# Exploring the Therapeutic Role of Coach-Guided Videoconferencing Expressive Writing in Multiple Sclerosis: A Qualitative Study

## TL;DR

This study explores how a 10-week expressive writing program led by a coach helps people with multiple sclerosis manage emotions and improve psychological well-being.

## Contribution

The study introduces coach-guided videoconferencing expressive writing as a novel therapeutic approach for emotional well-being in multiple sclerosis patients.

## Key findings

- Participants experienced improved emotional processing and healing through the program.
- Themes of self-forgiveness, coping, and empowerment emerged from the writing sessions.
- The program offered a sense of empowerment and renewed outlook on life for participants.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Emotional changes significantly affect people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), often leading to negative psychological symptoms including grief. Effective management of these symptoms can foster personal growth, increase confidence, and renew hope. While expressive writing has demonstrated psychological benefits in processing trauma and chronic conditions, its effects on PwMS remain underexplored. This study aimed to address this gap by examining the experiences of PwMS who participated in a 10-week coach-guided videoconferencing expressive writing program. Methods: Twenty-five adults with MS from 10 different states across the United States participated in a 10-week coach-guided videoconferencing expressive writing program. After they completed the program, participants were interviewed individually via Zoom using a structured guide. Interviews explored participants’ experiences and perceptions of the program. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis within a phenomenological framework. Results: Analysis revealed four themes reflecting therapeutic benefits received from the expressive writing program. These themes included Improved Emotional Processing, Promoting Healing; Therapeutic Coping; Radical Acceptance Through Deeper Understanding and Self-Forgiveness; and Empowerment Through Self-Discovery and Transformation. Conclusions: The findings highlight participants’ psychological progression from emotional processing to transformation, emphasizing the program’s role in guiding them through their experiences of grief and other emotions related to their MS. This process provided them with both a sense of empowerment and a renewed outlook on life. Results suggest that expressive writing is a promising intervention that offers PwMS an accessible tool for emotional well-being and self-discovery.