A Mindful Writing Practice for Healing & Creativity
Writing can be more than expression—it can be a place to return to.
A way of settling the nervous system.
A way of listening more deeply.
A way of holding what feels difficult, without turning away.
Writing as Refuge is a mindful writing practice that supports healing, creativity, and a deeper sense of connection—to yourself, to your life, and to the living world.
This work can also be understood as a form of writing as meditation—a practice of presence on the page that helps you slow down, notice, and gently shift your relationship to your thoughts and experiences.
The stories we tell about our lives determine how we will heal.
What this practice supports
Through this approach, writing becomes a way to:
- reduce stress and overwhelm
- process grief, loss, and life transitions
- reconnect with creativity and inner voice
- cultivate greater awareness and self-compassion
- make meaning from difficult experiences
- feel more grounded, steady, and present
How it works
This is not about writing well or producing something polished.
It’s about learning how to:
- arrive in the present moment
- listen inwardly without judgment
- follow what is true rather than what is expected
- allow your experience to unfold on the page
Mindfulness and writing work together to create a sense of inner refuge—a place where both difficulty and beauty can be held.
Writing is medicine. It is an appropriate antidote to injury. It is an appropriate companion for any difficult change,
Julia Cameron
If you have been hearing an inner call to story, perhaps this is your time to answer the call.
Who this is for
This work may resonate if you are:
- navigating grief, burnout, or a life transition
- feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or disconnected
- a writer or creative seeking more depth and flow
- longing for a more meaningful relationship with yourself and your life
- drawn to mindfulness, reflection, and the natural world
Ways to work together
Writing as Refuge is offered through:
- workshops and group experiences
- mindfulness coaching
- speaking and training for organizations
View upcoming workshops →
Learn about mindfulness coaching →
Inquire about bringing this work to your organization →
There is a place within you that can hold what you are carrying. Writing can help you find your way there—again and again.
This work is also informed by my long-term photographic exploration of impermanence, beauty, and ecological change.
Explore the Ghost Trees Photography Project→
About Jen Johnson
Jen Johnson is a mindfulness coach, therapist, and writing teacher who has taught at Mars Hill University, UNC Asheville, and Antioch University. Her work has been published in book chapters, a poetry anthology, Psychology Today, The Healing Muse, PainPathways Magazine, and The Creativity Post.
Telling our story does not merely document who we are; it helps to make us who we are. –Rita Charon, MD
Why This Works
Mindfulness and writing together help regulate the nervous system, support emotional processing, and increase self-awareness. Research shows that combining reflective writing with mindfulness can deepen resilience and well-being.
Sitting down with a cup of tea to pay attention to our inner world with writing can nurture awareness and inner strength. Pairing writing with mindfulness practice can help to deepen the positive effects of transformative writing. Writing meditation practice can encourage new insights that lead to a greater sense of wholeness.
I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.
Flannery O’Connor
The stories we tell will determine how we heal. Writing about our lives can help us to see our inner stories from a fresh perspective. Writing helps us to see ourselves and the stories we are telling about ourselves and our lives more clearly with a greater sense of curiosity and courage.
TESTIMONIALS
“Jen Johnson offers a sanctuary for creative discovery in her mindful writing workshops. She has a gift for igniting the imaginative spark lying dormant in every soul. Through her guidance, I experienced a surprising and spontaneous outpouring of heartfelt expression—and a deeper sense of contentment and empowerment.”
— Ethel Simonetti
“I always wanted to write from the heart, but I didn’t trust my voice. Jen’s approach helped me begin to trust myself in a new way. I’m discovering a voice I didn’t know I had.”
— Geraldine
“Writing about my father’s early death helped me understand how that loss has shaped my life. I’ve learned that the practice doesn’t need to be perfect—it simply matters that I show up. Jen created a space that felt thoughtful, compassionate, and deeply supportive.”
— Kaaren