The wound is the place where the Light enters you — Rumi
Writing to heal... the healing powers of creativity, art & writing
Writing to heal isn't just about venting your emotions. It's not about complaining, blaming or playing the victim. The real magic happens when you use your writing to empower yourself, to process stress and negative life experiences, and to better understand and learn from your emotions. Writing can help you put structure around anxious feelings. It can help you derive meaning and develop a greater awareness of the positive aspects of a past life event. If you allow yourself to grow in the way you view your experiences through the powerful process of writing, you have transformed your pain into art.
“When we use writing to lay bare our truths, we remain protagonists in our lives, rather than victims of circumstances beyond our control”
Deborah Siegel-Acevedo
Writing (and other creative endeavours) can facilitate working through and processing trauma because they help you focus, relax, disengage from painful memories, and feel a sense of control while you are writing. You ‘get in the flow’.
I'm sure you've heard of the 'Flow State’ - the complete immersion you experience, physically and emotionally, when you are engrossed in a task that brings you joy. People often experience flow states when doing something creative, but they can also be experienced through movement and embodiment, like when surfing or practising yoga. The Flow State is the state where the most healing can occur because you are at one with the life force energy that flows through you, detached from the incessant noise of the thinking mind.
You can transform – metamorphose – your experience of pain and suffering through the creative process
Over more than 17 years, I've been approached by so many clients who want to tell their healing stories. People who've healed from cancer and want to help others along the road to healing. Others with incurable cancer who want to leave a legacy for their families. Women in male-dominated professions who bring to light the inequalities and harassment in order to help other women in similar industries. Tributes to passed loved ones through biography and memoir. Fictionalised memoirs to help the writer work through lived experiences or childhood trauma ... and many more.
It was because of all these people who have come to me over the years that I wanted to introduce a writing to heal program that could help so many more people process their stories of trauma, loss, and grief.
Writing to heal truly helps people express, explore, and make sense of their emotions and experiences. In Writing to Heal, we include other therapies and healing modalities to complement and support the writing journey. The program also contains a whole bunch of resources – videos, podcasts, books, healers – to further support the writing to heal process.
Writing To Heal: Metamorphosis is a safe space for you to express and transform your trauma through writing where you will feel heard. The creative process of writing will help you transmute your pain into something beautiful. It will help you feel more in control of the pain you have experienced. This course will support you in whatever genre you feel most called to write in – e.g., novel, poetry, journal. When you use writing to heal, it is specific, authentic, and detailed. In telling your story through your writing, you transform from a victim into an empowered individual with authorship over your life.
Disclaimer: This course is not designed for people with deep, unaddressed trauma. I am a writing coach who over many years has worked with many people writing about their journey to healing; I am not a psychologist or a counsellor. Using writing as healing is about working towards closure of the traumatic experience.
Your objective may or may not be to publish your writing. The primary goal of the program is to support you in helping to heal your trauma experience through writing. If part of your writing to heal journey includes publishing your writing, that is fine too.
You may already know the genre you wish to express yourself in. If not, we will explore this in our discovery session or in the first session of the program. Here are a few of the mediums that may work for you:
You cannot find peace by avoiding life — Virginia Woolf
We all experience pain... Writing to Heal can help us all
The word 'trauma' is pretty heavily loaded. The truth is that we all experience some form of trauma (or pain) over the course of our time here on Earth. There is no hierarchy of trauma. Any experience that has caused you emotional pain is an experience that you get to heal, learn, and grow from, and transform into art through the creative process.
In an intimate group over 12 weeks. Two introductory sessions and 8 free-flow writing sessions based on participants’ needs.
Plus 2 calls with Susie of Sacred with Susie: Truth, Forgiveness, Self-love & Letting Go; and Emotional Intelligence & Mastery.
Emotional regulation tools
Guided emotional release practices, emotional intelligence videos and practices, and journalling prompts to support working through triggers from Sacred with Susie - an intuitive and empathetic coach who has a wealth of wisdom and practical experience to share.
Referral practitioners
A myriad of ‘tried and tested’ professional practitioners we can refer you to (psychologists as well as NLP coaches, emotional release practitioners and alternative healers) for optional additional support in processing your challenges.
