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THE POWER OF WORDS

PROPRIOCEPTIVE WRITING

AMONG WOMEN IN MID-LIFE

By

CARMEN SCHLENKER

Integrated Studies Project

submitted to Dr. Reinekke Lengelle

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Arts – Integrated Studies

Athabasca, Alberta

June, 2012

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………………………….3

INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………4

BACKGROUND………..………………………………………………………………………………6

Women at Mid-Life………………………………………………........................6

Emotional Benefits Of Therapeutic Writing....................................8

Why Proprioceptive Writing?……………………...................................12

RESEARCH DESIGN....................................................................................16

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION…………………………………………………………….………..20

Use of Emotion Words.……………..……………………………......................23

Personal Pronoun Usage……....……………………………………………........ 26

Questionnaire Responses to the Proprioceptive Writing……......... 29

Inspirational Comments…………………………………………………………….. 39

Evidence of A Second Story………………………………………………………… 41

The Power Of Music…………………………………………………………………… 50

CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………………………………. 51

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………………………. 54

BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................................ 55

APPENDIX A: Initial Recruitment Advertisement...................................... 57

APPENDIX B: Letter of Introduction………………………………………………......... 58

APPENDIX C: Informed Consents............................................................. 60

APPENDIX D: Proprioceptive Writing Instructions................................... 62

APPENDIX E: The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale.............. 63

APPENDIX F: Open-ended Questions....................................................... 64

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ABSTRACT

Mid-life can be a challenging time for women, as they face a multitude of challenges

regarding family, relationships, work and health, and there may be great value in personal

reflective writing as a tool to navigate through this transition period. The following question

was used as a basis for this study: Can the practice of Proprioceptive Writing contribute to an

improved sense of well-being among women at mid-life? This study involved 22 women aged

45 to 55 who completed a well- being survey (the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being

Scale [WEMWBS]) to determine a base score, with a portion of the participants following a

Proprioceptive Writing practice for a six-week period. The participants then retook the survey

to determine if their scores improved. The scores of the Proprioceptive Writing group were

also compared with those of a control group of women who did not participate in the writing

exercise. The participants’ surveys, their personal “Writes,” and post-writing questionnaires

about their experience were also analyzed using a variety of methods, including comparison

of personal pronoun usage, counting the number of positive and negative emotion words

used, and evidence of an evolving narrative or so-called “second story”, all in an effort to

come to a clearer understanding of issues with which women in mid-life are dealing and how

they are coping. Initial conclusions suggest Proprioceptive Writing can lead to enhanced well-

being for women in mid-life.

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INTRODUCTION

Mid-life can be a particularly challenging time for women, and I propose that there may be

great value in personal reflective writing as a tool to navigate through this transition period.

This study was motivated in part by my own questions and struggles at mid-life and by my

interest in writing. I notice, for instance, that now my children no longer live at home, my

roles have changed and I am questioning my purpose in life. I also feel the need to re-

evaluate my life’s direction or lack thereof and simply “find my way.” As I struggle with my

own feelings, I am aware that other women face similar challenges. However, within my

circle of influence—my friends, family, co-workers and acquaintances—we do very little “real

talking” about the issues with which we struggle. This paper is an exploration of how a

personal reflective writing method called Proprioceptive Writing (a writing approach I will

describe in greater detail below) may boost a woman’s sense of well-being and assist her in

getting through this time in her life, by possibly giving her an avenue to sort through past

issues, improve her perspective on her present circumstances, and contribute to a more

positive outlook for the future.

Throughout my life, I have enjoyed keeping a personal journal in one form or another. I have

used my writing practice for various purposes, for instance, recording life events, keeping

notes of personal and family accomplishments, venting frustrations in private, and reflecting

on the wonder of this beautiful world. I notice that after I make a journal entry I often feel

refreshed, more relaxed, and more able to deal with challenging life circumstances. In

addition to my own positive experiences with writing, I have also learned through others,

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such as researcher James Pennebaker (1990, 2002, 2011) of the emotional healing effects that

personal writing can have. Therefore I was motivated to find out if women at mid-life, from

my own demographic (approximately the same age, socioeconomic class, education level)

could also be helped by writing.

The personal reflective method that I chose to study is called Proprioceptive Writing. I was

introduced to the method of Proprioceptive Writing two years ago in the MAIS 616 course,

Writing the Self, when the book Writing the Mind Alive (2002), by Linda Trichter Metcalf and

Tobin Simon, was assigned as one of the course texts. The course required that, for the

duration of the semester, we practise daily “Writes” based on this method. I thoroughly

enjoyed learning about and participating in the daily ritual. I also found the experience a

powerful tool in examining my life, as it includes a kind of “probing” question, four

concluding questions, and instructions to listen to what one is writing while engaged in the

writing.

While I have not continued to do Writes on a regular basis, when I do take the time to do a

Proprioceptive “Write”, I have found that I benefit in many ways. For example, I find my

thinking is clearer after I have taken the time to write down my thoughts. I also often feel a

sense of relief when I write down my frustrations and I am more aware of the good things

that are a part of my life.

I was inspired to pursue this project not only because of my fascination for personal reflective

writing, but also because I was moved by Sharon Ashton’s MAIS project (2010), entitled

Weathering the Storm, The Therapeutic Potential of Writing for Women in Midlife, in which

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she explored the topics of women and mid-life and various writing techniques that could help

women through this challenging time. I thought, why not take her exploration a step further

and actually try out one of the suggested workshops that she proposed could prove

beneficial?

My project involved teaching women who are in mid-life (aged 45 to 55) about Proprioceptive

Writing and giving them the opportunity to use this method for a period of six weeks. I also

had a group of women engaged in “regular” (with no instructions) journal writing and a

control group (not writing). I surveyed all the participants at the start and after the study to

get a sense of their current state of emotional well-being and to identify themes and issues

they face.

BACKGROUND

Three components to this study need further explanation. First, I will take a look at some of

the research on the challenges women at mid-life (ages 45 to 55) face. Second, I will report

some of the research and literature supporting the idea that emotional health benefits can be

derived from engaging in personal reflective writing. Third, I will explain the Proprioceptive

Writing method and why it may be a good choice as a personal reflective writing tool.

Women at Mid-life

Mid-life can be a particularly challenging time for women, as they face a multitude of

changes. The stress of raising children, taking care of aging parents, weathering changes in

relationships and careers, dealing with menopause and health issues, experiencing a lack of

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energy, and responding to the effects of grief and loss all may contribute to problems that

can interfere with a woman’s sense of well-being and decrease emotional health. Research

has revealed that “women 40 to 55 years of age say they experience poor mental or

emotional health 3.9 days a month, fifty percent more than the highest levels among women

of other ages or than men”(Gallup Poll, 2004, as cited in Shellenbarger, 2005. P. 26).

While changes manifest themselves differently depending on the individual, common themes

and experiences seem to be almost universal in the Western world during this time

(Northrup, 2006). The multiple roles that women fill leave them open to feeling overwhelmed

and stressed. They may reflect upon their past and become anxious about their future. For

some women this escalation of emotion leads to overwhelming feelings of loss and despair

and may result in what is commonly referred to as “a mid-life crisis.” Some women feel a

sense of panic as they realize “I have only so much time before the dark to find my own

truth” (Sheehy, 2006, p. 341). In a positive light, a midlife crisis can also be described as “an

inner impulse toward change…. This inner realm is where we register the meaning of our

participation in the external world: How do we feel about our family roles, social roles, our

work, our purpose?” (Sheehy, p. xvii). If women are given appropriate channels, this impulse

towards change can be turned into a positive experience: we can consider this mid-life

transition period as an opportunity to learn, grow, and explore new avenues of creativity

(Breathnach, 1995).

Joseph Campbell said, “Midlife is when you reach the top of the ladder and find that it was

against the wrong wall” (Shellenbarger, 2005, p. xiii). Although we may not like the wall

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against which we inadvertently put our ladder, we come to a realization that it is our wall and

we have reached a significant milestone in our climb. From this vantage point we now have

the ability to look back and contemplate our life experiences. Some women may reconsider

their climb and make a life-changing decision to go back down and try another new wall, such

as a new relationship or career change. For others it can be a reflective time filled with

realizations about how far they have climbed or an acknowledgement that things may not

have gone the way they had hoped. Some recognize they have developed fortitude and feel

they understand that they have not only survived, but have grown immensely. This possible

turning point in the climb may also afford women the opportunity to visualize many

opportunities still awaiting them: "[W]omen in midlife are searching for a missing part of

themselves—a powerful, repressed capability or character trait they are yearning to unearth,

express, and integrate into a richer life" (Shellenbarger, 2005, p. 61). Shellenbarger goes on to

say, “Many women during this period are in the process of searching for a ‘life purpose’ and

are feeling more pressure to be true to themselves by creatively expressing their

individuality” (Shellenbarger, 2005, p. 62). As women attempt to sort out their conflicting

feelings, they need outlets to allow their strengths to surface. I propose that personal

reflective writing can provide an effective tool for women to continue their upward climb or

change directions, and successfully navigate the stormy seas of mid-life.

