From the beginning of recorded history, people in diverse cultures have embraced the idea that creative expression, including visual art, stories, dance and music, contributes to healing.
In recent times the therapeutic benefit of expressive writing has been well researched in the global north, but not in the global south. This is a significant gap because potentially healing interventions need to be investigated in different contexts, particularly where trauma, limited resources and a need to build a caring and compassionate society exist.
A recently published paper analysed the findings of a study among a diverse group of South Africans who were members of a writing group, the Life Righting Collective. Medical students at the University of Cape Town interviewed 20 members of the collective as part of a medical humanities study module.
