your body. Are there areas that feel good? Bad? What does your breath feel like? Next pick up your pen (or keyboard) and begin. Write down whatever comes into your mind. If nothing comes right away, you can start by writing down any sensations that you are currently experiencing. What do you hear? Is there sensation in your body? How does the air feel against your skin? Whatever your jumping off point, let your chain of thought flow. Go with the intuitive leaps. Spend about 10 minutes doing this and see where it takes you.
A few tips:
Don’t filter. You don’t have to explain or quantify. It is easy to want to shape or mold the cascade of thoughts/words as they flow forth onto the page. After all, they are often nonsensical and sometimes embarrassing. Resist the urge. Don’t judge what you’re writing. Let it flow. Imagine that the thoughts are clouds racing through the open sky of your mind and out onto the page.
Be careful not to be hard on yourself. There is a saying in Gestalt psychotherapy that “the emergency emerges.” Whatever is up for you, whatever is wriggling in the back of your mind, is likely to come out onto the page. This requires you to walk the tightrope between acknowledging the difficult bits that have shown up in your free write while not dwelling on them and being hard on yourself. Acknowledge your feelings, take a moment to feel them in your body, and then return to the writing.
Notice your attachment level. We often want to hang on to experiences that make us feel good and push away what makes us feel bad. As you write, notice what your emotions are doing. How do you feel as you write? Are there aspects of the process that make you feel good? Notice your impulse to hang onto this feeling of goodness. Are there aspects that evoke negative feelings or judgements? Notice these aspects as well, acknowledge them and let them go.
First thought best thought. Don’t overthink it. If it comes into your mind, let it flow out onto the page.
As you finish your free writing, check in with yourself again. How do you feel? Are there any sensations in your body? Are they different now? Are your thoughts any different now? Has your thinking slowed or sped up? Do you feel differently about things that have been up for you?
And that’s it. This exercise is all about noticing what’s going on for you. You don’t have to change anything right now, just notice.
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