Benefits

Children need to express themselves, and they need to be heard. However, embarrassment, shame, guilt, or shyness often keeps kids from sharing their thoughts or feelings. This can lead to emotional issues, detachment, and/or poor judgement.

Thankfully, expressive writing can help. A Help Scout Inc. article by Gregory Ciotti called The Psychological Benefits of Writing indicated the following:

"Expressive writing has also been linked to improved mood, well-being, and reduced stress levels for those who do it regularly, says Adam Grant:

'Research by Laura King shows that writing about achieving future goals and dreams can make people happier and healthier.' "

In addition, according to the article, those who write:

Communicate complex ideas more effectively
Handle adversity better
Are more likely to avoid mental overload

What is spoken word?

Spoken word is an oral art that is initially written on a page but performed for an audience. It usually has an emphasis on the aesthetics of word play, rhythm, rhymes, improvisation, and voice inflection. It can be any kind of recited poetry, and even include comedy routines, monologues, stories, and rap.

Creative Expression

Find your voice and free your mind. Practice the fundamentals of poetry, prose, and creative presentation and learn to apply the key elements of effective storytelling. Share your creativity in a supportive environment that encourages openness and freedom of expression.

Why Creative Writing?

Today we live in a digital world in which people are becoming more and more isolated due to reduced human interaction. Our children are no exception.

Kids are having less meaningful, face-to-face interaction, but more contact through texting and social media where others sometimes put on facades or engage in cyber bullying. This can give children a warped sense of reality in which they feel inferior and also cause the significance of unpleasant experiences to seem magnified.

Such distorted perceptions can lead some kids to have more extreme emotional reactions than these situations warrant. If children have no outlets to express what they are going through, their stress levels can become even more heightened.

One very effective way for children to express themselves is through writing. Studies have shown that writing, a core component of creative expression, is therapeutic and has mental and physical health benefits. An article in the Huffington Post by Amanda Chan entitled 6 Unexpected Ways Writing Can Transform Your Health noted several benefits that come from writing, including:

Improved learning and memory
Faster healing
Improved mood and well-being
Reduced stress
Reduced depressive symptoms

Creative expression includes written, visual, and/or verbal artistry that enhances human connection by appealing to our emotions, senses, and intellect. Creative expression enables children to communicate their thoughts and release their feelings, thereby connecting with others in a way that feels less intrusive. They often discover they are not alone in what they are thinking or feeling.

This release of inner emotions while also connecting with peers can reduce the heightened levels of stress and isolation kids sometimes experience in today's world. It also helps them improve their overall creativity and critical thinking skills, which can make them more effective in other areas.

Word Warriors meets the third Saturday of every month from

4-6 pm!

Location:

George Pierce Park Meeting Room

55 Buford Hwy.

Suwanee, GA 30024.

Schedule/Pricing