Survivor Writing

“I can shake off everything as I write: My sorrows disappear, courage is reborn.”

— Anne Frank

The healing power of writing

By helping people manage and learn from negative experiences, writing strengthens their immune systems as well as their minds. Comment: Writing is no stranger to therapy. For years, practitioners have used logs, questionnaires, journals and other writing forms to help people heal from stresses and traumas.

Sharing our writing is a powerful way to connect with other survivors and at Courageous Survivors we invite you to share your writing (such as poems, letters, essays).

To view the writing, click on any of the thumbnails to view in full screen and then you can use the arrows on either side of the page to move between them.

If you would like to submit your own writing to our gallery, you can do so here.

ABOUT TRIGGERS

Sharing our experiences, our strength and our hope is a valuable tool on our path to happiness. Reading about others' experiences is a way of connecting and learning that we are not alone with our pain.

Triggers are something that all survivors must remain careful to manage appropriately. Sights, sounds and words are common triggers that can bring back strong memories and can even cause someone to feel they are living their own trauma again. Some of the writings below do include descriptions - sometimes quite graphic - of real events experienced by a survivor.

We urge all readers to be aware of their own reaction to these writings and to exercise caution.

Any of the writings below could potentially trigger a reader's trauma but the ones that contain graphic descriptions of sexual abuse or assault contain an additional warning - look for the words 'TRIGGER WARNING' underneath the title of the writing.

If you are triggered by anything that you read here, please know that there are resources that you can turn to for help (such as this from The Younique Foundation). You can also find links to other resources on our Links page (click here).

“It’s an oft-repeated truism that writing, or any form of art or creativity, is therapeutic.
But sometimes clichés become clichés because they’re true.”

Dear Dad,

Dear Dad,

I just heard a song that made my heart ache more than it has in a very long time.

Janet BentleyFebruary 6, 20242024 Comments

Diana's Healing Message For February

Diana's Healing Message For February

May the tide that is entering even now

Diana DFebruary 2, 20242024Comment

Him

Him

TRIGGER WARNING
RAPE, GRAPHIC LANGUAGE

A SurvivorJanuary 5, 20242024 Comments

Diana's Healing Message For January

Diana's Healing Message For January

Happy New Year brave and courageous survivors!

Diana DJanuary 5, 20242024Comment

Diana’s Healing Message For December

Diana’s Healing Message For December

Let me be one of the first to wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Diana DDecember 6, 20232024Comment

Hands On/Hands Off

Hands On/Hands Off

TRIGGER WARNING
DESCRIBES SEXUAL ABUSE
MENTIONS SELF-HARM

A SurvivorNovember 5, 20232024 Comments

Stains

Stains

What does it feel like to be touched?

A SurvivorNovember 5, 20232024 Comment

Diana’s Healing Message For November

Diana’s Healing Message For November

Diana’s Healing Message For November

Diana DNovember 3, 20232024Comment

Courage

Courage

Happy October Courageous Survivor!

Diana DOctober 13, 20232023Comment

As I Began To Love Myself - By Charlie Chaplin

As I Began To Love Myself - By Charlie Chaplin

As I began to love myself…

Janet BentleySeptember 3, 20232023Comment

Diana's Healing Message for September

Diana's Healing Message for September

Hello Courageous Survivors and welcome to September!

Diana DSeptember 3, 20232023Comment

Diana's Healing Message for August

Diana's Healing Message for August

Happy August Courageous Survivors!

Diana DAugust 2, 20232023Comment

Dear Abuser,

Dear Abuser,

TRIGGER WARNING
REFERENCES RAPE
STRONG LANGUAGE

Dear Abuser, I honestly don’t know where to start.

Janet BentleyJuly 31, 20232023 Comments

Lying Fear

Lying Fear

In the shadows where fear resides

Janet BentleyJuly 31, 20232023Comment

Diana's Healing Message for July

Diana's Healing Message for July

Happy Independence Day!

Diana DJuly 2, 20232023Comment

Dear Rapist,

Dear Rapist,

TRIGGER WARNING
REFERENCES RAPE
STRONG LANGUAGE

Dear Rapist….

Janet BentleyJune 28, 20232023 Comment

In Your Mind

In Your Mind

TRIGGER WARNING
GRAPHIC LANGUAGE

Shedding the guilt and shame of loving my abuser

A SurvivorJune 13, 20232023 Comment

Childhood Abuse - I Survived, So Can You!

Childhood Abuse - I Survived, So Can You!

I was born in a beautiful little town in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

A SurvivorMay 31, 20232023 Comments

Diana's Healing Message For June

Diana's Healing Message For June

TRIGGER WARNING
REFERENCES INCEST

June is the month we celebrate Father's Day…

Diana DMay 31, 20232023Comment

Fear - A Poem

Fear - A Poem

Fear creeps in like a thief in the night

Janet BentleyMay 22, 20232023Comment