James W. Pennebaker

Joshua M. Smyth

"Expressing painful emotions is hard--yet it can actually improve our mental and physical health. Distinguished psychologist James W. Pennebaker has spent decades studying what happens when people take just a few minutes to write about deeply felt personal experiences or problems. This lucid, compassionate book has introduced tens of thousands of readers to an easy to use self help technique that has been proven to heal old emotional wounds, promote a sense of well being, decrease stress, improve relationships, and boost the immune system. Updated with findings from hundreds of new studies, the significantly revised second edition now contains practical exercises to help readers try out expressive writing. It features extensive new information on specific health benefits, as well as when the approach may not be helpful"--

How Expressive Writing Improves Health and Eases Emotional Pain

Opening Up by Writing It Down, Third Edition

René Martin

Alan J. Christensen

The Encyclopedia of Health Psychology provides a comprehensive overview of this rapidly growing field. With over 200 entries from the leading researchers, educators, and practitioners in health psychology, The Encyclopedia of Health Psychology provides the most current, extensive, and accessible single-volume treatment of the subject available. Teachers, practitioners, school nurses, healthcare providers, students, as well as expert and non-expert readers will appreciate its organization and clarity. Readers interested in the psychology of health issues throughout the lifespan will find its entries engaging and instructive, whether they deal with chronic conditions, mind-body connections, or the consequences of increased life expectancy. The Encyclopedia of Health Psychology will serve as a useful reference for practitioners, as a topical primer for students, as a comprehensive guide for the expert, and as an accessible introduction for the lay reader.

Encyclopedia of Health Psychology

Stephen J. Lepore

The Writing Cure presents groundbreaking research on the cognitive, emotional, and biological pathways through which disclosure and expressive writing influences mental and physical health. Although writing has been a popular therapeutic technique for years, only recently have researchers subjected it to rigorous scientific scrutiny and applied it to persons suffering from physical illnesses such as cancer and hypertension. Contributors present cutting-edge findings on expressive writing and health outcomes and point students and scientists to new avenues of research. The volume is rich in illustrations of clinical applications for this technique and it provides examples of how expressive writing can improve the immune system and lung function, how it can diminish psychological distress and enhance relationships and social-role functioning. It also includes discussions of alternative writing intervention formats, including workbooks and the Internet. Featuring a revealing epilogue by James Pennebaker, one of the pioneers of expressive writing intervention, this volume will be of interest to researchers and practitioners who explore and work with expressive-therapy techniques.

Joshua M. Smyth

Books

Your next favorite book is out there