Everything will be alright, when we all write together
Our Mission
At All Write, our mission is to empower young people through writing, reflection, and creative expression. We believe that everyone has a story worth telling—and that writing can be a powerful tool for healing, self-discovery, and connection.
We create workshops and guided experiences that give students space to process their thoughts, explore their identities, and feel heard. Whether through journaling, storytelling, or shared dialogue, we aim to build supportive, reflective spaces where writing becomes a way to grow—not just as writers, but as people.
By centering empathy, authenticity, and voice, we hope to help students build confidence, strengthen their sense of self, and connect with others in meaningful ways.
The Problem
57% of U.S. high school students reported feeling “persistently sad or hopeless” in 2021—the highest rate in a decade
Depressed adolescent boys are considerably less likely to seek help—only 13% receive treatment compared to 34% of girls
Young people today are facing a mental health crisis that is more visible—and more urgent—than ever before. Rates of anxiety, depression, and emotional distress have climbed significantly in the past decade, and students are struggling not just academically, but emotionally. This crisis shows up in classrooms, in social media, and in the quiet ways students disconnect, withdraw, or lose confidence in themselves.
Through All Write, we’ve seen these challenges firsthand. And while students of all identities face real mental health struggles, we’ve noticed something especially striking among the young boys in our workshops: many of them don’t feel they have permission to express what they’re feeling. At the beginning of a session, it’s often the boys who hang back, joke around, or make light of the writing prompts—not because they don’t care, but because they’re not used to being asked how they feel, much less invited to share it.
But over and over, we’ve seen what happens when they’re given a safe space and a little encouragement. The same boys who resist at first often end up writing pages—about family, about stress, about things they’ve never said out loud. One wrote a letter to his mom, thanking her for everything she does and admitting that he doesn’t always show her enough love. Another rewrote a harsh affirmation into one filled with hope. They just needed the chance to try.
The crisis is real. But so is the capacity for growth, reflection, and healing—especially when students are given tools like journaling to help them process their emotions and discover their voice.
Writing as a Tool
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Writing as a Tool *
Short-term journaling—just a few minutes of expressive writing—is linked to noticeable reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents, improving mood and emotional clarity
People who write about their thoughts and emotions for 15–20 minutes a day over four consecutive days can show up to a 50% reduction in cortisol levels (a key stress hormone)
In the face of rising emotional distress among young people, journaling offers something both simple and powerful: a consistent space for students to slow down, name their feelings, and process their experiences—on their own terms.
What makes journaling unique is that it doesn’t require anything complicated. No diagnosis, no appointment, no audience. It gives students a private, judgment-free space to explore what’s going on inside, often for the first time. Research backs this up: studies have shown that just a few days of structured journaling can lead to measurable improvements in mood, lower levels of stress hormones like cortisol, and reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms. It’s an accessible practice with real emotional benefits.
In our workshops, we’ve seen how this plays out. Journaling can unlock expression in students who may otherwise shut down in group conversations. For boys especially—who are statistically less likely to seek help and more likely to mask emotions—it becomes a quiet outlet for feelings they often don’t feel permission to share. We’ve watched hesitant students go from resistant to reflective, writing honestly about their lives and, in some cases, sharing insights they didn’t know they had.
Journaling won’t solve every challenge young people are facing—but it’s a tool. And when paired with encouragement, community, and consistent space to use it, it can be a transformative one.
