Howard Butcher, an associate professor at the University of Iowa College of Nursing, recently completed a study exploring the therapeutic effects of writing. In many ways, his research can now begin to further foster a relationship between creative writing and the medical profession. Through his study with Alzheimer’s disease caregivers who wrote in journals about their emotions and thoughts, Butcher found those who wrote about current traumas in an expressive and creative way reported lower stress levels in their lives. “A lot of people keep diaries...” Butcher said. “Until this research, we didn’t know that it physiologically and psychologically makes a difference.”