BIBLIOTHERAPY

Reading to heal – that’s what bibliotherapy is all about. But how does it work, why
does it work, and what to read?

What is bibliotherapy?
Bibliotherapy (also called book therapy, poetry therapy or therapeutic storytelling) refers to the practice of using
books to help people solve issues they face at a particular time in their life.

How does it work?

When dealing with conditions such as anxiety and depression or coping with grief, sometimes it can be difficult
to make sense of what is happening in your mind and body, especially if you don’t have any other experience to
compare it to. Bibliotherapy aims to bridge this gap by using literature to help you improve your life by
providing information, support, and guidance in the form of reading books and stories.
Most people in the field agree that the process works through the familiar therapeutic stages of identification,
catharsis, and insight. In the first stage, the reader forms an affiliation with a character or characters in the text,
identifying with their problems and goals. Catharsis comes about as the reader follows the characters through
the text, experiencing from a safer position their emotions, struggles, and hopes as they work toward the
eventual resolution. Insight is the conscious recognition of similarities between the characters or situations in
the text and the reader’s own characteristics and circumstances, and the subsequent decision to apply ideas or
lessons from the text to the reader’s own thoughts and actions.
History
Bibliotherapy is a concept that goes way back. The Greek historian
Diodorus writes in his monumental work Bibliotheca Historica about the
royal library of King Ramses II of Egypt. There was an inscription above
the library entrance, translating to “the house of healing for the soul”.
Books have been considered therapeutic for thousands of years and in
many different parts of the world. The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius’
doctor kept a medical library for his patients. And as far back as in 1272,
the Quran was prescribed as therapeutic reading at the Al-Mansur
Hospital in Cairo.
In the early nineteenth century, physicians began to use bibliotherapy in rehabilitation and the treatment of
mental health issues. During World Wars I and II, bibliotherapy was used to help returning soldiers deal with
both physical and emotional concerns.

What books to read?

The books are to be selected based on what is relevant to that person’s specific situation. It’s about finding the
books that resonate with you on a deep level, at this very moment in time. The patient will then, on their own
time, read the book or complete the workbook exercise as prescribed. Upon returning to therapy, the book or
exercise will be discussed and used as a jumping-off point to explore coping mechanisms, personal history, or
other factors relevant to the therapeutic experience.

Using bibliotherapy
Bibliotherapy can be practiced in either individual or group therapy sessions, or without the guidance of a
therapist at all. Bibliotherapy is inexpensive, easy to apply, and comes with few (if any) side effects.

Sources:
https://www.tolstoytherapy.com/a-complete-guide-to-bibliotherapy/
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-bibliotherapy-4687157
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/reading-minds/201910/bibliotherapy-using-books-help-and-heal

Page 1 of 2
Role play

In pairs, the patient enters into the bibliotherapist office and discusses a mental issue (choose one
that resonates with your personal situation). The bibliotherapist will recommend books to read.
Discuss how these books can help. Write down the mental issue and the books.

Student A is the patient, student B is the therapist

Take notes here:

Student B is the patient, student A is the therapist

Take notes here:

Daniel Bosch Ibáñez for Nista School of Languages

Page 2 of 2