The use of creative writing as a route to personal development is a powerful therapeutic tool. This work is a guide for writers or therapists working with groups or individuals. It includes practical advice on everything from the equipment needed to run a session to ideas for themes.

The use of creative writing as a route to personal development is a powerful therapeutic tool - a fact that is recognized in the growing numbers of workshops and writing groups within professional contexts, including clinical, health and criminal justice settings. "Nurturing Words" is a guide for writers or therapists working with groups or individuals and is full of practical advice on everything from the equipment needed to run a session to ideas for themes, all backed up by the theory that underpins the methods explained. Experienced practitioners in the field contribute detailed illuminating accounts of organizing writing workshops for a wide range of different clients, together with examples of their outcomes. This book will be an invaluable start-up reference for arts therapists and professionals working across the health, social care and caring professions, and one that will be referred to again and again.

Foreword by Blake Morrison. Someone Says by David Hart. Acknowledgements.
1. Introduction. What this book offers and why. Gillie Bolton. Running groups. Victoria Field. Writing in therapy. Kate Thompson. Part One: Writing from without.
2. Warming Up and Working Together. Edited by Kate Thompson.
3. Writing About Place. Edited by Victoria Field.
4. Writing from Objects. Edited by Gillie Bolton.
5. Writing from Published Poems. Edited by Victoria Field.
6. Writing in Form. Edited by Victoria Field. Part Two: Writing from Within.
7. What People Need to Write. Edited by Kate Thompson.
8. Different Masks. Edited by Victoria Field.
9. Who Am I? Edited by Gillie Bolton.
10. Life's Journey. Edited by Gillie Bolton.
11. Loss and Change. Edited by Kate Thompson.
12. Conclusion. Index.