Emotional Benefits of Therapeutic Writing

...[T]he brightest spot of all is that at least I can write down all my thoughts and feelings;

otherwise, I’d absolutely suffocate. – Anne Frank (1999, p. 181)

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While writing has been used to reflect on life and to foster healing for centuries, only in

recent decades have researchers subjected it to rigorous scientific scrutiny. Now there is a

great deal of information supporting reflective and expressive writing as a means to better

emotional, mental, and even physical health. James Pennebaker, a leading psychologist who

has conducted years of clinical research in this area, sheds light on the healing value of

writing. He explains how writing about emotional events allows important biological changes

to occur: “Lab studies indicate that long term health benefits of disclosure are only apparent

if individuals are encouraged to write about or express their emotions as opposed to

providing factual accounts of their upheavals” (Pennebaker, 1995, p. 6). Regarding emotional

disclosure and health, Pennebaker states: “The links among emotion, disclosure and health

exist at multiple levels of analysis. Within Western culture, the disclosure of traumatic and

emotional experiences can promote physical and psychological health” (1995, p. 8). In

speaking about disclosure, Pennebaker is referring to either talking or writing: there are

benefits to both (although he studies written disclosure in particular), and he draws a clear

parallel between writing and therapy. He claims that “both yield measurable improvement in

physical and psychological health and both encourage self-reflection and greater insight

about words and thoughts; both promote understanding and acknowledgment of emotions”

(Pennebaker, 1990, p. 94). Personal reflective writing can have therapeutic benefits, which

stem in part from releasing inhibition, but also from having the person writing gain new

perspectives and create a narrative structure from events and emotions (Pennebaker, 1995,

p. 5).

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In a research study conducted at State University of New York, Joshua Smyth (1998) also

examined the relationship between written emotional expression tasks and subsequent

health. He and his team examined four outcome types, including physical health,

psychological well-being, physiological functioning, and general functioning. The writing

tasks were found to lead to significantly improved health outcomes in healthy participants;

for example, illness rates decreased from 61% in the group that did no writing to 38% in the

experimental group who participated in writing tasks (p. 179). Smyth and his colleagues

published a powerful study with arthritis and asthma patients, showing that writing

influenced the course of the diseases. Other projects with people dealing with AIDS, cancer,

heart disease, depression, cystic fibrosis, and a range of other physical and mental health

problems benefited from expressive writing (Pennebaker, 2011, p. 128). Lepore and Smyth

(2002) found that writing can be used as a therapeutic tool to reduce the harmful effects

of stress and trauma on health and well-being. They report:

Writing overcomes many barriers by providing a method for expressing stress-

related thoughts and feelings nearly anywhere and without social repercussions.

It is clear that expressive writing modulates activity in emotional, cognitive, and

physiological systems, although the precise manner in which it does so, the

clinical significance of these various changes, and who is affected in this way

have yet to be fully determined but we are making following promising leads for

understanding how expressive writing influences health and well-being. (p. 11)

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Others also support the idea that writing can contribute to wellness. For instance, Susan

Zimmermann, author of Writing to Heal the Soul (2002), speaks of her own experiences with

writing and healing and teaches that writing can be a healing balm:

The benefits will come…. Writing allows you to access your wider mind, a wiser, more

encompassing place deep within. Your story will unfold and through the writing of it,

you will honor and embrace your sorrows, grow from them and arrive at a life is more

full and more joyful than you ever thought possible. (p. 19)

Zimmermann continues, “There is extensive research that shows writing, the simple act of

putting down your deepest thoughts and feelings on paper, is one of the most powerful and

effective means to ease and ultimately heal sorrow. Through writing it will lead you where

you need to go” (2002, p. 18).

Warren Bennis, author of On Becoming a Leader (1994), recognizes the power of struggle and

loss to shape and strengthen individuals and the importance of writing. “Writing is the most

profound way of codifying your thoughts, the best way of learning from yourself who you are

and what you believe.” And Natalie Goldberg author of Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the

Writer Within discusses writing as a way to connect with oneself. She teaches about letting

go and unleashing the writer within. She also writes about how taking risks as a writer and

human being assists in coming to terms with success, failure and loss in life. For an individual

to move forward with his or her life one must recognize and accept past and present

circumstances for what they are. Regarding feeling a sense of control about one’s life

Anderson and McCurdy say “The chief healing effect of writing is thus to recover and to exert

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a measure of control over that which we can never control-the past. We can control our

present state of mind as we write. We can create a community that can accept, contest, gloss,

inform, invent and help us discover, deepen and change who we have become as a

consequence of the trauma we have experienced” (p. 7).

Now that it is clear that personal expressive writing can be a positive transformative

experience, I propose that women in mid-life may be particularly receptive because they are

in the process of searching for a “life purpose” and are feeling more pressure "to be true to

themselves" and often feel a desire to their individuality creatively (Shellenbarger, 2005).

Writing is a way to articulate and develop identity (Meijers & Lengelle, 2012) and can help

women explore what they value and may want to do, while they are facing the stresses and

changes mentioned above (Ashton, 2010). Writing in this context means the expression of

personal thoughts and feelings in a creative, supportive environment, and it may be helpful

as an expressive, reflective, and ultimately therapeutic activity, as writing has been found to

be a useful way to facilitate personal development (Bolton, Field, & Thompson, 2006; Hunt &

Sampson, 1998).

Why Proprioceptive Writing?

While there are multitudes of potentially effective personal writing approaches such as

poetry, journalling, stream-of-consciousness writing, and Byron Katie’s (2002) The Work

available, I chose to study the potential effects of Proprioceptive Writing. Based on the work

of two English and humanities professors who have written the book, Writing the Mind Alive,

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The Proprioceptive Method for Finding Your Authentic Voice (2002), Proprioceptive Writing is

a method that encourages expression of our thoughts in writing so that we can reflect on

them.

The authors state, “It is a self-guided writing practice that calls forth your imagination, your

intellect, and your intuition all at once to open your heart and clear your mind” (Trichter

Metcalf & Simon, 2002, p. xxi). “‘Proprioception’ comes from the Latin proprius meaning

‘one’s own’.... It is not formal writing, nor is it automatic or stream-of-consciousness writing.

It is a regular, disciplined practice done in a quiet environment; it is designed to deepen

attention and free the writer within” (back cover).

My research and careful consideration led me to feel that while the method offered some

structure, it also would be a private, non-threatening technique that offered flexibility about

when and where the writing would take place. The method has a dedicated following and I

have personally experienced success from using this technique. I also felt the features of this

method would be particularly appealing to women in mid-life. People who have engaged in

Proprioceptive Writes offer advice. One states, “Proprioceptive Writing has helped me write,

think, feel and most important live more fully in the world and in myself” (Susan Gutwall,

personal communication with the authors, Trichter Metcalf & Simon, 2002, inside front

cover). Another says, “Quite simply this writing practice saved my life. At age 50 the safety of

the Proprioceptive Writing form led me gently back to heal the crippling grief of a motherless

childhood and guided me through the chaos of breast cancer” (Ginny Keegan, personal

communication with the authors, Trichter Metalf & Simon, 2002, inside front cover).

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While Proprioceptive Writing can be effective for people of all ages, I have chosen to focus on

the specific needs of women aged 45 to 55. I feel that this mid-life period is an ideal time to

introduce and use this method, as Trichter Metcalf and Simon suggest it is a method that “can

be a catalyst for mental and emotional vitality that can truly enrich the rest of your life”

(2002, back cover).

The approach is practised in 25-minute sessions and the writing is done while one listens to

Baroque music, with a lit candle. At the end of each session, the written work produced is

called a “Write.” Throughout this paper, when I refer to the participants’ Proprioceptive

Writing entries, I will refer to them as “Writes.”

The authors explain, “As a ritual Proprioceptive Writing is very simple, but it can be

profoundly deep as it can alter your life in subtle and remarkable ways. It can be used as a

pathway to self-expression, creativity, spiritual renewal and emotional health” (2002, p.xxi).

Writes are not polished written works, but rather a means to gain insight into and power over

how we live and think. They can improve one’s sense of well-being and confidence, as well as

improve mental health and creativity. The magic that happens through a Proprioceptive

Write happens because of the feelings uncovered through our writing while we are

completely focused on and attentive to our thoughts. The first rule is to "write what you

hear”—to express on paper immediate thoughts as if one is speaking them. The second is to

“listen to what your write.” When the mind wanders, the writer wanders with it on paper.

When one becomes “stuck” or lands at a place about which one might be curious, one uses

what is called the Proprioceptive question, which is “What do I mean by __________?” As

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with various other journal writing methods, this one is not meant to control one’s mind or

force it into a direction, but rather to prompt further discovery and surprise.

In summary, as one writes, three rules should be followed:

1. Write what you hear.

2. Listen to what you write.

3. Be ready to ask the Proprioceptive Question “What do I mean by ____________?”

The Four Concluding Questions

Before the candle is blown out, the following four questions are written down and

answered. These questions are an important part of the Proprioceptive Writng ritual and

are part of its completion.

1. What thoughts were heard but not written?

2. How or what do I feel now?

3. What larger story is the Write a part of?

4. What ideas come up for future Writes?

For the experience to be most effective, the authors say that one should write a few times a

week at roughly the same time each day.

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RESEARCH DESIGN

This paper focuses on the research I conducted to answer the following question: Can the

practice of Proprioceptive Writing contribute to an improved sense of well-being among

women at mid-life? Initial results from my research are promising. Please note that I did the

study with women from my community who share the same or similar socioeconomic

circumstances, and so if conclusions are to be drawn, they refer to this group.

I also had some other research goals:

To learn through the use of a written survey how women at mid-life feel about their

lives.

