Have you got around to watching Netflix series 'Maid' this autumn? It recently broke records and became the streaming service’s most-watched limited series, and it’s easy to see why (minor spoilers):
‘Maid’ is a tender and thoughtful adaption of Stephanie Land’s memoir about human resilience Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive.
It especially piqued our interest as writing and its ability to help people find themselves, process experiences and heal is a key theme of the story.
‘Maid’ follows single mother Alex on a journey to escape domestic abuse, homelessness and poverty and create a better life for her daughter. She finds work cleaning houses and starts journalling to document her experiences, finding joy and strength in writing.
In her own words:
Alex: Writing is where I go to be honest about how I feel. Sometimes it’s really the only way for me to know what it is that I’m feeling. […] I find that it’s a lot easier to write the truth than it is to say it out loud.
Nobody can take writing away from you; nobody can tell you that you’re wrong or your words are wrong…because they’re not. They’re right and your words are fucking right, because they’re yours.
Watch the scene from ‘Maid’ below where Alex holds a writing workshop for women in a domestic-violence shelter.
We often cite research which shows that writing about important personal experiences in an emotional way for as little as 15 minutes brings about improvements in mental and physical health. And you don’t need to be a writer to feel these benefits. As ‘Maid’ shows, the process of writing is often more important than the final product.
WriteWell Community offers people the opportunity to use writing as a practical self-care tool to boost health and happiness. If you’re interested in joining the growing numbers of people exploring writing for wellbeing, come chat to us any time: enquiries@writewellcommunity.com.
