For this exercise I'd like you to experiment with his writing technique.  You will not have to turn in your writing so that it can be anonymous.  However, the exercise will ask you examine your writing in some detail so you won't be able to skip doing it either.

Set aside 15 minutes each day for 4 days and write openly about the most traumatic experience that you have had to date in your life.  As you're writing about the experience don't worry about punctuation or grammar or handwriting.  Try to be really open about this experience in your writing and explore all you can remember about your emotional experience.  Go into as much detail as you can recall about the emotions of the experience.  In addition explore in as much detail as you can the facts of the experience --- who was involved, where it occurred, the time of day, any smells or sights that stick with you.  As you write about the facts and emotions of your experience try to understand this experience as best you are able in the context of your larger life.  How is it linked to other experiences or to your personality or to your life as you're living it now. 

Write continuously for 15 minutes.  And then stop.  And repeat this each day for 4 days.  Be sure you are in a location that is appropriate for the writing.  Choose a place that feels safe and quiet and where you won't be interrupted.  Turn off your phone, for example.  Each day make note of your mood at the end of the writing.

Don't even read the second half of the assignment until you've completed the first half.  Keep your mind free and clear of what you will do next so you can write freely and spontaneously.  Don't read below this line until you've completed the writing.

What you will turn in: 
1) a discussion of the process.  What was it like for you?  Where did you write, what kind of journal did you use?  Give me the details of your writing for the 4 days.

2) discuss any trends you saw in your emotions over the 4 days... did things change/ stay the same.  Also make note of any shifts in your thinking you noticed over the 4 days.  You can describe these changes in general terms so that you don't have to discuss the details of your trauma.

3) read back through your writing and notice the language patterns in your writing.  How many negative emotions do you mention?  Positive emotions?  Which comes up more often?  Is there any change over time?   How many insight words to you notice in your writing (understand/ realize/ explore)?  Does this change over time?  How many causality words do you notice? (because/ after/ before)?  Does this change over time?  Make note of any trends you see in your own writing style --- be a scientist here and see what you can find that might be tied to the experience you had of the writing.