Writing for well-being: from my adolescence to my adolescent students

Writing has been shown to improve both mental and physical health. The practice of writing is often utilized for therapeutic means in formal and informal settings. Writing can support an overall well-being when implemented in secondary English classrooms to aid adolescents in the process of identity formation and utilize this difficult time to build coping mechanisms. This thesis is rooted in my experience with writing as a source of comfort and understanding during my adolescence. I use my experience and a variety literature on writing for therapeutic or academic purposes to explore how writing for well-being can be implemented into English classrooms. My analysis is separated into five main categories: Writing as a Release, Writing to Understand, Writing in Variety, Writing Routines, and Writing to Share.