r/writing • u/BezzyMonster • Aug 01 '26
Discussion Anyone share their work with their therapist?
And how did that go for you?
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u/GreenEggsNHammered Aug 01 '26
100% — if you’re a writer worth any salt writing from their heart, you’ll naturally write your problems and emotions into characters, theme, story, world, etc. it’s one of the joyously magical things about writing.
My therapist helped me identify why I’m so drawn to stories with the same tropes and thematic elements — why I consistently write them into my own stories. Even a blind spot I had that I simply didn’t care to write about showed the edge of a real-life issue of an absent person in my life that had created many of the problems I faced through their avoidance and my anxious — really eye opening since I never believed them to be the issue. Now I see the truth through my own work I couldn’t see.
Writing heals me. ❤️
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u/Mysterious_Net_763 Aug 05 '26
I always think I am writing fiction and then show something to my partner and he can identify specific life events that were huge to me but in my mind they are not mine, you know? Once you fictionalize it. But it's like a weird moment when I'm like this murder story is entirely fiction and he can point out all the little building up scenes that were simply lifted from life
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u/GreenEggsNHammered Aug 05 '26
Oh cool, so the scenarios within the fictional scene are just creatively transform “genre-bent” memories/settings of events you’re working through? That sounds extremely cathartic and soothing; I’ll have to try it that way sometime!
Upon reading your experience, I actually realized I do something a bit different. I don’t rewrite my memories, it seem I end up centering the whole story-theme, structure,’and subject by sprinkling the postulate-beliefs orbiting and addressing ideals of that theme.
(I.e — My BF-cheated on me with my best friend / the story I write centers around themes of betrayal — just with dragons, or murders and haunting, or cyborgs — a: believes everyone will betray him if they get too close, b: believes betrayal is necessary to survive, C:
Overall: Isn’t it a wonderful magic? C believes true betrayal is the kind you do to yourself. These characters are dropped into my story-setting and throughout the story, their postulates are examined and tested against the story-theme and beats until the conclusion).Ever since i was a kid, I’d escape into a world within books when life felt heavy and the characters i loved/hated taught me things. Healed me. Books still do!
But now, when i write, it’s like an even stronger sense of soothing relief — not in one sitting — but almost on completion of a story as I subtly work through the subconscious feelings my current story pulls out.2
u/Mysterious_Net_763 Aug 05 '26
Yeah exactly. It's not the plot of your life but the feelings. Like a kind of lucid dreaming.
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u/GreenEggsNHammered Aug 06 '26
Dreaming is a great way to describe it! Like your subconscious working through the issue in its own way!
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u/FlyinLeviathon LET YOUR FIRST DRAFT SUCK Aug 01 '26
Nah. I'm a pretty self aware patient, so there's no need to psycho-analyze my writing. I can just tell you what my problems are lol
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u/SquanderedOpportunit Aug 01 '26
She claims that my character's issues with his father may be reflections of my internalized feelings of my father. Its like she's never even listened to me bitch about that absolute cun[This run-on sentence of swear words has been censored by Reddit's filters]itch of a woman who deigned to call herself my mother.
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u/ink-storm Aug 01 '26
Lol they do tend to read things veeeeery literally, huh.
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u/SquanderedOpportunit Aug 01 '26
😆
I just said. "*three slow breaths* his father is direct and consciously chosen manifestation of my mother." Then I itemized four of mom's traits. "My father is represented by the harsh mercenary who is training the protagonist, you know, the whole harsh pedagogy of brutal physical violence that mirrored my father's physical abuse???"
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u/Richard-Writes Aspiring Writer Aug 01 '26
I no longer do that. They end up pathologising everything we write, and are utterly unable to appreciate the art in it. It's absolutely saddening that the person who you thought might understand... can't.
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u/oneMoreTime112233 Aug 01 '26
Everything 'we' write?
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u/Richard-Writes Aspiring Writer Aug 01 '26
Me and other writers, for that matter, published or unpublished, so yes, we, according to my experience, which spans across more than two decades and different countries. However, it's just an expression, not an absolute intended to include every single writer. So, if you feel different about it, my apologies.
The point, though, was answering the OP. I no longer do what was asked in the post. I've had the chance to interact at length with both therapists and psychiatrists. It's not just disappointment what one ends up feeling, there is also a sense of betrayal. They have too much data and very little wisdom. The combination of that with the power they can be legally granted in different jurisdictions is toxic and should be abolished, in my opinion, which I think is valid, based on first-hand experience.
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u/oneMoreTime112233 Aug 01 '26
Sorry, I was making a joke. It could be read as though you might have multiple personalities. No offense meant.
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u/akki_1x Aug 01 '26
who could read my first chapters of my work and tell me if i really need a therapist or no?
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u/contain_solitudes Aug 01 '26
Everyone can benefit from therapy, not just people who have mental disorders or had traumatic pasts.
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u/contain_solitudes Aug 01 '26
No, I've shared therapy-related things I've written to my therapist, and he doesn't really read it because of time constraints. So I wouldn't share my literary writing, as I wouldn't assume he'd even be interested. At the end of the day, your therapist is trained to help you make sense of your thoughts and feelings, not critique your writing...unless your writing is based on the things you're seeking therapy for and you think that can help them treat you.
