This is about how some Veterans discovered that writing can promote health and happiness.
Earlier this year, more than forty Veterans, family members, VA caregivers, and members of the community attended a writing retreat at the Portland, Oregon, VA medical center.
The afternoon gave participants an opportunity to write, share ideas and learn how to begin and sustain a writing practice.
The event was initiated by Craig Ling, dentist and Chief of Dental Service with support from Kim Stafford, Oregon’s Poet Laureate, who facilitated the event.
Outside of the hospital, Ling (fifth from the right – front row – in the photo above) enjoys reading and loves to write poetry.
“Many of my patients write stories and poetry,” said Ling. “One of my patients once told me that it wasn’t until he started writing that he started to heal after Vietnam because it allowed him to say what was on his mind and in his heart.”
Ling brought the idea of creating a writing event for Veterans to a few of his fellow coworkers including nurse Judy Ulibarri, Helen Lee, VA Nurse Residency Program Director, and Nathan Davis, administrative assistant for VA Dental Service. Together Ling and Stafford worked out all the details to make a writing workshop happen – and it was a huge success.
The theme of the event was related to healing.
During the writing workshop, Stafford asked participants, “Is the question, ‘What’s the matter with you?’ or ‘What matters to you?’”
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