Supportive material
Recommended podcasts, books and other courses intentionally chosen to support you through your writing to heal journey.
12 months masterclass access
Attend Gail's monthly Monday Night Scribbles masterclasses and workshops for free for 12 months
PLUS 15% exclusive VIP discount off professional editing services within 6 months of program completion for books OR 1 x 1.5-hour 1:1 Bonus Session for genres other than books
Working with Gail to write my book was the best decision I could have made. Initially I was very dubious as to how someone could understand my vision let alone help with such a personal project, but Gail amazed me. She is worth every cent and I highly recommend her and the ‘Get Your Book to the Finish Line Group Mastery’ program.
Prior to working with Gail my head was full of the story, but I kept drawing a frustrating blank as to how to write it all in a way that not only told my whole complex story, but that flowed for the reader.
What I appreciated most about the program was Gail’s innate ability to identify what I needed at any given stage of development. Some weeks I would be feeling hopeless but Gail unhesitatingly unjumbled both my written and spoken words, straightening them out in a logically transparent process, for me to begin work again with vigour, renewed by all the encouragement and support I needed to move forward.
While I have always felt the burning passion within me to write a book, Gail was the one who not only helped me pull it all together but who also did it in a way that was far better than I could ever have imagined. With her constant guidance, unwavering discipline, and fluid approach, I have managed to explore deep into the hidden recesses of my brain, turning my idea into something tangible I can be proud of. I believe, together with Gail, that I have created my own true 'masterpiece'.
Kaye Livingstone
Gail, I cannot believe how much writing my story has helped me deal with and heal my past. This is massive!
The therapy I do has had a huge effect on my own self-worth. As a consequence, I am looking at all areas of my life. I have the backs of everyone in my life and only some reciprocate. This has led to some conflict that I am sorting through.
It helps me every day as I use the past to influence my present. Thank you for being such a perfect coach, giving me a hard time when I need it, and steering me in the right direction all the time, and advertising online so I could find you.
Thank you so much Gail!
Writing this book is the most important thing I have ever done. Thank you 😊
Ps. I know you have my back too.
Dale L.
Thank you so much Gail for the Writing to Heal masterclass. There is so much to be uncovered here and I am so thankful for you offering this course Writing to Heal: Metamorphosis! What a beautiful way to help people face their fears, anxieties, and traumas and guide them to reclaiming their presence, power and peace. I love that you are helping people “rewrite” their story/narrative for life and offering a medium where they have the capacity to liberate themselves from conditioning, suffering and trauma. Thank you for contributing to the healing of myself, people and the planet 💓 (Jess runs Sanctuary Online, an online community of yoga, pilates, barre, and yin yoga).
Jess Verdier
'The session with you is the highlight of my week!'
Clare F.
I would never even have started my book without the program! It’s definitely doable to achieve the first draft of your book in 12 weeks by writing 500—1,000 words a day. The writing exercises, including those on free association and working on our chapter outlines, were great. Get Your Book to the Finish Line™ is a no-hype, all-action practical program with an experienced, knowledgeable, professional writing coach and editor. This makes the otherwise daunting process of writing a book simple, practical, and achievable. It is not just about writing a book, but writing a quality book that people want to read—Nik of SmashGo
Nik Cree
Nik is a digital marketer and online business strategist, assisting businesses with their digital transformation
The real voyage of discovery consists not of seeking new lands, but in seeing with new eyes — Marcel Proust Remembrance of Things Past
Writing to Heal: Metamorphosis is for you if...
You're Ready to Help Heal Yourself through Writing
You have experienced some type of trauma in your life and are excited to embark on the journey of healing your past experiences and metamorphosing from victim into creator through the creative process of writing.
You Love Writing
You love writing and have found it helpful in processing your emotions and past experiences.
You Crave Writing Direction & Accountability
You understand that the accountability and writing direction I can offer you from my 20+ years experience in the industry will support you in achieving your goal of turning your past experiences and pain into art and creating a more structured and polished piece of work.
You Are Ready to Increase your Emotional Intelligence
You know the tools, practices, and wisdom pieces that this course gives you will be deeply transformational and supportive on your writing to heal journey.
