This experiential Continuing Professional Development day focuses on creative writing and its use within therapy and therapeutic settings.


Therapy clients often find writing to be a useful resource, whether to express the ‘unsayable’ or to understand their feelings in a more tangible form. Through practice, this workshop will explore some helpful techniques and raise confidence in using the written and spoken word.

Some counsellors and psychotherapists use creative writing as part of their own reflective practice to understand transferential relationships, create boundaries between sessions and for their own personal and professional development.

The day will focus on a range of applications, including:


Claire Williamson

Claire brings an integrative approach to using creative writing in the therapeutic encounter. She’s Programme Leader for Metanoia Institute’s MSc in Creative Writing for Therapeutic Purposes (CWTP), with over 20 years experience in the field of CWTP, including work in bereavement, mental health, addiction recovery, self-injury, cancer care, plus many educational and artistic settings.

Claire has facilitated training for counsellors at City of Bristol College’s FD in Counselling and UWE’s Diploma in Counselling. She also works with medical students at University of Bristol and Queen Mary University in London, exploring how creativity can support people within healthcare settings.

She’s a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy, with a Masters degree in Literary Studies (exploring the life sustaining effects of writing) and studying at Cardiff University for a PhD in Creative Writing (exploring writing the 21st century bereavement novel), with a Counselling Skills qualification (UWE).

Claire is the author of three poetry/narrative books, Split Ends (Eyewear, 2016), The Soulwater Pool (2008) and Ride On (PoTA, 2005). Her forthcoming collection, Visiting the Minotaur, is to be published by Seren in April 2018. Read more on her website: clairewilliamson.co.uk


DATE: Friday 1st June 2018

VENUE: Gestalt Centre Wales, 10 Hocker Hill Street, Chepstow, NP16 5ER Or Manor House, Bank Street, Chepstow NP16 5EL (TBC)

TIMINGS: Arrive from 9.30am for a 10.00am prompt start, finishing at 3.30pm

COST: Total Cost £85.00 (early bird £65.00)

BOOKING: Please contact Claire on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any queries.

Please contact Anne for booking on 07863 976 833; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


Writing for Wellbeing at Chepstow Therapy Rooms

From December 2017, Claire will be available for group Writing for Wellbeing sessions (£20 per 1.5 hour session – numbers permitting) and 1-1 sessions (£45 per 1 hour session), using Creative Writing for Therapeutic  Purposes.