Parkinson's & Therapeutic Creative Writing

One thing I discovered very early in my life as a Parkinsonian... People living with Parkinson's are a very creative lot! Over the years I've noted a seemingly greater than "normal" percentage of us are "writers".

My first recollection in this regard was a book of Essays I was given shortly after diagnosis. That book was Patient Perspectives on Parkinson's - A Series of Essays By Sid and Donna Dorros. I still have it!

I also became a subscriber to the e-mail PARKINSN List. There I found many talented wordsmiths, Dennis Greene, Barbara Blake-Krebs, Joan Blessington Snyder, Jerry Finch, David Boots, Barb Mallutt, Bob Armentrout, Janet Paterson, Kees Paap, Camilla Hewson Flintermann, & John Bjork's saga A View From The Lighter Side of Parkinson's Disease from Parkinsaw, MI

to name just a few... Then, in August, 2002, I read this Article...

As Easy As ABC! The Power of Therapeutic Writing
Easy As ABC

When this piece was brought to my attention, suddenly it all made sense... Of course!! Writing is Therapeutic!! I typed that phrase into the GOOGLE Search Box on my browser...

Writing is Therapeutic
Fitness Past Fifty!

I have found that keeping busy is very important to Parkinsonians, and keeping busy in a positive manner contributes to Quality of Life! Remember the wise words of your elders ... "An idle mind is the workshop of the Devil himself!" echo in my ears. Writing is a wonderful therapeutic tool for overall mental health and time passes unbelievably swiftly when seized by the compulsion of a "Project" (this web site is an example...)

What is the Power of Writing?
http://www.journaltherapy.com/power_of_writing.htm

How do we get started? (All you really need is paper and a pen...) We could take an online course...

Margie Davis's Online Writing Courses
http://members.aol.com/MDavis1493/writing.htm

Check out Poems by Bob "Tex" Armentrout - genuine creativity!
http://www.geocities.com/bobarmentrout/index.html

Check out RhymeZone rhyming dictionary and thesaurus!
http://www.rhymezone.com/

Check out the humor in the inspired writing of David Boots aka Chris Kinesia...
BootsNet

Many Parkinsonians have written entire books...

Read the stories behind Voices From the Parking Lot

Read the Forward by Robin Elliot.

To order copies of "Voices from the Parking Lot" - parkinson’s insights and perspectives
Voices From the Parking Lot

"When Parkinson’s Strikes Early: Voices, Choices, Resources and Treatment" by Barbara Blake-Krebs and Linda Herman
http://www.hunterhouse.com/showbook.asp?bid=148

Carey Christensen calls those PWP's who somehow manage to describe the essence of living with PD "PD Translators" - not only is writing therapeutic for themselves and others with PD, but it is also valuable in helping those without PD understand this crazy disease - a hard thing to do...
PD Translators

Now you'd like a little Chaucer? Check out the li'l CT redhead's considerable talent at the "October Mourning" web site.

We could write a request for National Medicare Coverage for Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's... Dr. Barry Green of Tyler Texas did just that... on behalf of 8,000 others...

Barry Green also collaborated on the book "Parkinson Predicament & a Spoonful of Sugar: My Life with Parkinson's Disease" by Barbara Coleman, Barry Green, et al; 1997 and is the editor and publisher of an independent tabloid newspaper by and for Parkinsonians "Parkinsonian People" now in it's eighth year! How can you get a copy? Write to:

Parkinsonian People
4801 Richmond Road,
Tyler, Texas 75703

Read about it in PDF News. (Scroll WAY down to Parkinsonian People...)

Parkinsonian People is a non-profit and relies on contributions and donations to make ends meet... and... you just might find a piece by Marge Moylan, or Linda Herman, or Murray Charters?

You could write An Introduction to Therapeutic Metaphors to give folks an understanding of what a therapeutic metaphor is (hence, the "intro"); and then offer some actual metaphors to use to help reduce all kinds of upset feelings.... Bill Giddings did...

The link will take you to some easy-to-follow self-help techniques that can help reduce all kinds of upset feelings. Check it out if if you're feeling overwhelmed, anxious, angry, depressed, scared, worried...or just plain stressed--or if you know someone else who is.
http://www.edgeoftheforest.com/metaphors.htm

You could "create" an entire web site from "scratch"... Phil Tompkins did...
http://www.pdindex.org/

PD seems to unleash or release the creative talent in many of my Parkinsonian friends... Explore the creative genius liberally displayed on this truly marvelous web site!
PD Creativity I love the "films"!