You Desire Small Group Support
You know it will be deeply supportive and helpful to be held by an intimate group going on the same writing to heal journey with you.
You're Ready to Invest Your Time, Energy & Finances
You're ready to dive into your writing to heal journey and immerse yourself in the healing powers of the creative process.
These famous writers channelled their pain into creativity:
Rudyard Kipling Maya Angelou Caged Bird John Burnside A Lie About My Father Marcel Proust In Search of Lost Time Frida Kahlo, who, apart from being a visual artist, journalled and wrote poetry Victor Frankl Man’s Search for Meaning
Writing to Heal: Metamorphosis is not for you if...
☓You Have a Lot of Deep Unresolved Trauma You have experienced deep trauma in your life and have never addressed it.
☓You're Wanting Professional Help Instead You need professional help from a psychologist or counsellor, not a writing to heal course.
☓You Have Zero Interest in Writing You prefer to express yourself in other ways and don't believe writing can support you at all.
Common Questions People Ask
Is your program restricted to any particular genre?
No. In this program, you can write any genre that you feel works best to express your emotions and help you heal. It might be fiction or nonfiction. You might want to fictionalise your experiences in a novel. You might like to write poetry. You may wish to journal. You may decide to write your memoir. You may want to write a self-help book that will help others who’ve had similar experiences. Or you might find that free writing, or writing for your eyes only, is what suits you best. You are limited only by your imagination.
What if I don't have the time?
It’s important to make the commitment to this writing journey, and in our first session we’ll talk about ways to fit writing into your busy lifestyle.
What if I've never written before?
It doesn’t matter. I’ve worked with many writers who’ve never written before, so you will be learning the skills to express yourself through writing and be supported in your writing journey.
What's different about this program?
Many writing for healing programs are completely self-led, leaving you without accountability or support on your journey. Furthermore, many are not designed by professional book writing coaches.
In Metamorphosis you're completely supported along your journey by me (Gail, your writing coach) and various practitioners, and you are provided with emotional release tools. You're also supported by the intimate group of people inside the course who are on the same journey as you are, experiencing all the things you are too.
I'm a book writing coach and Accredited Editor. I have a degree in news journalism and a Master of Arts in Linguistics. I have a background in journalism, corporate business analysis and documentation management, editing books of all genres, and coaching.
Having trained as a journalist gives me an edge as a book coach—I know the right questions to ask and I know what makes good writing.
I’ve also written and published books myself—so not only am I a coach, but also a self-published author.
I've been working with other writers since the early 2000s, helping them with book coaching, professional editing, manuscript appraisals and publishing know-how.
(function(){var c = document.body.classList;c.remove('edd-js-none');c.add('edd-js');})();
(function(d,s,i,r) {
if (d.getElementById(i)){return;}
var n=d.createElement(s),e=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
n.id=i;n.src='//js.hs-analytics.net/analytics/'+(Math.ceil(new Date()/r)*r)+'/9182723.js';
e.parentNode.insertBefore(n, e);
})(document,"script","hs-analytics",300000);
var astra = {"break_point":"921","isRtl":"","is_scroll_to_id":"","is_scroll_to_top":"1","is_header_footer_builder_active":"1","revealEffectEnable":"","edit_post_url":"https:\/\/bookwritingcoach.com.au\/wp-admin\/post.php?post={{id}}&action=edit","ajax_url":"https:\/\/bookwritingcoach.com.au\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php","infinite_count":"2","infinite_total":"0","pagination":"number","infinite_scroll_event":"scroll","no_more_post_message":"No more posts to show.","grid_layout":"1","site_url":"https:\/\/bookwritingcoach.com.au","blogArchiveTitleLayout":"","blogArchiveTitleOn":"","show_comments":"Show Comments","masonryEnabled":"","blogMasonryBreakPoint":"921"};
