🌿 Introduction – Writing As a Path to Healing
Long before therapists guided clients through trauma with writing exercises, a shepherd-king poured out his soul onto scrolls. That king was David, and his writings—known today as the Psalms—mirror what modern therapists call Written Exposure Therapy (WET).
WET is a short-term, evidence-based method of healing that invites people to write about a painful experience. The goal isn’t to erase pain—but to process it, integrate it, and step forward in freedom.
For the Christian believer, this concept might feel new—but it’s not unbiblical. In fact, David’s Psalms reflect every stage of this therapeutic journey. He faced his fears, wrote his wounds, and through that process, met the presence of God.
🔹 What is Written Exposure Therapy?
WET is a five-session therapeutic model that helps individuals process trauma and distress by writing about a specific painful memory repeatedly over time.
Its power lies in these elements:
-
Facing what hurts instead of avoiding it
-
Naming the emotional and cognitive impact
-
Writing and rewriting to move from chaos to clarity
-
Reclaiming authorship of your story—not just what happened, but how it’s integrated
🔹 David, the Psalms, and the Therapy of Writing
David’s psalms are not polished praise pieces—they are often raw, disjointed, emotionally intense outpourings.
Let’s explore how several key Psalms reflect the emotional arc of WET:
🖋️ WET Session 1: Emotional Exposure
Goal: Begin writing about what happened—honestly and without censoring
Psalm Parallel: Psalm 55
David writes of betrayal, fear, and anxiety:
“My heart is in anguish within me… Fear and trembling have beset me.” (Psalm 55:4-5, NIV)
🖋️ WET Session 2: Revisit and Expand
Goal: Re-express the event—what stands out now?
Psalm Parallel: Psalm 31
David reflects on past distress, but also begins to speak of trust.
“I am forgotten as though I were dead… But I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’” (Psalm 31:12,14, NIV)
🖋️ WET Session 3: Identify Emotions and Impact
Goal: Name what the experience did to your thoughts, identity, and body
Psalm Parallel: Psalm 42
David engages in deep self-reflection:
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” (Psalm 42:5, NIV)
🖋️ WET Session 4–5: Integration and Reframing
Goal: Reflect on what was lost—and what still holds true
Psalm Parallel: Psalm 13
From despair to hope in six short verses:
“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?” (Psalm 13:1, NIV)
ends with:
“But I trust in your unfailing love…” (Psalm 13:5, NIV)
🔹 Writing As Worship. Writing As Witness.
David didn’t write to get published. He wrote to survive. He wrote to pray.
He wrote because it was the one thing that made sense in a world where nothing else did.
And so can we.
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
—Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
Stillness doesn’t mean doing nothing. It means pausing long enough to name what’s real—and trust that God is already present in it.
🔹 The Power of the Pen in God’s Hands
For believers who have experienced trauma, grief, or overwhelming emotion—writing may become a pathway to healing.
Not a substitute for prayer, but a form of prayer.
Not a replacement for faith, but an act of faith.
“Pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”
—Psalm 62:8 (NIV)
🙏 Closing Reflection
You don’t need to be a king or a poet.
You don’t need to show anyone your pages.
You simply need a willing heart—and ten quiet minutes.
Try it.
Write what you haven’t spoken aloud.
Write as David did: with tears, trust, and truth.