And... Speaking of unleashing creative talent reminds me of
an eZine - Virtuality!

or... check out this remarkably informative web site produced by another "cyber-acquaintance"...

Some Interesting and Useful Web Links
Contains annotated web links for free, informative, and regularly accessible sites.
http://www.geocities.com/interestingweblinks/index.htm

Do ya have to be a Dr. or have a degree or two? I don't think so... (I'm a mechanic...) There are tons of "tools" online, and you could just write for yourself... or... if you look closely, there are tools to help you assist your grandchildren with their homework assignments...

Writing to Heal, Writing to Grow
The therapeutic writing (aka journal writing) courses at Writing to Heal, Writing to Grow are based on research which shows that writing deep thoughts and feelings about stressful events can help people reduce stress, have more positive outlooks, and boost their immune systems.
http://www.writingtoheal.com/

Literary Resources on the Net
http://newark.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Lit/

Resources for Writers and Writing Instructors
http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/links.html

OWL - Online Writing Lab - Internet Resources
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/internet/resources/

OWL - Online Writing Lab - Research and Reference
This section has links to dictionaries and style manuals, online references, indexes for writers, online libraries, online books and e-texts, and online newspapers and journals.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/internet/resources/sourceofinfo.html

Online Tools To Help You Write
http://freereads.topcities.com/usefullinksforauthors.html

Harvard - The Writing Center - Writing Tools
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/...

Can't go to Harvard you say? What about the University of Montana?
Writing Center at the University of Montana

WriterKorner - Articles, Tips, and Tools for Writers-in-Waiting
http://www.peak.org/~bonwritr/ygwriters.htm

Writers' Online Resources
http://www.mun.ca/writingcentre/tools.shtml

Tips Techniques and Checklists
http://www.jeanweber.com/howto/index.htm

Readers and Writers Resources
http://www.diane.com/readers/

The Internet Public Library
http://www.ipl.org/

The Internet Public Library: Literary Criticism
http://www.ipl.org/div/litcrit/guide.html

Indispensable Writing Resources
A Complete Collection of Writing Essentials
http://www.quintcareers.com/writing/

Welcome to the Writer's Resource Center
http://www.poewar.com/

Sell Writing Online (SWO)
http://www.sellwritingonline.com/

The Technical Writer's Resource
http://www.worldwidelinks.net/techwriting/

Fiction Writer's Resource Page
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~tjp4773/writersresources.html

Newbie Writer's Resource
http://www.eggplant-productions.com/newbie/

Newbie Writer's Resource Pages - PDF Version
http://www.eggplant-productions.com/newbie/nw03-09-2001.pdf

Map (Media Awareness Project)Inc. - Writer's Resources
http://www.mapinc.org/resource/

Reference.Bartleby.com
http://www.bartleby.com/reference/

Sharpwriters.com
http://www.sharpwriter.com/

Grammar Bytes! Interactive Grammar Review!
http://www.chompchomp.com/
http://www.chompchomp.com/menu.htm

iTools - We've replaced our Research-It! and Find-It! pages with better tools.
http://www.itools.com/

Information Please for Teachers
http://teachers.infoplease.com/?link=tmplnav

The Writers Page - Writers Resources Online
http://www.indranet.com/writinginfo.html#style

The 101 Best websites for Writers for 2003
http://www.writersdigest.com/101sites/2003_index.asp

Best websites for 2002 - Complete A-Z List
http://www.writersdigest.com/101sites/categorysearch.asp?year_101=2002

Best websites for 2001 - Complete A-Z List
http://www.writersdigest.com/101sites/categorysearch.asp?year_101=2001

The WritersDigest.com Advice Archives - Visit our Tip of the Day Archives for tips on everything from dialogue and plot to selling your work.
http://www.writersdigest.com/tiparchives.asp

FactMonster...
http://www.factmonster.com/?wtlAC=infoplease.com,LNnav

Writer's Corner
http://www.hellolincoln.com/vnews/display.v/SEC/Writer's+Corner

Scroll down the page (from the link above) and in the left column near the bottom, discover a MENU...

Writer's Corner
- Ebooks
- Authors
- Electronic Publishers
- For Beginners
- Paper Publishers
- Web Publishers
- Writing Basics