My all-time favorite read in the area of therapeutic writing is Deena Metzger’s Writing for Your Life. (http://deenametzger.net). It was the hook for my wanting to deepen my understanding of the use of writing for self- understanding and self-development. It has one of the best chapters on seeing our lives as “story” that I have read. The author intersperses challenging and meaningful exercises throughout. First published in 1992, it is still popular. I agree with the commentary on Amazon:
In the tradition of Annie Dillard and Natalie Goldberg, this resource for writers and non-writers alike shows the act of writing to be a dynamic means of knowing, healing, and creating the body, mind, and spirit.