What happens when we’re too connected to our phones?
What if the next book you pick up could be more than just a good read—what if it could be a therapy session? Enter bibliotherapy, a growing therapeutic method that uses literature to help individuals process emotions, overcome challenges, and improve mental health. While it may sound unconventional, it’s gaining recognition as a powerful tool for healing.
Curious about how more and more therapists are leaning on stories to guide patients through tough times? Keep reading to explore the fascinating world of bibliotherapy, and discover how the right book might just be your next step toward healing.
Storytelling has always acted as a bridge, connecting people to both one another and to parts of themselves they may not yet fully understand.
For centuries, literature has aided emotional healing through fiction, offered pathways to self-improvement via memoirs, and provided insights from the shared experiences of others and the wisdom of philosophers.
Books offer a perfect escape from the challenges of daily life—but their benefits go beyond just making people disconnect from the real world for a few hours.
In fact, literature is now formally used as a therapeutic tool. Bibliotherapy, as the name implies, is a form of therapy that uses literature, storytelling, or poetry to improve mental health and well-being.
This therapeutic approach combines books and other forms of literature with traditional therapies to support those struggling with mental health issues.
While recommended books can span any genre—from philosophy to memoir to self-help—bibliotherapists often focus on fiction.
Beginning in the 20th century, psychologists began conducting formal research on the potential benefits of reading and bibliotherapy.
The literature suggests that reading specific books and discussing them with a therapist or in a group setting can help individuals gain new perspectives, process past trauma, and experience feelings of hope, empathy, and understanding.
According to specialists, books—especially those that offer new perspectives or challenge a reader’s comfort zone—can enhance empathy, tolerance, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to better understand both oneself and others' emotions.
More broadly, reading can also boost self-esteem, self-awareness, and a sense of self-efficacy.
While using literature as therapy may sound unconventional, the idea that reading can positively impact mood and mindset is not new.
Ancient societies, including the Greeks and Egyptians, regarded libraries as sacred spaces with healing properties.
Bibliotherapy, however, goes beyond simply reading random books.
It involves working with a trained bibliotherapist to discuss goals, life struggles, and how specific books can aid in personal growth.
Typically, after a few sessions to assess the patient's main challenges, a bibliotherapist recommends books tailored to their therapeutic approach and specific needs.
A cognitive behavioral therapist, for instance, might suggest a self-help workbook on those principles, whereas a trauma specialist might recommend a novel depicting a character's journey through grief.
Patients are encouraged to read the recommended book and, at times, complete a workbook or take notes on their own time.
In subsequent therapy sessions, the book or exercise is discussed as a starting point to explore coping mechanisms, personal history, and other relevant issues.
Using stories as a foundation, this method fosters a trusting therapeutic environment.
It provides comfort from life's overwhelming challenges, helping patients make sense of difficult situations and find reassurance in the face of emotional triggers.
Bibliotherapy has shown positive results because it provides patients with an alternative way to work through their problems, helping them realize they are not alone in their struggles.
Ella Berthoud, a bibliotherapist since 2007, believes that issues like anxiety, depression, divorce, navigating childbirth, and worrying about climate change can be alleviated through literature.
She explains that putting words to previously indescribable feelings can validate a reader’s own experience.
As psychologists explain, this process relies on the professional creating a curated list of recommendations tailored to each individual, taking into account their situation and personality. When the patient engages with the material, the process typically unfolds in the following four stages.
The reader connects with a character’s problems and goals, often seeing their own struggles reflected in the character’s journey. This creates a sense of familiarity and relevance, helping the reader feel understood and less isolated in their challenges.
The reader experiences the character’s emotions from a safe, detached perspective, allowing them to process feelings they may find difficult to confront directly. This emotional release can bring a sense of relief and clarity, helping the reader better understand their own emotional responses.
The reader recognizes similarities between the character’s struggles and their own, prompting self-reflection and a deeper understanding of their own situation. They may begin to see new ways to approach their challenges, drawing lessons or strategies from the character's experiences that can be applied to their own life.
The reader realizes they are not alone in their struggles. By seeing characters face and overcome similar challenges, they gain a sense of connection to others who have navigated similar difficulties.
This realization can provide hope and reassurance, reinforcing the idea that solutions and resilience are possible.
Sources: (Dazed) (Psychology Today)
See also: The incredible benefits of reading, and how to become a better reader
Bibliotherapy: can reading heal depression?
Therapists are prescribing books for better mental health
HEALTH Mental health
What if the next book you pick up could be more than just a good read—what if it could be a therapy session? Enter bibliotherapy, a growing therapeutic method that uses literature to help individuals process emotions, overcome challenges, and improve mental health. While it may sound unconventional, it’s gaining recognition as a powerful tool for healing.
Curious about how more and more therapists are leaning on stories to guide patients through tough times? Keep reading to explore the fascinating world of bibliotherapy, and discover how the right book might just be your next step toward healing.