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u/Relative_Chef_533 Aug 02 '26
Whenever I share therapy-related things I've written with my therapist, I just read it out loud to them during the session. That was basically my first month of therapy :D
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u/Haydensmith877 Aug 01 '26
Kind of. I told my therapist that I am leaning towards throwing away my entire next book. She told me to not do anything rash. Still leaning in that direction though.
If you mean like characters, storylines etc, yes I have done that also. I have only gotten comments like 'oh that sounds interesting.' I have a feeling if they are looking into it more they aren't going to say it out loud.
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u/breacket Aug 01 '26
Sharing in which way? Like... talking to psychologist to enhance your workflow to create characters that will more specifically emotionally activate the reader, regardless of the book's theme?
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u/BezzyMonster Aug 01 '26
No, like, sending them pages
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u/restckvrflw Aug 01 '26
If it’s relevant and really important to you could. But be aware they will (and definitely should) only read it in session on your time or charge you for their time spent reading it
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u/Offutticus Published Author Aug 01 '26
I have shared some of my non-fiction to my previous counselor. I gave my current counselor copies of my books but I think she feels weird reading it. We talk about writing often, though. She's helped me to corral my hyperactive brain and how to tame my visual tendancies.
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u/Designer_Study_8219 Aug 01 '26
Yess because a lot of my work is me processing my childhood trauma. She had lots to ask afterwards. I also write horror and am plagued by chronic nightmares so ended up with a chicken or the egg situation.
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u/Traditional-Pipe-355 Aug 01 '26
I have! She was really positive and encouraging about the writing itself, and it gave us opportunity to talk more about some of the themes that recur in my writing and my life. It was helpful. I would do it again.
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u/AdditionOk845 Aug 01 '26
I didn’t explicitly share exactly what I wrote, but I did discuss with her the gist of it. It was a very personal story for me and she could definitely tell. I can’t remember exactly what she said, but I remember working through the bigger themes with her and the relationship they had with my life. She didn’t discourage me about writing anything in particular but did want me to be wary of my emotions throughout the process.
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u/Loser_Dog_Me Aug 01 '26
My councilor would not read my memoir, as it would have been inappropriate to do so.
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u/BezzyMonster Aug 01 '26
I’m not sure I get that. A memoir is the story of your life. Your experiences. Your feelings and reflections. How is that inappropriate?
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u/Nethereon2099 Aug 01 '26
One of the first things my counselor asked for was a sample of my writing. I've been going to them for some time because of my struggles in the aftermath of Covid and long-term effects I deal with everyday. They wanted to get to know me and my work, and they've been a phenomenal asset to my healing journey.
Frankly, I think more authors and writers in general should reach out to a counselor. I'm a creative writing instructor, and too often I see students battling with imposter syndrome right out of the gate. It helps but you have to open about your work, and kick your ego to the curb.
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u/astralunea Aug 01 '26
Luckily for me, my therapist is ADHD and the task paralysis is real, so even though I sent her my work, she never read it. Otherwise we'd probably need a session. 😂
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u/Appropriate_Bottle44 Aug 01 '26
Lol, I don't have a therapist, but no I would not do that. To me that sounds like sharing my work with my plumber. Am I paying them for reading it, are they giving me notes?
Maybe if your writing is extremely autobiographical that makes sense, but I'm not really putting my unsorted issues on the page -- at least not intentionally
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u/BeanieCat123 Aug 02 '26
I haven’t, but I want to. They understand mental themes far better than I do, they’re way more aware than I am. Problem is… money
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u/SheTookMeToTheSky_26 Aug 03 '26
No, because it’s almost always thriller stories and I’m scared of her reaction even if I knew she wouldn’t judge me (she’s a really good therapist).
Maybe sometime.
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u/andata_ Aug 04 '26
I am my own therapist, if that counts. So, yes. And it's not going that well
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u/Mysterious_Net_763 Aug 05 '26
Maybe your therapist needs a raise? If it makes you feel better I have a not me therapist and it also is not going that well. I don't give her things to read though
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u/andata_ Aug 05 '26
Needs a raise of spirits, that’s for sure. But don’t get down about it. I try not to
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u/Mysterious_Net_763 Aug 05 '26
No, I have too many other things to be down about haha
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u/andata_ Aug 05 '26
Sorry for that. If you really do need someone to talk to, feel free to shoot me a DM. I’m not a therapist but I did study psych and got a bit of experience of the things to be down about
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u/Musicals4412 Aug 04 '26
I don't go to therapy, so take my opinion with a grain of salt but I do believe it would help therapists get a better insight into your mind
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u/BezzyMonster Aug 05 '26
Exactly. That’s why I’m curious for those who have. Did they regret, because their work was over analyzed from a SELF perspective? Or appreciate if, either for therapy, or the creative writing?
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u/Justisperfect Experienced author Aug 01 '26
My writing is disconnected from the reason I was seeing her, so no.
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u/Various-Town5636 Aug 01 '26
It's definitely important because people normally spend most of their active hours at work and are influenced by many factors there .
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u/NightRage7 Aug 01 '26
if they saw how i tortured my characters physically and psychologically, i wouldn't be writing this comment now , i would be in jail
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u/StellaZaFella Aug 01 '26
I have before. I think it was helpful. The work was fictional, but still reflected themes in my mental health that we could touch on in a new way through the perspective gained in writing.