5 Ways Poetry can Impact our Mental Health
look at you.
still standing
after being
knocked down
and thrown out.
look at you.
still growing
after being
picked and plucked
and prodded out of
your home.
look at you.
still dancing
and singing
after being
defeated and disassembled.
look at you, love.
still here and hopeful
after it all.
Resilience By Alex Elle https://www.alexelle.com/
This poem right here, is an example of how poetry can help us express and share our emotions, our thoughts and our story. The art of weaving words into verses holds a unique way to express our emotions, offering comfort and catharsis.
If you are a library staff that is thinking about curating collections, organizing events or offering programming to patrons experiencing mental health challenges, you should consider incorporating poetry into these resources.
Here are 5 ways poetry can impact our mental health
Expressive outlet for emotions: Poetry provides a safe and creative space to express our deepest emotions and thoughts. Through the rhythmic flow of verses, we can explore our innermost struggles, joys, and fears, providing a cathartic release that can help with emotional processing. It can help us see internally and increase our self-awareness about emotions and thoughts we are experiencing.
Mindfulness and Reflection: Poetry requires a focused and contemplative mindset, making it an excellent tool for practicing mindfulness. With poetry, you are engaged in the beauty of language and imagery, it forces you to be in the present in the moment and increases connection with our inner self.
Building Resilience through Metaphor: This one is by far my favorite reason to use poetry. Metaphors and symbolism are inherent to poetry, providing a unique way to explore and reframe life experiences. When we encounter challenges, the metaphorical language of poetry offers alternative perspectives, encouraging a shift in perception. This ability to view difficulties through a different lens can be a powerful tool in building resilience.
Creating a sense of community: Whether through written or spoken word, poetry serves as a bridge that connects people on a deeply emotional level. Having this community helps individuals share their expressions and connect with others who resonate with their words. This sense of community can greatly impact our mental health because we feel supported, seen, heard, understood, and veiled. It reminds individuals that they are not alone in their struggles.
Reflection and Growth: Through poetry we can find ourselves in a journey of self-discovery, allowing us to explore our inner selves and continue on a path to personal growth. Reading someone else’s poems can help us see parts of us that we didn’t know existed. We can reflect on how a certain poem makes us feel and learn from that experience. On the other hand, by writing our own poems and reviewing them over time, we can see the evolution of our thoughts and emotions. An opportunity for reflection and growth.
Poetry is an excellent way to not only express our emotions but also connect with others through words (written or spoken). If you haven’t considered incorporating poetry into your programming to support the mental health of your patrons, I hope you consider it today.
I love to hear from you and the work that you are doing at your library to improve the mental health of your patrons or library staff. Email me at beatriz@beamindfulcoaching.com and tell me all about it. I would love to hear from you.
