BE: How would you say writing about an experience validates (or fails to validate) complicated or seemingly invalid emotions?

CE: If you write about an experience—and write about it in a way you sincerely believe to be truthful—then you are presenting the emotions involved as facts. They are your facts and, no matter how complicated or contrary or cringe-worthy they might be, no one can tell you that you didn’t feel them. To you, they are valid because they exist.