To compare the initial responses of three groups of women with responses using the

same survey after a six-week period of Proprioceptive Writing, journal writing, or no

writing.

To apply the “transformation through writing” model (Lengelle & Meijers, 2009) to the

six-week Proprioceptive Writing process and use this as an analytical framework for

the texts produced in response to the open-ended questions.

To determine if the results from this study are consistent with the literature claiming

the therapeutic benefits of Proprioceptive Writing.

I used a number of methods to answer my questions:

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Analyzing the Proprioceptive Writing participants’ first and last Writes to determine if

personal pronoun usage increased or decreased, and to see whether the number and

type of positive and negative emotion words changed.

Using the Lengelle and Meijers (2009) model of transformation through writing to

determine if there are more aspects of a “second story” present (evidence of “Shift in

perspective, Acceptance and/or Meaning Found”) in the writings of women at the end

of the study.

Comparing the participants’ responses with the 14-point WEMWBS Survey results

before and after the six-week period.

I wanted to keep my study relatively small and was aware that I would not be able to draw

definitive conclusions about the effectiveness of the method from my research; however, I

hoped that it would allow me to do some initial exploration and engage with a group that is

likely experiencing similar challenges to the ones I have faced and continue to face. My goal

was to have approximately eight to ten women in each of the three groups.

I began my study by posting recruitment posters (see Appendix A) around the community at

our local YMCAs and schools, and through email and personal communication with friends

and family. I was looking for women between the ages of 45 to 55 who would be interested

in participating during the specific time period (January and February 2012). I was able to

attract 30 women to participate, and 22 completed the requirements.

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I explained to the participants that I was doing a study of women’s sense of well-being at

mid-life in an effort to understand how these women are coping with their life circumstances.

I did not share my specific objectives in any more detail. All the women volunteers filled out a

short survey (the 2006 Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale [WEMWBS], which is

discussed in more detail later) at the beginning of the six-week time period.

Initially I had planned to divide all the volunteers randomly into three groups (Groups A, B,

and C), but because I was not able to recruit as many women as I had hoped, I decided to

allow the women to choose which group they wanted to join. Because Group A required a

significant time commitment, I welcomed any volunteers who were interested and willing to

commit to the six-week Proprioceptive Writing challenge, knowing that this self-selection

may well have affected the outcomes of the research. Research with randomly selected

groups may have resulted in different findings. In the end, I had eight women in Group A who

successfully participated and completed six weeks of Proprioceptive Writes three to five

times each week.

At the end of the time period, all eight of the women signed consent forms giving me

permission to read all or some of their Writes and to include portions of their personal

writing in this paper. This personal material has been invaluable to the success of my study.

Group B was required to keep a personal journal, making entries three to five times a week

for the 6six-week time period. Two women participated in this group challenge: one of them

gave me consent to read her journal entries. Group C was my control group and the 12

women participants in this group were required only to fill out the WEMWBS survey once at

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the beginning of the 6-week time period and once at the end. I was able to make

observations about the total group of 22 women for some aspects of my study and for other

aspects I made comparisons between the Proprioceptive Writing Group A and the control

Group C. Because only two women participated in the journal-writing Group B, I did not use

their information for comparison purposes. I also compared Group A’s Proprioceptive

WEMWBS survey results pre- and post-writing. Finally, perhaps the most enlightening portion

of my study was the opportunity to study the Proprioceptive Writes that the women

volunteers completed.

My research process involved the following steps:

Have the interested women sign consent forms specifically designed for this project

(see Appendix C).

Have the women complete the WEMWBS survey in a quiet, neutral location (see

Appendix E).

Divide the women into three groups: A, B, and C.

Have the women in Group A attend a Proprioceptive Writing workshop to teach them

the method and then have them continue the practice three to five times per week for

the six-week period.

Ask the women in Group B to write whatever they choose in a journal three to five

times per week for the six-week time period.

Have all the women (including those in Group C) complete the WEMWBS survey again

at the end of the six-week period.

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Have the women in Group A complete a short open-ended questionnaire about their

Proprioceptive Writing experience.

Observe and analyze the surveys, questionnaires, and personal Writes of the

volunteers to come to a deeper understanding of women in mid-life and determine if

personal reflective writing has led to an increased sense of well-being for the women

involved.

I chose to measure the participants’ mental well-being by using the WEMWBS (The Warwick-

Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale) (see Appendix E). This survey was developed by

researchers at Warwick and Edinburgh Universities and has been used worldwide by

scientists and psychologists as a tool for measuring adults’ mental well-being. I found the

WEMWBS to be a straightforward, easy-to-understand, and nonthreatening questionnaire for

participants to complete. I also was attracted to the simplicity of scoring the responses, as

this led to ease in analyzing and comparing the results.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

I used the WEMWBS survey as a window to how women aged 45 to 55 are feeling about

themselves. Listed below are some of the results from the 22 women who completed the 14-

point WEMWBS survey:

18 feel optimistic about the future often or all of the time.

18 feel useful often or all of the time.

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8 feel relaxed often or all of the time, while 14 feel relaxed only some of the time or

rarely.

15 are interested in others often or all of the time.

8 have energy to spare often or all of the time, while 14 have energy to spare either

some of the time, rarely, or none of the time.

12 deal with problems well often or all of the time; 10 deal with problems well some

of the time or rarely.

16 are thinking clearly often or all of the time, and 6 some of the time or rarely.

14 feel good about themselves often or all of the time; 8 feel good about themselves

rarely or some of the time.

15 feel close to other people often or all of the time, and 7 rarely or some of the time.

14 feel confident about themselves often, and 8 rarely or some of the time.

17 can make up their own mind about things often or all of the time, and 5 some of

the time.

17 feel loved often or all of the time, and 5 some of the time.

15 have been interested in new things often or all of the time, and 7 some of the time.

18 have been feeling cheerful often or all of the time, and 4 some of the time.

After studying the results of the women’s responses to the survey, I was encouraged by the

overall optimism about the future, as 82% of the women reported they feel optimistic for the

future most or all of the time. The participants’ average survey score result was 52%, with the

lowest being 42 (40 to 59 being average) and the highest being 69 (with 59 to 60 being above

average). According to this survey, the average emotional well-being of the 22 women

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participants was average. I suppose I can speculate that only women with at least an average

sense of well-being volunteered to participate, but my purpose was to determine if reflective

writing would increase a sense of well-being, not necessarily to determine if women with a

below-average sense of well-being could improve to an average or above-average sense of

well-being.

I was pleasantly surprised with the results as I thought there would be lower scores in

women’s feelings of confidence in themselves and their feelings about themselves. The

women’s confidence level was reasonable, with 64% feeling confident often or all of the time.

While they felt their ability to deal with problems well was only average, at 54%, most of the

women (73%) said they can think clearly most or all of the time, 63% feel good about

themselves often or all of the time, and 68% feel close to other people often or all of the

time.

The two questions on which the women scored lowest were how relaxed they felt and how

much energy they felt they had: 36% of women surveyed have energy to spare some or none

of the time and 36% feel relaxed some or none of the time. As I was preparing this study, I

speculated that during this mid-life period women’s lives were beginning to slow down, but

with this particular group of women this was not the case.

In contrast to this feeling of being too busy, the women reported that most often they feel

useful and loved: 82% of women surveyed feel useful often or all of the time and 77% feel

loved often or all of the time. Along this same positive line, 68% of the participants are

interested in new things often or all of the time, a good portion of the women (64%) are

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interested in new people often or all of the time, and 82% of the women feel cheerful often

or all of the time. I was thrilled to see these results as I took them to be strong indicators of a

healthy and strong sense of well-being.

I was also able to compare the responses to the WEMWBS survey between the

Proprioceptive Writing Group A and the control Group C. (Only 2 women completed the

journal-writing exercise, so for the most part, this group was not be used for comparison

purposes.) Of the 8 women in Group A, 7 of the scores improved and one remained the same.

Within the control groups, B and C, of the 14 scores 7 improved and 7 fell. While my survey

size is not statistically significant because of its small sample size, it is still an interesting

finding and one that confirms my initial hypothesis that Proprioceptive Writing can improve

the mental well-being of women at mid-life.

Use of Emotion Words

James Pennebaker and colleagues (2011) designed a text analysis software program called

Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), which calculates the degree to which people use

different categories of words across a wide array of texts. It allows the user to determine the

degree any text uses positive or negative emotions, self-references, causal words, and 70

other language dimensions.

Counting positive and negative words is a method to use in trying to understand an

individual’s overall emotional state. The more positive emotion words one uses, the better

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one is feeling about oneself; more negative emotion words are evidence of depression, lower

self-worth, and a lack of confidence.

I took some time to examine the Proprioceptive Writes that the women did to consider this

aspect of Pennebaker’s research. “Healthy writing involves positive emotion words (e.g. love,

care, happy) and a moderate use of negative emotion words (e.g. sad, pain, anger). People

who benefit from writing express more optimism, while still acknowledging negative events”

(Pennebaker, 2011, p. 14). My study confirms Pennebaker’s claims that when they are writing

about positive experiences, people tend to use “we” words at particularly high rates. People

who are happy are also more specific, relying on concrete nouns and references to particular

times and places. Other studies have shown that positive moods change people’s

perspectives as they look at the world in a more open way, which is sometimes referred to as

the broaden-and-build way of thinking (Pennebaker, 2011, p. 106).

