What is a Therapeutic Letter?
Therapeutic Letters are personalized letters that extend the counselling process beyond the session itself. They offer unique opportunities to move ahead in treatment at an accelerated rate, and immerse recipients in new possibilities by bringing meaning and relevance to subtle changes. This occurs by emphasizing therapeutic messages, posing additional questions, summarizing key content, and archiving hopes, wisdom, and initiatives.
Words fade over time, but the written letter provides sustained meaning, credibility, and permanence to what occurs in session. Since Therapeutic Letters are not bound by the restraints of space/time in a session, they have the potential to be re-read in a private context or shared with other people. This allows for content to be absorbed and integrated at an individual pace.
Words fade over time, but the written letter provides sustained meaning, credibility, and permanence to what occurs in session. Since Therapeutic Letters are not bound by the restraints of space/time in a session, they have the potential to be re-read in a private context or shared with other people. This allows for content to be absorbed and integrated at an individual pace.
What's the benefit?
- The value of a good therapeutic letter is worth an average of 4.5 sessions of therapy (1)
- 52% of the positive therapeutic outcome may be attributed to the letters alone (2)
- Many recipients make noticeable gains after one letter (3)
Samples:
| sample_letter_1.pdf |
Take the next step:
Click here to inquire/request that Therapeutic Letters be added to your treatment plan.
1) Freeman, J., Epston, D., & Lobovits, D. (1997). Playful approaches to serious problems. New York, NY: Norton.
White, M. (1995). Re-authoring lives: Interviews & essays. Adelaide, SA: Dulwich Centre.
2) Bozic, N. (2004). Using letters to support consultative work in schools. Educational Psychology in Practice, 20(4), 291-302.
3) Kindsvatter, A., Nelson, J. R., Desmond, K. J. (2009). An invitation to between-session change: The use of therapeutic letters in couples and family counseling. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 17(1), 32-38.
Moules, N. J. (2009). Therapeutic letters in nursing: Examining the character and influence of the written word in clinical work with families experiencing illness. Journal of Family Nursing, 15(1), 31-49.
White, M. (1995). Re-authoring lives: Interviews & essays. Adelaide, SA: Dulwich Centre.
2) Bozic, N. (2004). Using letters to support consultative work in schools. Educational Psychology in Practice, 20(4), 291-302.
3) Kindsvatter, A., Nelson, J. R., Desmond, K. J. (2009). An invitation to between-session change: The use of therapeutic letters in couples and family counseling. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 17(1), 32-38.
Moules, N. J. (2009). Therapeutic letters in nursing: Examining the character and influence of the written word in clinical work with families experiencing illness. Journal of Family Nursing, 15(1), 31-49.
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