Poetry and Therapy

Christine Bousfield

For many years, Christine Bousfield has run poetry workshops with therapeutic aims, for instance, for Mind, for diabetics and diabetic children at Harrogate Hospital, for training counsellors in Wakefield, on MA courses in psychoanalysis and literature, and for Lapidus (Literary Arts for Personal Development). She is a member of that organization and maintains its ethical code in her practice.

Christine has undertaken poetry in healthcare training, and is available to run poetry therapy workshops, particularly in settings such as poetry groups, nursing and residential homes, and for counsellor and psychotherapist training.

Some Associations

• Gillie Bolton. Freelance consultant in Therapeutic Writing, Literature and Medicine, editor of The Journal of Medical Humanities, and Associate Editor of The Journal of Poetry Therapy, and Editor of the library series Writing for Therapy and Personal Development (Jessica Kingsley)
• Victoria Field. Ex-director of Survivors Poetry, poet, and poetry therapist
• Graham Hartill. Poet, workshop facilitator and co-founder of Lapidus
• Cheryl Moskowitz. Poet, playwright, novelist, psychodynamic counsellor, and MA Tutor in Creative Writing and Development, University of Sussex
• Kate Thompson. Vice chair of Lapidus, and professional trainer in the use of journal writing as therapy
• Carole Emmett. Counsellor for the Wakefield Well Woman Centre
• Alison Hall. Psychoanalyst and director of the MA in Psychoanalysis, Leeds Metropolitan University

Curriculum Vitae

Download Christine Bousfield's C.V.

• C.V. in Microsoft Word
• C.V. in Adobe PDF

Testimonials

Kate Thompson:
“In Christine Bousfield's workshop, participants are guided through childhood to memories of illness, and which then become narratives of healing and understanding. She uses psychoanalytic theory as a way of interpreting and underpinning the work” (‘Exploring Childhood: Lacan and Kristeva’ in G. Bolton, V. Field and K. Thompson (eds) (2006) Writing Works: A Resource Handbook for Therapeutic Writing Workshops and Activities. London: Jessica Kingsley, p. 214

Carole Emmett, counsellor:
“I found that this workshop brought out creativity in me that I hadn't realised I had; it was both stimulating, enlightening and therapeutic, yet lighthearted, comfortable and non-threatening. I found the facilitator to be very warm, accepting and non-judgmental, amongst a diverse mix of clients. I found it to be a great experience, and would certainly do it again.”

Cheryl Moskowitz:
“[I was] remembering a time when I had been emotionally and physically absent…  [but] writing it down had left me with a very positive, empowered feeling of being absolutely and fully emotionally and physically present. I was enormously grateful for the workshop.”