The power of the written word

The cathartic effects of writing are particularly beneficial for clients who cannot or would prefer not to directly discuss their experiences. The Medical Foundation's first writing group was established at the London centre ten years ago. The success of the project has been replicated at the Scotland centre and both groups have since achieved fame on the literary circuit by showcasing their work at numerous festivals.

The London project, Write to Life, was started by playwright Sonja Linden as a means of helping torture survivors remove the shackles of their past by writing. Now under the stewardship of screenwriter and novelist Sheila Hayman, the project has become increasingly prolific.

With the help of several distinguished writers acting as mentors for individual clients, memories that could otherwise terrify and weaken have been turned into intensely moving poems, short stories and pieces of autobiographical journalism that bear witness to a horrific past but also to the therapeutic power of the written word.

The group, comprising some 20 clients, all referred by counsellors who recognise that for some writing can heal like no other form of therapy, has gone on to publish three collections of work. Some of the writers were well established in their homeland; others took up writing as a creative salvation.

"The starting point of Write to Life is that writing is something that almost anybody can do, however desperate their situation," says Sheila. "All it takes is a pen and paper and enough peace to be able to let the words come out. By creating coherence out of an incoherent life, writing helps us all to envision and make real a better future."

All Write, the Scottish equivalent of the group, was established in 2006 and comprises clients who were journalists and writers in their own countries and others who are rooting themselves in a new skill.

Offerings from the writers have become more personal as time has gone on and trust been built up within the group. The group made its first public appearance at 2006's Edinburgh Fringe and appeared again in 2007 at Amnesty International's Imprisoned Writers Series.

As well as appearing on stage at Edinburgh, some of the writers have gone on to perform at Ledbury Poetry Festival to widespread acclaim, they have performed in Brighton to launch the group's latest booklet of published work, and talks are currently underway to make a book of their short stories available in a chain of high street coffee shops.

More recently, the publications 'Welcome to Britain' and 'Sow the Wind, Reap the Whirlwind' were recently accepted into the British Library where it is hoped they will reach an even wider audience.