var edd_scripts = {"ajaxurl":"https:\/\/bookwritingcoach.com.au\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php","position_in_cart":"","has_purchase_links":"0","already_in_cart_message":"You have already added this item to your cart","empty_cart_message":"Your cart is empty","loading":"Loading","select_option":"Please select an option","is_checkout":"0","default_gateway":"stripe","redirect_to_checkout":"0","checkout_page":"https:\/\/bookwritingcoach.com.au\/checkout\/","permalinks":"1","quantities_enabled":"1","taxes_enabled":"1","current_page":"382609"};
var wpcw_frontend_params = {"api_url":"https:\/\/bookwritingcoach.com.au\/wp-json\/wpcw\/v1\/api\/","api_nonce":"29d340ddce","ajax_api_url":"\/?wpcw-ajax=%%endpoint%%","ajax_api_nonce":"60d8b12827","ajaxurl":"https:\/\/bookwritingcoach.com.au\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php","enrollment_nonce":"3f72863778","progress_nonce":"8d9d60ec0a","str_uploading":"Uploading:","str_quiz_all_fields":"Please provide an answer for all of the questions on this page.","timer_units_hrs":"hrs","timer_units_mins":"mins","timer_units_secs":"secs","min_password_strength":"3","i18n_password_error":"Please enter a stronger password.","i18n_password_hint":"Hint: The password should be at least twelve characters long. To make it stronger, use upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols like ! \" ? $ % ^ & ).","course_progress":{"i18n_confirm_reset_unit":"Are you sure you wish to reset your progress of this Unit? This CANNOT be undone.","i18n_confirm_reset_units":"Are you sure you wish to reset your progress up to this Unit? This CANNOT be undone."}};
var wpcw_course_note_params = {"api_url":"https:\/\/bookwritingcoach.com.au\/wp-json\/wpcw\/v1\/api\/","api_nonce":"29d340ddce","ajax_api_url":"\/?wpcw-ajax=%%endpoint%%","ajax_api_nonce":"60d8b12827","delete_note_confirm":"Are you sure you wish to delete your note?"};
var quicktagsL10n = {"closeAllOpenTags":"Close all open tags","closeTags":"close tags","enterURL":"Enter the URL","enterImageURL":"Enter the URL of the image","enterImageDescription":"Enter a description of the image","textdirection":"text direction","toggleTextdirection":"Toggle Editor Text Direction","dfw":"Distraction-free writing mode","strong":"Bold","strongClose":"Close bold tag","em":"Italic","emClose":"Close italic tag","link":"Insert link","blockquote":"Blockquote","blockquoteClose":"Close blockquote tag","del":"Deleted text (strikethrough)","delClose":"Close deleted text tag","ins":"Inserted text","insClose":"Close inserted text tag","image":"Insert image","ul":"Bulleted list","ulClose":"Close bulleted list tag","ol":"Numbered list","olClose":"Close numbered list tag","li":"List item","liClose":"Close list item tag","code":"Code","codeClose":"Close code tag","more":"Insert Read More tag"};
( function( domain, translations ) {
var localeData = translations.locale_data[ domain ] || translations.locale_data.messages;
localeData[""].domain = domain;
wp.i18n.setLocaleData( localeData, domain );
} )( "default", {"translation-revision-date":"2024-07-11 10:54:13+0000","generator":"GlotPress\/4.0.1","domain":"messages","locale_data":{"messages":{"":{"domain":"messages","plural-forms":"nplurals=2; plural=n != 1;","lang":"en_AU"},"%1$s is deprecated since version %2$s with no alternative available.":["%1$s is deprecated since version %2$s with no alternative available."],"%1$s is deprecated since version %2$s! Use %3$s instead.":["%1$s is deprecated since version %2$s! Use %3$s instead."],"Dismiss this notice.":["Dismiss this notice."],"Expand Main menu":["Expand Main menu"],"You are about to permanently delete these items from your site.\nThis action cannot be undone.\n'Cancel' to stop, 'OK' to delete.":["You are about to permanently delete these items from your site.\nThis action cannot be undone.\n'Cancel' to stop, 'OK' to delete."],"Collapse Main menu":["Collapse Main menu"]}},"comment":{"reference":"wp-admin\/js\/common.js"}} );
var thickboxL10n = {"next":"Next >","prev":"< Prev","image":"Image","of":"of","close":"Close","noiframes":"This feature requires inline frames. You have iframes disabled or your browser does not support them.","loadingAnimation":"https:\/\/bookwritingcoach.com.au\/wp-includes\/js\/thickbox\/loadingAnimation.gif"};
You're Ready to Help Heal Yourself through Writing