Dr. Lindsey McMaster is a longtime instructor in English Studies and Academic Writing at Nipissing University, but she always wondered if there was a way for writing to contribute to students' well-being instead of stressing them out.
"Psychologists have studied the benefits of expressive writing' for both mental and physical health," says McMaster. "I wondered if we could bring those insights into an English course."
The idea had to go on the backburner until the right course came along, but when a first-year English course became available, McMaster jumped at the chance.
"I liked the idea of teaching this topic at the first-year level when students are excited to try new things and see what happens," she said. Students in the course adopted a "self-case study" approach to journaling, observing whether their new "writing interventions" really made a difference.
"It was fascinating to see whether the techniques outlined in the scientific studies really worked when students tried them out," McMaster notes.
In the course, students reported on both the positives and negatives of writing techniques aimed at well-being, as outlined in studies from psychology. They also found mentors from the past in creative writers who kept diaries, wrote autobiographies, and made webcomics.
"The good thing was," says McMaster, "students could adapt their approach based on what worked for them; writing for well-being isn't a one size fits all.' It's more about knowing that writing can genuinely help and then finding your own style. It's creative. In fact, the more creative you are, the more you'll start to enjoy it and see the benefits."
As the course went on, students identified a wide array of concerns that impact their mental health: academic pressure, fear of failure, homesickness, social anxiety, perfectionism, procrastination and more.
"At any given moment, our students are going through a lot; but when they know that writing can help, it's empowering."
When the course wrapped up, McMaster looked for ways to share the results with other English teachers. The resulting article, "Writing for Well-Being in the English Studies Classroom" was published this fall in the UK journal Changing English by Taylor and Francis.
"I'm hoping this could influence how we teach English Studies. It's not so much about writing the perfect essay; it's about discovering the point and purpose of writing in your own life."