Pennebaker’s LIWC analysis program could be used for measuring a larger sample size, but for

my study I felt this was unnecessary and instead chose to examine participants’ first and last

Writes and to count the number of positive and negative emotion words myself. I was able to

determine if there was an increase in the number of positive emotion words and concurrently

a decrease in negative emotion words. This measurement was another way of determining

whether or not Proprioceptive Writing increased the sense of well-being among the women

participants.

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Upon examination of the first and last Writes of the women participants, I did not find an

increase in positive emotion words. Instead, I observed that the number of either positive or

negative emotion words varied depending on what the women were writing about. Rather

than relying on a physical count of positive or negative emotion words, I looked for how the

women were able to interpret their feelings. Usually they used more negative words when

they were feeling down or frustrated with a person or event. I looked at the overall entry and

if they were able to end their Write with a step back to see a broader perspective about why

they wrote as they did, and somehow put a positive spin on their thoughts, I did not feel the

use of negative emotion words was detrimental. I felt it was more important to express

honest thoughts and feelings, even if this expression included negative emotion words.

Pennebaker would agree:

Healthy writing involves positive emotion words, a moderate use of negative emotion

words, increasing use of cognitive words, and changes in pronoun use. Translating

these effects into everyday language: People who benefit from writing express more

optimism, acknowledge negative events, are constructing a meaningful story of their

experience, and have the ability to change perspectives as they write. (Pennebaker,

2011, p. 14)

Kathy’s Writes are an example of this. She admitted in her post-writing open-ended

questionnaire that the past six months had been more stressful for her than usual. Many of

her Writes were filled with concerns for her family, her dissatisfaction with her current work

situation, and a feeling of generally not being content with herself: “I feel like I am on a

nonstop rollercoaster with the same cycles—the same ups, the same downs, a nonstop

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repetitive cycle and I am not sure how to stop it.” Kathy could be quite negative, using

negative emotion words such as fail, obsess, lazy, waste, tired, clutter, emotionally drained.

But she records that her Writes almost always made her feel better: “Writing helps put things

in perspective and lessens the intensity of the stress. I could always smile when I was finished

with a Write and I was able to sleep better.” Some of the positive words that Kathy included

were freedom, fresh, happy, hopeful, relaxing, uplifting, steady, and consistent.

Although Kathy’s WEMWBS score went down by six points after the six-week period, she

clearly states that her Proprioceptive Writing experience was beneficial in many ways. From

her attitude I got a sense that, while she writes openly about her stresses, she is also able to

acknowledge that she is responsible for how she will respond to what she feels and

understands that change can come only when she sets her mind up for the challenge. She has

used her Writes to talk herself through some of her concerns and reflect on what she is

feeling. Writing may be good for mental health because it forces us to be more reflective

(Bolton, 2005) and encourages the development of problem-solving skills as we begin to

understand that we have to take responsibility for our choices and actions: “On the journey

back to ourselves we have wounds to heal, problems to solve and barriers to overcome. If we

do not take responsibility for our own lives we will heal, solve and overcome very little. We

will tend to remain stuck, powerless and bitter” (Henry, 1998, p. 159).

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Personal Pronoun Usage

In his book The Secret Life of Pronouns (2011), James Pennebaker coins the term “‘stealth’

words” to describe personal pronouns because they can reveal things about an individual’s

emotional states without that person necessarily being aware of them. The words that are

most relevant are apparently “function words,” including pronouns, prepositions, articles,

and a small number of similar short but common words. Pronouns reflect people’s focus of

attention. The greater the change in an individual’s use of first-person singular pronouns

(e.g., I, me, my) as they write compared with other pronouns (e.g., we, you, she, they), the

better their health later became; the effects were large and held up across many studies. The

writings of those whose health improved showed a high rate of the use of I words on one

occasion when saying something about their own thoughts and feelings, and then the ability

to switch to higher rates of the use of other pronouns on another occasion (Pennebaker,

2011). An analysis of the first and last Writes of the eight women who participated in the 6-

week Proprioceptive Writing study showed that seven of the women decreased their use of

personal pronouns, while one of the women’s personal pronoun use remained unchanged.

Given that depression causes people to ruminate and turn inward, it follows that a depressive

episode would be associated with higher rates of self-referencing pronouns, especially first-

person singular pronouns such as I, me, and my. Several studies have shown that the more

depressed a person is, the more likely he or she is to use I words in writing or speaking. Most

striking is that use of I words is a better predictor of depression among college students than

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is the use of negative emotion words (Pennebaker, 2011). Indeed, an increase in first-person

singular pronouns is a sign of personal despair.

Of the eight participants, Cindy’s writes showed the largest decrease in her use of personal

pronouns when her first and last entries were compared. The personal pronouns in her first

Write made up 9% of her words, compared with 4% in her last Write. Cindy’s first Write was

filled with words describing her insecurity about herself, such as “If I could change something

about myself it would be self-worthiness…. I have doubts in my abilities—always wondering

‘am I good enough.’” This is an example of the correlation between the number of personal

pronouns used and the way one feels about oneself. When discouraged and down, the

women seemed, indeed, to use more personal pronouns.

In my study, one of the most desperate Writes was Cindy’s as she wrote about how she felt

so helpless as she watched over her daughter’s pain. In an entry filled with personal

pronouns, she writes:

Why is this happening to my daughter? My heart is so full of hurt and sadness for

them, for all of us. Waiting for test results feels like forever. I just don’t understand

why they are going to be tested in this way. I realize it’s all a lesson but damn it’s a

hard one to learn and accept. I feel so horrible not being able to help or fix it for them

like when they were little. There is no Band-Aid in the world big enough to fix this.

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For the most part the participants tended to switch from first-person to third-person

pronouns, depending on the topics they were writing about. For example, one of the women

whose personal pronoun usage went down over the course of the 6-week period spent one of

her last Writes focused on her daughters’ qualities, which she loves and admires. While some

of her Writes may have been about herself personally, where her personal pronoun usage

was higher, Pennebaker (2011) relates that it is healthy to be able to switch perspective

rather than always being focused on the self.

Questionnaire Responses to the Proprioceptive Writing

After the six weeks, I had the eight participants in Group A complete some open-ended

questions so they could reflect more freely on their experience (see Appendix F). These are

perhaps the most inspiring words that suggest there are benefits to Proprioceptive Writing.

Again, I realize that some of the women, in their efforts to please me, may have written a

more glowing report than they actually felt, but this I cannot say for sure. I will relate and

discuss some of their comments.

The question “Do you feel you have personally benefited from your writing? In what ways?”

generated the following responses:

The past 6 months have been somewhat more stressful than usual and I have been

struggling to figure out how to move forward so the writing helped in letting go of the less

important, non-helpful issues. Writing helps put things in perspective and lessens the

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intensity of the stress. I could always smile when I was finished with a Write and I was

able to sleep better.

Yes, when I wrote of an issue troubling me, I tended to let the “trouble” go more

often; felt less stressed after; wasn’t bothered as much as I initially was.

It seemed like one more thing to do in my busy life, but when I did make the time and

do it, it was relaxing and thought-provoking.

Yes, the more honest you are, the more you will benefit.

The question “What did you find frustrating about your Proprioceptive Writing experience?”

led to the following two comments:

Finding the time to stop and actually do it. Most of my days are too full to stop and

reach into what truly inspires thought that make me Me.

It was hard to get to. I didn’t have time most mornings, but then found I was too tired

at night. I needed to make it a priority.

This indicates to me the busyness of women’s lives, which has them feeling overwhelmed

without the energy to find time to do anything beyond their regular routine. Unfortunately,

this really does not surprise me. Susan Zimmermann (2002), as she writes about the healing

power of writing and the value of our individual stories, states:

We live in a society where the most revered response to “how are you doing” is “I’m

swamped” or “not enough time in the day”. It is as if being busy means we are okay

and our lives are full. In fact our lives might be so filled up that they are empty. Being

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busy is often a way to avoid reflection to avoid getting to know ourselves.... [W]riting

is an act of concentration and reflection. It is an act of delving into the well of our

inner lives. It can be a process of healing and regeneration. It cannot be done when we

are thinking about the fifty errands we need to do. (p. 122)

While I could once again quote numerous references and studies demonstrating the benefits

of personal reflective writing, the women’s words speak to this as well. I do admit that in an

effort to please me there may be an element of the women saying what they want me to

hear, but their personal insights seem very sincere. The prompt “Tell me about your PW

experience” elicited many encouraging comments:

Every time was a treat, a sweet experience each time—I wished I could have done

it more often. It was a great experience for me as it allowed me to take a look at

myself and how I was actually feeling about things.

For the most part I enjoyed it and will endeavour to keep it up.

It has been enlightening. It has been amazing at times—when I’ve written about

the past—and the memories long forgotten find a way out—sometimes days later.

It was fantastic. I really enjoyed it and plan to continue. I was never a journal

writer or note taker prior to this experience. I am glad to have been a part of it.

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Yes, what great discoveries are made when one goes into their own thoughts.

Yes, the more honest you are the more, you will benefit. It helps to get things off

your chest. Perhaps see a theme and for a way to talk to someone even if it’s

paper.

In revisiting some of my history—I was more kind to myself—and understanding of

my family of origin and its influence on how I am today, or better put—the person

I’ve become.

I am more aware of my blessings. I found it a good way to vent my frustrations and

organize my thoughts.

