Poetry as therapy

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The healing powers of poetry have been recognized since antiquity, but serious research into this phenomenon began only in the mid-20th century. In the 1960s, Poetry Therapy emerged in the USA as a modern psychotherapeutic method. This interdisciplinary approach harnesses poetry's inherent healing power; however, fundamental questions remain unexplored. Research has yet to address why poetic writing is therapeutic, how it engages the unconscious, and how relevant material is integrated into poetic texts for therapeutic use. This study aims to answer these questions by establishing a literary foundation for the poetic aspect of Poetry Therapy, utilizing post-structuralist literary theories. It begins with an overview of the current state of Poetry Therapy, then applies theoretical concepts from Lacan, Kristeva, Derrida, Foucault, and others to create a model that connects the unconscious, poetic writing, and therapy. Additionally, it examines metaphor, intertextuality, and narrative identity in the therapeutic context of poetic writing. Ultimately, Poetry Therapy is framed as a post-structuralist, palimpsestic process where the poem acts as a crucial therapeutic node within the broader semiotic landscape of therapy.