2025 Healing Through Writing: The Therapeutic Benefits of Writing for Oncology Patients
Tuesday, March 11, 2025 1:00 - 2:30 PM Eastern Time
Session Description:
Writing has been recognized to have both physical and psychological benefits. One benefit is improving the emotional health of individuals experiencing a stressful life event. Research has shown that cancer patients often experience extreme distress. Consequently, writing has the potential to serve as a beneficial and accessible therapeutic tool for the oncology population. New York Oncology Hematology (NYOH) and MD Anderson, both out-patient cancer centers, offered writing groups for patients and caregivers. NYOH offered a one-month writing workshop that was facilitated by a writer who is also a cancer survivor. MD Anderson facilitated a monthly expressive writing support group that was facilitated by a licensed social worker. Evaluation data showed that participants in both writing groups found great benefit from participating, particularly the opportunity for mutual connection. Future research is needed to assess the efficacy of writing workshops, to investigate the importance of writing to occur within a group setting, and the benefits of writing workshops for specific oncology populations. In this presentation participants will experience the benefits of writing workshops through didactic and experiential methods. They will have the opportunity to consider different ways to bring writing groups to an oncology setting.
Speaker(s):
Frances Ford, MSW, LCSW-R, OSW-C, Social Work Manager, New York Oncology Hematology

Frances Ford has been practicing as a licensed clinical social worker for over 10 years. Frances graduated with her master’s degree in social work in May 2012 from the Catholic University of America. During her studies, she specialized in clinical health care social work. From 2012-2017, Frances worked as a Transplant and Primary Care Social Worker at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC. Since June 2017, Frances has worked as an Oncology Social Worker at New York Oncology Hematology (NYOH) in the Albany, NY area. She currently serves as NYOH’s Social Work Manager and offers palliative care services at one of the organization’s rural sites of service. In May 2022, Frances received her Palliative and End of Life Care Certification though Smith College. Frances also has an interest in therapeutic writing and started a writing workshop program at NYOH in 2021. Frances resides in Albany, NY with her husband and young son.
Melanie Cavazos, MSSW, LCSW, OSW-C, Senior Social Work Counselor, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center West Houston

Melanie Cavazos earned a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has many years of experience as a Social Worker in healthcare in a variety of settings including dialysis, hospice, Veterans Hospital, and oncology. She has provided individual, couples, and family counseling as well as facilitated groups for patients, caregivers, and grief support. Since 2015, Melanie has worked at MD Anderson Cancer Center where she provides psychosocial support and counseling services to patients and families. Melanie works in the West Houston Area Location campus and is an integral part of the interdisciplinary team consisting of medical assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians. She currently facilitates an expressive writing support group for patients and caregivers.
Learning Objectives
After completing this activity, participants will be able to:
CE credits: 1.5, which will be available for $25.
Click here to view Continuing Education information.
Category: Clinical/General
Educational Level: Intermediate
Writing has been recognized to have both physical and psychological benefits. One benefit is improving the emotional health of individuals experiencing a stressful life event. Research has shown that cancer patients often experience extreme distress. Consequently, writing has the potential to serve as a beneficial and accessible therapeutic tool for the oncology population. New York Oncology Hematology (NYOH) and MD Anderson, both out-patient cancer centers, offered writing groups for patients and caregivers. NYOH offered a one-month writing workshop that was facilitated by a writer who is also a cancer survivor. MD Anderson facilitated a monthly expressive writing support group that was facilitated by a licensed social worker. Evaluation data showed that participants in both writing groups found great benefit from participating, particularly the opportunity for mutual connection. Future research is needed to assess the efficacy of writing workshops, to investigate the importance of writing to occur within a group setting, and the benefits of writing workshops for specific oncology populations. In this presentation participants will experience the benefits of writing workshops through didactic and experiential methods. They will have the opportunity to consider different ways to bring writing groups to an oncology setting.
Speaker(s):
Frances Ford, MSW, LCSW-R, OSW-C, Social Work Manager, New York Oncology Hematology

Frances Ford has been practicing as a licensed clinical social worker for over 10 years. Frances graduated with her master’s degree in social work in May 2012 from the Catholic University of America. During her studies, she specialized in clinical health care social work. From 2012-2017, Frances worked as a Transplant and Primary Care Social Worker at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC. Since June 2017, Frances has worked as an Oncology Social Worker at New York Oncology Hematology (NYOH) in the Albany, NY area. She currently serves as NYOH’s Social Work Manager and offers palliative care services at one of the organization’s rural sites of service. In May 2022, Frances received her Palliative and End of Life Care Certification though Smith College. Frances also has an interest in therapeutic writing and started a writing workshop program at NYOH in 2021. Frances resides in Albany, NY with her husband and young son.
Melanie Cavazos, MSSW, LCSW, OSW-C, Senior Social Work Counselor, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center West Houston

Melanie Cavazos earned a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has many years of experience as a Social Worker in healthcare in a variety of settings including dialysis, hospice, Veterans Hospital, and oncology. She has provided individual, couples, and family counseling as well as facilitated groups for patients, caregivers, and grief support. Since 2015, Melanie has worked at MD Anderson Cancer Center where she provides psychosocial support and counseling services to patients and families. Melanie works in the West Houston Area Location campus and is an integral part of the interdisciplinary team consisting of medical assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians. She currently facilitates an expressive writing support group for patients and caregivers.
Learning Objectives
After completing this activity, participants will be able to:
- Review current literature on the psychosocial benefits of writing for cancer patients, including cultivating self-compassion, identifying meaning in one’s cancer journey, and finding connectedness with other cancer patients.
- Identify areas for further research on the effectiveness of an expressive writing support group and writing workshop.
- Provide a framework and identify steps necessary to develop and implement an expressive writing support group and a writing workshop in one’s clinical setting.
- Engage in a writing exercise, share excerpts and process emotional responses in a small group setting.
- Utilize writing prompts in order to use them as a clinical tool.
CE credits: 1.5, which will be available for $25.
Click here to view Continuing Education information.
Category: Clinical/General
Educational Level: Intermediate