Pennebaker (1990) states that writing encourages structure and organization of thoughts and

it results in slowing down one’s thought process. In fact “writing clears the mind of

unresolved trauma and helps people to foster problem solving abilities” (p. 190). The

responses from the women clearly support this organization and slowing down of the

thought process:

Yes, I am able to process my day and organize my thoughts. I even unloaded some

excess baggage. Writing enables me to look at what clutters my mind. I can sort

through it and I was surprised a few times by what emerged.

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Yes, I feel I benefited from it. 1. I put my thoughts into words—it helped me think

more clearly and also then let me clear my mind. 2. It helped me to identify my

blessings, my true frustration, etc.

Yes, I saw some patterns in my life for sure. It helped to put my feelings down on

paper as it helped me to see the situation more clearly.

I like to reflect on my day; it helps me process.

Erin was one of three of the women who was very goal oriented in her Proprioceptive

Writing. It seems some women need to organize their thoughts, whether it is through

immediate “to do lists,” plans for the future, or problems that are dragging them down. They

commented that writing about their concerns helped them to feel more relaxed, and to clear

their head so that they could focus on purposely writing their thoughts and feelings. Erin

made lists both of short-term tasks that she wanted to accomplish and longer-term

aspirations. After her first Write, she wrote she was “not feeling down, depressed, lonely sad

etc. I want to feel happy!” in response to the third concluding question, “What larger story is

this a part of?” Throughout her 6 weeks of writing her words indicate that she was making a

conscious effort to look for the good things in her life rather than dwelling on her trials:

It’s probably best if I just keep doing what I’m doing and learn to be happy with what I

have. And, in the end, if I have to work until I’m 70 and live in a small rented room

somewhere, I’ll still be rich because of my precious children and grandchildren. The

love and joy that they bring into my life is truly priceless!

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Because of Erin’s efforts to focus on the good things in her life, I felt she has benefited from

her Proprioceptive Writing experience although I cannot say this with certainty: an analysis of

her Write might also show that she used writing as a substitute for action—which is one of

the writing pitfalls Pennebaker warns about. However, her sense of well-being seemed to

have improved, as evidenced by her conscious efforts to “keep her head clear.” This success is

evident by her drop in personal pronoun use from her first to her last Write, and her

comments on the questionnaire asking her to discuss her Proprioceptive Writing experience. I

sense that Erin’s writing reflections have given her a new perspective on her current situation

and a heightened understanding of herself. As Shellenbarger (2005) explains,

…[a] midlife crisis brings traits, needs, or desires that have been ignored or repressed

roaring back on center stage in one's personality. We strive at midlife to integrate the

pieces of ourselves that we have been missing—to become whole…. We gain a new

understanding of our limits. And we develop a new sense of meaning and direction to

guide us through the rest of our lives. (p. xiii)

In my study I also wanted to learn if any aspects of the writing experience had a negative

impact on the participants. The question “What have you found frustrating about your

Proprioceptive Writing experience?” generated some thoughtful comments that in

themselves were emotionally beneficial for the women, as they were able to recognize and

reflect upon their writing experience:

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It has stirred up conflicted feelings. Things I had thought were laid to rest or that I was

feeling comfortable with. Also this time of year is difficult anyway.

The most frustrating thing was not taking the time to write more—I know it is

beneficial. I was (in true [Karen] fashion) unsure if I was using the right approach—the

Proprioceptive way, and the more I wrote, the more I tried to focus on the approach.

There were a couple of occasions where I tore up what I had started—issues that

tugged at my heart and I thought I was ready to write about, but after a paragraph

decided not—not the right frame of mind, perhaps not ready to put the “story” to

hard copy—need more time to get it out.

Finding the time, energy and motivation to write.

The question “Has Proprioceptive Writing made you feel any different about yourself?” is key

to answering my primary research question regarding the benefits of Proprioceptive Writing

at mid-life. I was able to learn how the women’s writing made them feel and I felt assured

that, for the most part, their sense of well-being increased.

Yes, it’s helped me appreciate my blessings and people around me more. It’s helped

me step back and take a look at myself and see some positive things about myself. It’s

helped me set some goals and work towards them.

It made me realize that I was holding on to a lot of emotions from the past that I

thought I had dealt with.

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I’m not sure if I feel any differently about myself—sometimes I think I am easier on

myself. I am more aware of how I approach certain stressors and I can limit their

impact.

Yes, I think sometimes I may have seen more value in myself and how hard I am on

myself and how far I have come.

I honestly did find some feelings surface that I did not know existed. I found it even

gave me a confidence, like I knew better who I was, because I knew what I thought.

I think I am gentler with me—less critical, more patient. I do feel I am also more

confident; writing has helped my speaking; I’m also less critical of others, more

patient with others, too.

I feel I know myself a bit better. Some themes emerged frequently and I thought once

I had written about them they would disappear but they kept creeping up—it was

interesting.

I can be a strong person with opinions.

I feel the women’s words are the greatest factor in determining if Proprioceptive Writing was

a success for the individual. As the eight women reflected upon their experience, they

expressed in their own unique ways the benefits they felt.

The question “Anything else you would like to add about how you are coping with life at this

time of your life?” generated the following:

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It's challenging for sure. I’m not as capable both physically and mentally as I once was.

But the same pressures are there; they just look different. Yet I feel more free to follow

“my” dreams now instead of everyone else’s, as I have more alone time. I feel I have a

lot of wisdom to share with my children but understand they must have “their lessons”

as I had…. Learning to disconnect from other people’s problems is a struggle but I’m

learning every day. I think writing about your problems and feelings benefited me.

Helped me see more clearly. Thank you for this opportunity.

Getting through this time of year is always difficult; I look forward to the heaviness

being lifted and to my energy coming back. I’m proud to be a woman and celebrate

growing older and wiser.

It’s a new phase of life being the age of 50 and having grandchildren. You hope for new

freedoms on things like time—time for projects, service, family, home and church, yet it

doesn’t necessarily seem to come—the free time, that is. So I find myself busy as ever. I

think the Proprioceptive Writes help me to realize that the freedom really comes from

the mind: when I felt a confidence enter into my being as I wrote, it was, in a sense, a

form of freedom.

I have recognized more often when I need to relax—give myself permission to slow

down, take life a little easier. I have found it more difficult to multitask and juggle “too

many forks in the fire” as I have been aging—I’m having new respect for the younger me

that did all that and more. I not only feel it physically challenging but mentally

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draining—so in order to take care of my mental health I need to recognize the stress of

having too many things on the go can have an adverse effect on me emotionally. I think

this writing experience has helped me in all ways.

This experience has given me another tool to use to live a balanced life. I was forced to

take the time to write, which allowed me to have permission to make myself a priority. I

plan to continue with this writing style. The only change I hope to make is the time to

write. I feel calmer and more relaxed since I can get the day’s worth of issues out of my

brain. I really enjoyed the challenge!

I think it’s important to be reflective and look at things that are happening in my life and

how I react to them. I then need to examine what I am doing right and continue on and

feel good about those successes and then work on improving myself in areas that need

it. I need to keep learning and improving, rather than becoming compliant, or giving up.

I find that I am not enjoying some of the aspects of middle age (mostly the difficulty

with my short-term memory, but I try to be very conscious of anything that I can do

with lifestyles/diet to improve that). I am feeling underutilized at work and am hoping

for a new role in the next few months. I find that if the majority of my day is spent

trying to find something to do that I spend my evenings doing very little and I know that

is not good. Therefore I am using a lot of self-talk to motivate myself to not just sit

around in the evenings and watch TV and eat! I am very looking forward to spring so I

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can get out in my yard and play in my flowerbeds—I find it so rewarding!

As these women use their Proprioceptive Writing experience to self-reflect, they promote

acknowledgement, understanding, and insights into themselves. Writing can be viewed as

preventative maintenance, which is beneficial in both the short and long term.

The value of writing about our thoughts and feelings lies in reducing the work of

inhibition and in organizing our complicated mental and emotional lives. Writing helps

to keep our psychological compass oriented and is an inexpensive, simple and

sometimes painful way to help maintain our health. (Pennebaker, 1990, p. 37)

Inspirational Comments

I found many aspects of the women’s writing inspirational, including several worthwhile and

memorable reflections. Here are some of the phrases the women expressed.

It’s rather funny that I can recognize how useless worry is, but I almost always give in

to it. What a waste!

I have been making an effort to not look too far ahead and to enjoy today.

I always feel better after a Write.

Damn hormones!!!

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My husband, my best friend, my eternal companion, my lover, my confidant and yet

my biggest frustration.

The whole point of Dancing is the Dance.

I’m proud to be a woman and celebrate growing older and wiser.

Contentment equals joy.

A compliment given with sincerity is a gift.

Accepting a compliment graciously is a gift also.

I know someone must have a master plan where everything works out.

Living an Abundant life. That’s the best legacy I can leave to my children.

Blessings come in all forms and we just have to open our hearts and minds to receive

them.

Keep it simple.

Tomorrow is another day; we’ll try again.

When we know better, we should do better.

Living life with integrity

I love Medicine Hat—the size, the lack of traffic, the friendliness, the parks, the events

like July 1st and Spectrum, free swimming, free skating, Midnight Madness!

Tell me and I may remember, show me and I may understand, but teach me and I will

understand.

Being grateful for what I have

Stop and smell the roses.

