How can creative writing and reading aloud transform the stories told by people in fertility treatment?

This study explores the therapeutic potential of facilitated creative writing for people undergoing fertility treatment. Against the backdrop of a fertility crisis in Denmark and the Western world, the research investigates how narrative practices can alleviate the psychological burden often experienced during fertility treatment. Drawing on theories from literary studies, philosophy and psychology, the study analyses a six-session writing workshop involving 12 participants. Through creative writing, participants developed a deeper understanding of their emotional experiences. Group readings of the written texts fostered transformative reading practices, categorized into four types: co-creation, exploration, reflection, and expansion. Writing and reading aloud enabled participants to reshape their narrative identities and thereby improve communication with their relatives. The findings suggest that creative writing, while not a therapy per se, can have therapeutic effects; however, further research is needed to substantiate this. The study highlights the value of narrative hermeneutics in health contexts and calls for broader integration of creative writing into patient care.