27+ resources to shape your perspective on writing about trauma

The books, articles and podcasts (& a poem!) that have influenced me most

Welcome to Life after Trauma; I’m Clare Egan. This month, we’re exploring the topic of writing about trauma. Last week, I shared a personal essay about how writing saved my life:

I survived only because I am a writer.

Today, I’ve collated a list of the books, articles and podcasts that have shaped my thinking on the challenges and opportunities of writing about trauma.

I’ve been reading deeply on this topic for more than a decade. Often, I’ve found deep healing in my work. Other times, I’ve been profoundly triggered. I’ve done a lot of work to establish boundaries around my work and to cultivate a lasting sense of creative resilience. When I sit down to excavate my deepest traumas in the hope of converting them into art, I know the emotional terrain that lie ahead. The resources listed below have helped me to more fully understand my work, and what I hope it will achieve in the world. If you’re exploring similar themes in your creative work, I hope this list will be a resource to you.

As always, I’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments. If there’s someone who you think might benefit from this list, please share it with them. So many of us are writing about trauma in isolation, but we shouldn’t have to do it alone. If you’re craving more community in your work, you are so welcome here 💕

Heads up: This post is too long to fit in email. Click through to read it in full!

Photo by Katelyn G on Unsplash

Books:

Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative by

Melissa Febos

I loved the book and really recommend it in its entirety, but her essays are also available for free online. Here’s a good place to start: (free registration is required to access it) The Heart-Work: Writing About Trauma as a Subversive Act.

Expressive writing about trauma strengthens the immune system, decreases obsessive thinking, and contributes to the overall health of the writers. And this is after only four days of fifteen-minute sessions.”