The Healing Power Of Journaling with Diana Raab

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Raab is an expert in journaling. She encourages each of us to make it part of our daily lives. She says, “Sometimes we feel bad but we don’t really know why. [Journaling] clears your mind and your mental health status  improves . . .Very often we are so busy, robotically going about our daily life, we don’t reflect on whether or not we’re happy. . . Journaling will help you find your joy. . . .I try to tell everyone to find your joy because you are just here for a short period of time. So, whatever brings you pleasure, that is where you should go.” She also shares some very specific suggestions about how to write poetry. This far ranging dialogue includes some readings on how others have faced their addictions. (hosted by Justine Willis Toms)

Bio

Diana Raab is an advocate of the healing power of writing and teaches nation-wide workshops and in the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. She’s an award-winning memoirist and poet.

She is the author of many books including:

• Healing With Words: A Writer's Cancer Journey (Loving Healing Press 2010)
• Regina’s Closet: Finding My Grandmother's Secret Journal (Beaufort Books 2007)
• Writers and Their Notebooks (editor) (University of South Carolina Press 2010)
• Writers on the Edge: 22 Writers Speak About Addiction and Dependency (coeditor with James Brown) (Modern History Press 2012)
• Writing for Bliss: A Seven-Step Plan for Telling Your Story and Transforming Your Life (Loving Healing Press 2017)

To learn more about the work of Diana Raab go to www.dianaraab.com.

Topics explored in this dialogue include:

• Why we must pay attention to signs of depression and threats of suicide
• What can we do to help ourselves or someone else who is suffering from depression and loneliness
• Why it is so difficult to ask for help from others
• Why we need to eliminate, if we can, toxic people from our lives
• Why we need to take time to find what brings us joy
• What are some hints to writing poetry
• How people can be just as toxic as substances

Host: Justine Willis Toms       Interview Date: 3/22/2012     Program Number: 3431

Music Playlist

From Album: Amber
Artist: Michael Jones & David Darling
1987 Narada #CD-1014

Opening Essay: Track 02 Sunshine Canyon
Music Break 1: Track 07 Shadows of the Moon
Music Break 2: Track 01 Rainfall
Music Break 3: Track 02 Sunshine Canyon (reprise)