Holding Environment, Mirroring, and Transitional Object: Their Roles in a Writing Group for Adults with Major Mental Illness

Abstract

Members of a writing group for adults with major mental illness, operating within a poetry therapy frame, wrote and interacted during weekly meetings. Data collected included field notes, member writings, and transcripts from both group meetings and interviews. Group sessions served as a safe environment that supported positive engagement. The mirroring practice of reading aloud and listening to each other allowed members to “see,” and “be seen by” each other. Member writings served as transitional objects leading both to healing and creative play. I argue here that Winnicott's theory, although originally conceived to explain parent-child relationships, offers insight into the experiences of adult writers with mental health challenges as they expressed themselves through writing and shared that writing with others.