Blog — benefits of book therapy

Self-awareness, empathy and mental well-being Reading is more than just voraciously devouring words as we hurriedly rush through the chapters of an engaging J K Rowling book for example. It is the connection that we feel with the characters, the identification with those characters, the sense of comfort and the feeling of being understood.  A 2011 study published in the Annual Review of Psychology confirmed that when people read about an experience the same part of the brain lights up as having experienced it themselves. This suggests that people who read a lot, tend to empathise better with others, and are able...

"Healing for the Soul" The first origins of book therapy or bibliotherapy can be traced back to the Ancient Greeks, who built libraries holding both entertainment and educational books. Aristotle's literature was considered medicine for the soul. King Ramses II also had a dedicated chamber filled with books that was aptly labelled "House of Healing for the Soul". In the early nineteenth century doctors were prescribing books for guidance and respite from suffering. Soldiers who were involved in World War One were reading to manage post-war trauma. The practice expanded further in the 1950s when Carolyn Shrodes, author of 'The...

From educational to developmental The goal of book therapy is to inform, educate and heal. Book therapy or bibliotherapy comprises two main types: educational and therapeutic. Educational book therapy is often used amongst school-age children and adolescence to teach them about developmental milestones, for example, puberty and building resilience. Therapeutic book therapy focuses on specific issues, phobias or conditions. It uses fiction, non-fiction or a combination of the two to help alleviate the symptoms and resolve the issue. These could involve short stories, novels, biographies, poetry and self-help books. Imaginative or creative book therapy can be powerful in helping someone...

The modern version of bibliotherapy Book therapy or bibliotherapy is an age-old and time-tested method for using the power of reading to support better mental health and wellbeing, whilst remaining a cost-effective form of therapy. From the ancient Greeks to modern day millennials, reading literature has often been recognised as a therapeutic medium with curative effects that harness the power of creative storytelling, poetry, novellas, personal development and self-help books. The basis of modern bibliotherapy is the ability to prescribe the appropriate text for each individual (there is no size that fits all and each book selected must be based on...