AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL WRITING

Using the Birren model of Guided Autobiographical Writing (GAB) this module will provide a reflective framework for making sense of our life journey and our encounters with the creative expressive arts and social arts practices. This a holistic inquiry “researched and developed by Dr. James Birren over the past 40 years as a method for helping people document their life stories” through writing.

In response to specific writing prompts and ancillary questions, each participant writes a two-page story on a particular theme each week, brings the story to class and reads it. Writer Joan Didion explains: “I write entirely to find out what I am thinking.” Thoughts move through our minds all day. They float in; they float out. We pay attention to some and ignore others. We rarely allow ourselves to stay with a thought—to develop it, question it, refine it. Writing allows us to tease out our thoughts and feelings, to follow and build upon them.“

OUTCOMES

Promote Self-Reflexivity: Use guided writing to gain insights into your personal history and patterns.
Foster Authentic Expression: Build the ability to deeply express oneself through written narratives.