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What the women have written is a reflection on their thoughts and feelings and is an

important step toward processing these feelings. When they are able to articulate such

insightful comments, they are growing stronger and more confident in their abilities. Indeed,

"writing provides an opportunity to externalize feelings" (Philips, Limington, & Penman,

1999, p. 16).

Evidence of a Second Story

Another lens through which I sought to examine the women’s writing was an analysis of their

writing using a model of transformation-through-writing process developed by researchers

Lengelle and Meijers (2009). Their personal development model shows how a stressful life

event, which is referred to as a boundary experience, turns by default into a “first story,”

which one might call a narrative of lament. With some effort, this can be reworked into a

“second story.” The model allows any variety of writing exercises to be used to help the

writer see her or his experience from a new perspective and move forward rather than

remaining stuck and suffering in the “first story.” The authors state,“The aim of therapeutic

writing is to work toward a more life-giving perspective or… ‘second story’” (p. 59). The step-

by-step transformational learning process they describe involves four steps, which include

sensing, sifting, focusing, and understanding. Working through these stages allows

assumptions to be questioned, new workable metaphors to be explored, and fresh insights to

be revealed. Figure 1 is an illustration of the model, showing the steps and stages.

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Figure 1: Transformation-through-writing model (Lengelle & Meijers, 2009.

obtained with permission from Lengelle, May, 2012)

Laurie’s Writes often mentioned her daughter’s upcoming wedding. One could understand

her comments about the wedding as a boundary experience for her, an experience that

caused her stress and challenged her established ways of coping (Lengelle & Meijers, 2009). I

observed how her writing about her feelings toward the wedding developed over the 6-week

period. I saw evidence that she was able to initiate a perspective shift and go from viewing

the wedding as just another stress to recognizing it was a wonderful celebration in which she

was going to take part. At one time she spent a restless night thinking about past weddings

and what music would be appropriate for the dance portion of the reception. She

commented about some aspect of the wedding in most of her Writes, and this upcoming

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event was often included in her list of things she needed to accomplish or concerns about

planning. As she began to make lists of what she needed to accomplish, I felt she was starting

to sift through her concerns and to focus on what needed to be accomplished, rather than

just worrying about the details. I cannot say for sure, but I feel through writing down her

worries and thoughts about the wedding she developed a more relaxed attitude toward the

event. I felt her attitude evolved as her words reflected her recognition that the upcoming

wedding was a reason for celebration and not just another hurdle to overcome. While she

still may have had stresses related to the wedding, she also had a shift of perspective and a

venue in which to reflect upon her thoughts and keep herself focused on what her role in the

planning should be. While Laurie may not have gone through each of the four steps in a linear

fashion, I felt she was able to rework her “wedding story” into a more constructive narrative

or what Lengelle & Meijers (2009) would call a “second story.”

Evidence of an emerging second story was apparent in other participants’ Writes, as well.

Reflected in her writing is Edie’s anticipation of her participation in this writing project as a

positive growing experience: “I am so happy to be here. It’s lovely to get opportunities to get

to know me. I’m on a self-discovery journey, some sad—some happy.” Because Edie went

into the experience with an attitude of openness and willingness, I believe she set herself up

for an opportunity to view her current situation from a new perspective. Edie was one of two

participants whose WEMWBS score was lower, by 10 points, after the 6-week period. In her

evaluation of the Proprioceptive Writing experience, she relates, “Getting through this time

of year is always difficult; I look forward to the heaviness being lifted and to my energy

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coming back.” From her writing she reflects about this time of year being especially difficult

as she is approaching the anniversary of her husband’s sudden and unexpected death. For

her, his death was definitively (and understandably) a boundary experience. While she has

been dealing with the anguish for years now, she says,

I’m even grateful for the most painful times in my life, for it’s from pain there is the

most growth…. In my darkest hour is when I have seen, felt and heard and learned the

most. In fact emotional pain doesn’t scare me like it used to. No, I don’t want it, no

one does, but I am at least more confident in my ability to recover.

Statements such as this can be profoundly moving and supportive to the individual, and this

one demonstrates the shift in perspective that Pennebaker (1990) and Lengelle and Meijers

(2009) describe. I sense that Edie’s shift in perspective has been evolving over time and that

for her the Proprioceptive Writing experience may have sped up and clarified the

transformation process. While Edie continues to have challenges to deal with and resolve, I

believe she demonstrated a better understanding of herself.

Another example of Edie’s transformation and growth through her writing journey was her

Write on Valentine’s Day. She starts out quite negatively as she reminisces about her

husband and her longing for a companion. However, she does not dwell on just this, but

writes how she took some time this day to wish some close friends a happy Valentine’s Day,

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bought herself some flowers, and then proceeded to list one hundred things she is thankful

for.

While her WEMWBS scores went down, her use of personal pronouns went from 10% in her

first write to 8% in her last Write. Some of the negative words she used during her Writes

include pain, anxiety, heaviness, trials, suffer, lonely, difficult, demanding, dark, kill, hard,

and long. Some of her positive emotion words include happy, hopeful, good, love, forward,

abundant, conquer, proud, worthwhile, joy, vibrant, excited, and free. Edie had days when

she was down and she wrote more negatively, but she often made obvious strides to turn her

pessimistic feelings around.

Edie’s Proprioceptive experience may be summed up as a journey in self-discovery, during

which she sees herself as “a geranium—they are hearty, colourful, strong, and bold, can

survive the elements, sustainable, and can keep producing. The old petals fall to the ground

and are replaced by new healthy petals.” Through the words she has written I sense an

emerging second story as she continues on a journey of self-discovery. Lengelle also calls this

a healing metaphor (2008), which can be an essential ingredient of a healing second story.

Edie embraced her opportunity to participate in this experience and because of her efforts it

seems she may have improved her sense of well-being.

At this point, I would like to take a look at one participant’s, Cindy’s, Writes in a little more

detail as well, as I feel she is one of the women who may have benefited the most from her

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Proprioceptive Writing experience. Below I describe her progression in the form of a mini

case study, in which I sense a transformation process has occurred throughout her six weeks

of writing, particularly because she demonstrated an ability to write about how she was

feeling and look at her thoughts from a new, more positive perspective. The latter aspect is

one of the key factors Pennebaker (1990)discusses as healing or beneficial.

Cindy consistently processed her thoughts and feelings, and I could sense from her writing a

second story emerging that seemed to improve her sense of self-worth. In addition, of the

eight participants, Cindy’s Writes showed the largest decrease in personal pronouns when

the first and last entries were compared. As mentioned above, the personal pronouns in her

first Write made up 9% of her words, compared with 4% in her last Write. Cindy’s first Write

was filled with words describing her insecurity about herself, such as “If I could change

something about myself it would be self-worthiness…. I have doubts in my abilities—always

wondering ‘am I good enough.’” Her second Write described her gratitude for good friends:

she called them her “earth angels,” whom God had sent to her. Cindy’s third Write expressed

her anger and frustration with a co-worker, who she felt she was not doing her job. Cindy felt

she herself was being treated unfairly and was unappreciated, especially because she

believed this particular co-worker was being lazy and selfish and was getting away with far

too much. In her fourth Write she complains about her insomnia, hot flashes, and other

frustrations with mid-life, but completes her Write feeling “less cluttered” in her mind and

more at peace with herself for being able to express her feelings.

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Cindy’s fifth Write had a central theme expressing her feelings of guilt for taking “me” time.

However, when examining her sixth Write, I began to sense a significant change from her first

Write, in which she had been so down on herself. In this entry she records, “I am worthy to

be happy, fulfilled and enjoying my life. So my new goal is to allow and accept these

wonderful things and opportunity into my life and to let go of guilt. I deserve it!” These later

words were clearly such a contrast from the thoughts in her first Write. As she works through

the transformational process there is evidence of focusing and understanding and a more

“life-giving” story, which is characteristic of a second Story. Cindy’s seventh Write covers her

feelings of stress and being overwhelmed by being pulled in too many directions and taken

advantage of. Her eighth Write expresses her constant worry about children as she just wants

them to be happy. While she feels some sadness, she is also filled with acceptance. Her ninth

Write has Cindy expressing her gratitude for everyone and everything in her life. Reading this

entry re-emphasizes the positive experience that personal reflective writing, such as

Proprioceptive Writing, can be.

The ability to look at one’s life and express gratitude for all the wonderful things that are part

of that life can give one such a moral boost. She writes, “Thanks to God for always guiding me

on this journey and granting me peace.” Her eleventh Write describes her worries over

finances and her children but ends with “I know I need to replace worry with faith and trust

in myself and God…, so I guess now it’s time to try some new ideas like maybe more yoga,

meditate, exercise, journal my thoughts, etc.” Again I see Cindy putting a positive perspective

on some very negative thoughts. She is more focused on finding solutions to help remove her

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worries: “I now realize I can’t be perfect—I can just be the best person I can be, but this

attitude comes with maturity, which takes time.” From Cindy’s words I sense such an

improvement in her awareness and understanding of herself and in her confidence. I feel she

is stronger and more able to make up her own mind about things. The second story is clearly

evident at this point in her journey of self-discovery.

Cindy gave her twelfth Write the title “Trust,” as she writes of letting go of old patterns and

beliefs. In Cindy’s thirteenth Write, she talks about her hopes and dreams for the future,

which seemed an appropriate and inspiring topic as she progressed through the writing;

perhaps the fourth concluding question contributed to this shift. The fourteenth Write states

how she feels alone time is very important for her. She recognizes that, when she actually

takes the time to write and record her thoughts, she is reinforcing them. The fifteenth Write

lists some of the things Cindy did for herself that day, things to revitalize herself. Her

sixteenth Write has Cindy expressing some of her worries but in response to the end question

“How do you feel now?” she says, “Lighter—more at peace.” I really sense that writing has

been very transformative for Cindy. The eighteenth Write has her discussing her thoughts

about letting go of the past and being realistic about letting go of dreams and accepting life as

it is. Cindy’s nineteenth Write expresses more worry, but also the realization of the futility of

it. The following statement is an excellent example of coping skills that I felt Cindy was

developing:

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I had someone tell me once to set aside 10 minutes every day for worry, [and] then in

those 10 minutes you worry about everything you can think of [and] then stop until

the next day—with no worry in between. I have to get back to that as I felt that

seemed to work for me. Also I know I need to give my fears, doubts and worries to

God—I do realize that I need help but I guess I get off track sometimes.

I also sense Cindy reconnecting with her spirituality through her writing, which can be a

sustaining practice for many, especially through life transitions and other difficulties. Cindy’s

twentieth Write has her listing the many things that bring her joy. Cindy’s final Write has her

expressing anguish over her daughter’s unfortunate circumstances. While Cindy’s emotions

were very up and down over the course of her Writes, I could sense her efforts to look for

new ways to understand the words that she had written. As Lengelle and Meijers (2009) say,

this process requires that the writer be both engaged (i.e., allowing feelings to be felt and

described on the page) and detached (i.e., reflecting on the situation, almost as if it were

happening to someone else) from the drama of a boundary experience. Once an issue is on

paper, it is easier to confront and allow new perspectives to develop; first writing down what

is ailing us helps halt the flow of thoughts and can let us inquire about the validity of our

worries and concerns (Katie, 2002). It seems that Proprioceptive Writing has been a positive

growing and enlightening experience for Cindy, which has provided her with a fresh

perspective on her worries and concerns and a step toward a healthier sense of psychological

well-being.

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The Power of Music

Part of the Proprioceptive Writing experience is listening to Baroque music. The effect of

music during the Proprioceptive experience varied among the participants. While I did not

specifically ask the women how the music influenced their writing, (e.g., their mood and their

overall experience), several of the women did comment on this aspect. Kathy wrote:

I am hearing the music playing and I find it uplifting. It is happy and consistent and has

an ongoing beat. It makes me think that life is steady and will continue on and is a

reminder to take the time to just relax and enjoy! At the same time, continue to go

forward—to learn to interact, to socialize!

Another participant stated, “Music is so powerful. It can change any mood you’re in or not

in.” One of the women said,

I love music—all genres of music, almost all instruments; however, I don’t know how

to play many—but I can imagine that I can—when I close my eyes and listen to the

music I can see myself—both as the player and dancer—moving to the rhythm of it

all—and then sometimes I can just see the energy of the notes dancing through my

mind.”

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This woman is relaxed, enjoying her writing experience and able to express the feelings of her

heart freely.

In their 1979 book Super Learning, Sheila Ostrander and Lynn Schroeder discuss the various

roles music plays in our ability to learn. They report studies showing that Baroque music has a

calming effect on the body, including lowering blood pressure; its slower tempos, which have

roughly the same number of beats per minute as the human heart, shift the brain off its

everyday beta rhythms to alpha rhythms, which are more conducive to creativity and

learning. There is evidence from the participants’ comments that music can have a calming

effect as one attempts to write down thoughts and feelings contributing to a sense of well-

being.

CONCLUSION

Only within yourself exists that other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing

that has not already its being within you. I can throw open to you no picture gallery

but your own soul. All I can give you is the opportunity, the impulse, the key.

– Hermann Hesse

Proprioceptive Writing can be this opportunity, this impulse, this key—in this case for a group

of middle-aged women dedicated to this practice. I believe that as they applied the

Proprioceptive method to write down their thoughts and feelings, they grew in

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understanding themselves and increased their sense of well-being. As I measured the scores

of the WEMWBS survey, I was able to gain a sense of how participants were feeling about

themselves and how they were coping with their life circumstances. I was also able to

compare the women’s scores to conclude that those who participated in the Proprioceptive

Writing challenge improved their mental well-being score more than did the women who did

no writing. As I analyzed the writing of the eight Proprioceptive Writing participants, I also

examined the way each woman wrote. By examining personal pronouns and their use of

positive and negative emotion words, I found that the women who wrote seemed able to

switch perspectives and that their overall emotional state improved over the six weeks. From

looking at the actual writing the women did, I gained a sense of some “first stories” and

boundary experiences that underwent a transformation toward a “second story” in the

process of putting words down on paper. Through the women’s words I was able to come to

a clearer understanding of how the power of writing can be a catalyst for inspiration and

change.

I feel my study, although small, has been successful at showing a positive connection

between engaging in Proprioceptive Writing and women’s sense of well-being at mid-life,

even though this would need to be researched in a larger study to be confirmed. This study

could be considered a pilot project laying the groundwork for a study of a larger group of

participants who might write for a longer period. In addition, more in-depth interviews could

be done with this group before and after the writing period. Future studies might include an

examination of the benefits of Proprioceptive Writing for and with other groups, for instance,

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women who are older and single or who are alone due to widowhood, divorce, or never

having been married. Such studies might involve comparing various writing methods to see if

other forms of writing (e.g., memoir, poetry, fiction) could also be useful in the personal

development of those going through mid-life.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

For people who teach me patience, my husband, Wayne, and my final project supervisor, Reinekke

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anderson, C. M., & MacCurdy, M. M. (Eds.). (2000). Writing and healing: Toward an informed practice. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English. Ashton, S. A. (2010). Writing through the storm: The therapeutic potential of writing for

women in midlife. Retrieved from Athabasca University Digital Thesis and Project Room. (MAIS)

Bennis, W. (1994). On becoming a leader. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing. Bolton, G. (2005). Reflective practice: Writing & professional development (2nd ed.). London,

UK: Sage Publications. Bolton, G., &Field, V., & Thompson, K., (Eds.). (2006). Writing works: A Resource Handbook

for Therapeutic Writing Workshops and Activities. Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Breathnach, S. (1995). Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy. New York: Warner Books. Frank, A. (1991). The diary of a young girl. Toronto: Random House. Goldberg, N. (1986). Writing down the bones: Freeing the writer within. Boston: Shambhala

Publications.

Henry, J. (1998). Responsibility: Being the source of your life and your happiness. In The privilege of a lifetime: Finding love, wholeness and fulfillment through the greatest of human adventures: Being yourself (pp. 157-177). Edmonton: Boundary Press.

Hesse, H. (2012). Retrieved from http://thinkexist.com/quotes/hermann_hesse/

Hunt, C., & Sampson, F. (Eds.). (1998). The self on the page: Theory and practice of creative writing in personal development. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Katie, B. (2002). Loving what is: Four questions that can change your life. New York: Three Rivers Press. Lengelle, R. (2008). Blossom & balsam. Edmonton: Black Tulip Press.

Lengelle, R., & Meijers, F. (2009). Mystery to mastery: An exploration of what happens in the black box of writing and healing. Journal of Poetry Therapy, 22(2), 57-75.

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Lepore, S., & Smyth, J. (Eds.). (2002). The writing cure: How expressive writing promotes health and emotional well-being. Washington: American Psychological Association Press.

Meijers, F., & Lengelle, R. (2012). Narratives at work: The development of career identity.

British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 40(2), 157-177. Northrup, C. (2006). The wisdom of menopause: Creating physical and emotional health during the change. New York: Bantam Books. Ostrander, S., & Schroeder, L., (1979). Super learning. New York: Delta/The Confucian Press. Pennebaker, J. (1990). Becoming healthier through writing. In Opening up: The healing power of confiding in others. New York: William Morrow and Company. Pennebaker, J. (2011). The secret life of pronouns. New York: Bloomsbury Press. Pennebaker, J. W. (Ed.). (1995). Emotion, disclosure & health. Washington: American Psychological Association. Philips, D., Linington, L., & Penman, D. (1999). Writing well: Creative writing and mental health. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Sheehy, G. (1992). The silent passage: Menopause. New York: Random House. Sheehy, G. (1994, 2006). Passages: Predictable crises of adult life. New York: Ballantine Books. Shellenbarger, S. (2005). The breaking point: How Female midlife crisis is transforming today’s women. New York: Henry Holt and Company. Smyth, J. M. (1998). Written emotional expression: Effect sizes, outcome types, and

moderating variables. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 66, 174-184. Trichter Metcalf, L., & Simon, T. (2002). Writing the mind alive: The Proprioceptive method for

finding your authentic voice. Toronto: Random House.

The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS). (2006). Retrieved from http://www.healthscotland.com/documents/1467.aspx

Wunnenberg, K. (2000). Grieving the loss of a loved one: A devotional companion. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. Zimmermann, S. (2002). Writing to heal the soul: Transforming grief and loss through writing. New York: Three Rivers Press.

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APPENDIX A

Initial Recruitment Advertisement

Are you a woman between the ages of 45-55

interested in learning more about yourself?

I am looking for women aged 45-55 to participate in a research study during the months of

January and February of 2012. All participants will be asked to complete two short

questionnaires spaced six weeks apart. Some participants will be asked to do personal

reflective writing during the intervening six-week period. The information I gather will be

kept confidential and will be used by me to come to a better understanding about how

women in mid-life are coping with their life circumstances. My findings will be reported in a

final research paper presented to Athabasca University, and will be publicly available.

If you are interested in learning more about this project please contact me at 403-526-3215 or

email me at Carmen.schlenker@gmail.com

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APPENDIX B

Letter of Introduction

January 1, 2012

Dear prospective participant,

My name is Carmen Schlenker and for my final project for my Master of Arts in Integrated Studies

through Athabasca University, I am doing a study of women’s sense of well-being at mid-life entitled

Proprioceptive Writing and Women at Mid-Life. In order to collect the data for this project, I am inviting

you to participate as described below.

Your commitment would involve completing a short (5-minute) questionnaire during the first part of

January about how you are feeling emotionally. After a 6-week period at approximately the middle of

February, all participants will be asked to complete a 5-minute questionnaire and answer some open-

ended questions (approximately 10-15 minutes).

After completing the questionnaire, all participants will be randomly divided into three groups.

If you are selected for Group A you would be asked to attend an hour-long workshop to learn about a

self-reflective writing approach called proprioceptive writing. Group A would then be asked to use this

method to do some personal writing for 25-30 minutes on 3-5 occasions per week for a 6-week period of

time. The total time commitment for Group A participants would approximately 20 hours, including the

questionnaires at the beginning and end of the study.

If you are selected for Group B you would be asked to write in a journal for at least 10 minutes, 3-5 times

a week for the 6-week period of time. The total time commitment for Group B participants would be

approximately 6 hours, including the questionnaires at the beginning and end of the study.

If you are selected for Group C you would not be asked to do any personal writing. The total time

commitment for Group C participants would be approximately 1 hour.

All volunteers will sign consent forms to participate in the project questionnaires. Those who are selected

for Group A or B participation will be asked later in the study for consents to allow their work to be read

by myself and possibly published under an alias name. While I would prefer to have access to

participants’ writings, complete confidentiality will be promised to those who choose to keep their writing

to themselves. The questionnaire and open-ended responses will be assigned a number rather than using

your name. Results will be reported in aggregate form and no individual participant will be indentified.

When my final paper is complete I would be happy to share my results and conclusions with you. The

existence of the research will be listed in an abstract posted online at the Athabasca University Library’s

Digital Thesis and Project Room, and the final research paper will be publicly available.

This study has been reviewed by the Athabasca University Research Ethics Board. If you have any

comments or concerns regarding your treatment as a participant in this study, please contact the Office of

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Research Ethics by telephone at 1-780-675-6718 or by email at rebsec@athabascu.ca. You may also

contact my Research Supervisor Reinekke Lengelle at Reinekke@athabascau.ca.

Thank you for taking the time to consider volunteering for this project. If you are interested and would

like to participate, please email or phone me by January 1, 2012. My phone number is 403-526-3215 and

my email address is Carmen.schlenker@gmail.com. At that time I will let you know when we will be

meeting in early January to complete the first questionnaire and determine which group you will be a part

of.

I look forward to working with you,

Sincerely,

Carmen Schlenker

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APPENDIX C

Informed Consents

Participant Consent - Questionnaires

I, (print full name) _____________________________________, understand Carmen Schlenker’s letter

of introduction about her research project entitled Proprioceptive Writing and Women at Mid-Life.

1. Place your initials on the line below to indicate your understanding and agreement with the basic participation requirements for the study:

_____ I agree to participate by honestly completing the questionnaire at the beginning and at

the end of the 6 week study period. I understand that my participation in the study will

not be revealed in the final paper.

2. Place your initials on the appropriate lines to indicate any limitations to consideration for your placement in a particular group within the study:

In consideration of the time commitments for participation and my interest in learning more

about myself:

_____ Please do NOT consider me for Group A or Group B participation. I am only willing to be

involved in completing the two questionnaires six weeks apart. (Proceed to date and

signature lines.)

_____ I am willing to be considered for Group B participation, which includes completion of the

two questionnaires and six weeks of personal (journal) writing.

_____ I am also willing to be considered for Group A participation, which includes attendance

at the workshop, in addition to completion of the two questionnaires and six weeks of

personal proprioceptive writing.

Date ___________________________________

(Signature) _________________________________________________

Participant Consent – Personal Writing (Groups A and B)

I, (print full name) ____________________________________ , understand Carmen Schlenker’s letter

of introduction about her research project entitled Proprioceptive Writing and Women at Mid-Life.

Place your initials on the appropriate lines below to indicate your understanding and agreement with the

participation requirements of study Groups A or B:

_____ If I am selected to be in Group A or B, I will try my best to carry out the personal writing

requested of me. I understand that my real name and identity will not be used and/or implied in

the final paper.

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_____ If I am selected to be in Group A, I agree to attend the Proprioceptive Writing workshop. I

understand that my individual responses to questionnaires and any writing shared with the

researcher will be treated confidentially. However, I also understand that confidentiality

regarding my overall participation in this study cannot be guaranteed due to the group setting of

the workshop.

Participant Consent – Access to personal writings and journals

I, (print full name)___________________________________________, am willing to allow Carmen

Schlenker access to my personal writing with the understanding that she will not use my name to

identify the writings as mine.

Date ___________________________________

Signature _________________________________________________

Participant Consent – to publish my personal writings under an alias name.

I, (print full name)___________________________________________, am willing to allow Carmen

Schlenker to use my personal writings in her final research paper under an alias name.

Date ___________________________________

Signature _________________________________________________

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APPENDIX D

Proprioceptive Writing Instructions

Source: Writing the Mind Alive: The Proprioceptive Method for Finding Your Authentic Voice by Linda Trichter

Metcalf & Tobin Simon (Random House, 2002)

What you’ll need to do a “Write”

1. Blank (unlined) loose leaf paper 2. A pen 3. Baroque music 4. A candle (optional) 5. 25-30 minutes to write without interruption

When you begin to write, you will keep these 3 instructions in mind:

1. Write what you hear: Imagine your thoughts as spoken words and write them exactly as you hear them. Don’t try to actively direct your thoughts. Don’t worry about grammar, punctuation, consistency, logic, fairness, eloquence, or any of the usual things you worry about when writing for an audience.

2. Listen to what you write: The skill that’s most active as you write isn’t writing, but listening. Hear yourself no matter what comes up. Listen without judging, editing, or censoring.

3. Ask the Proprioceptive question (PQ): The PQ is “What do I mean by…”? You write this out and fill in the blank with a word or phrase or expression that caught your attention. Use this question as often as you like in your Write. The PQ is an attention-focusing tool. It helps you to express what you want to say more accurately and it also uncovers feelings and assumptions around certain words. This question also helps draw out concrete details.

Example: “My mother would always chatter while she knitted. What do I mean by chatter? I mean she would hum to

herself, be concentrated. Maybe it was her way of taking care of herself when the house was in chaos. What do I

mean by chaos? When we were all running around and slamming the door.”

The piece you have written in those 25-30 minutes is referred to as a “WRITE.” It is not meant to be edited or revised

in any way. Please put the date on your work.

When you have completed the Write, write your response to the four following Concluding questions:

1. What thoughts were heard but not written? 2. How or what do I feel now? 3. What larger story is the write a part of? 4. What ideas came up for future Writes? Note: The term “proprioceptive” comes from the Latin, “proprius” one’s own, which usually refers to the body’s

proprioceptive system – or the five senses and the body’s ability to be aware of itself. If you are asked to wiggle the

big toe on your right foot, you can do so because of the healthy activity of your proprioceptor nerve cells; they give

you a sense of embodiment. In this context we use the term metaphorically; we are focusing on the mind’s capacity

to know itself. You are being invited to write out what you hear as a result of listening in.

Summary prepared by Reinekke Lengelle, 2009

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APPENDIX E

The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS)

Below are some statements about feelings and thoughts.

Please tick the box that best describes your experience of each over the last 2 weeks

STATEMENTS None of the time

Rarely Some of the time

Often All of the

time

I’ve been feeling optimistic about the future 1 2 3 4 5

I’ve been feeling useful 1 2 3 4 5

I’ve been feeling relaxed 1 2 3 4 5

I’ve been feeling interested in other people 1 2 3 4 5

I’ve had energy to spare 1 2 3 4 5

I’ve been dealing with problems well 1 2 3 4 5

I’ve been thinking clearly 1 2 3 4 5

I’ve been feeling good about myself 1 2 3 4 5

I’ve been feeling close to other people 1 2 3 4 5

I’ve been feeling confident 1 2 3 4 5

I’ve been able to make up my own mind about things 1 2 3 4 5

I’ve been feeling loved 1 2 3 4 5

I’ve been interested in new things 1 2 3 4 5

I’ve been feeling cheerful 1 2 3 4 5

Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS)

© NHS Health Scotland, University of Warwick and University of Edinburgh, 2006, all rights

reserved.

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APPENDIX F

Open-ended Questions to Be Asked at the End of the 6-week

Proprioceptive Writing Experience

1. Tell me about your proprioceptive writing experience.

2. Were you able to write at least 3 times a week for the 6-week period?

3. Do you feel you have personally benefited from your writing?

4. If you feel the experience has been beneficial, in what ways?

5. What have you found frustrating about your Proprioceptive Writing experience?

6. Has Proprioceptive Writing made you feel any different about yourself? Explain.

7. Anything else you would like to add about how you are coping with life at this time of

your life?