We often hear the phrase ‘Lose yourself in a book.’, but bibliotherapy is a very real practice which is soaring in popularity to improve wellbeing. Immersing yourself in another world can be a way to help you process, cope, and escape your current situation or emotions. It can help you to realise that you are not alone in how you are feeling. 

According to some studies, people who read regularly for pleasure are generally less stressed, depressed and lonely. They are also more socially connected, confident, and live longer. Therefore, the link to using books to promote healing and wellbeing makes logical sense.   

What is it?  

Bibliotherapy is a therapy approach that uses various types of literature to encourage better wellbeing. Bibliotherapists can recommend books as a way to learn to heal and can then discuss situations with patients. This often overlaps with writing therapy and is commonly successfully used together. If individuals emotionally engage with the therapy, it can transport you as a temporary escape from stress and anxiety, but can also help us to realise truths about ourselves and the world. It can have positive wellbeing benefits, which include:   

• Emotional processing – reading can provide a safe space to explore emotions through story and characters. 

• Perspective – travelling into another story can provide a different viewpoint as you step into an individual character’s perspective. This can create an increase in empathy.  

• Coping strategies – exploring how characters deal with challenges can provide insight into your own coping strategies to apply to your own situation. 

• Self-reflection – it is an effective tool for self-awareness and can promote relaxation.  

There are different types of bibliotherapy, ranging from developmental (which is used mainly in education and community settings to address common challenges and personal growth) to clinical (which can support with more serious mental health conditions and emotional distress).  

Bibliotherapy can be practised with either self-help books or various fiction and poems, and pairing these with group discussions to have a better understanding of the topics and how this applies to real-life examples. 

In a classroom setting, this can prove extremely effective. A teacher is an imperative part of a child’s network – storytime and guided discussion can help children learn to navigate emotions. This can increase their emotional resilience and assist with problem solving issues such as teasing, name calling, and fears. This, in turn, helps them to express themselves and improve their behaviour.  

Benefits of Bibliotherapy  

Although research on the topic is mixed, with a shortage of affordable health services in a lot of areas, fiction can be a great way for self-guided support. Benefits include: 

• Improved mental health – alleviate symptoms 

• Increased self-esteem/self-worth  

• Enhance communication skills  

• Provide access to support – particularly where traditional therapy is not available  

• Reading has also been shown to lower heart rate and reduce muscle tension. 

The emotion regulation from bibliotherapy can have a long-lasting effect. 

Like with any therapy, how a person engages with it depends on its success rate. It is worth noting that this is not a universal medicine. There is no one-size-fits-all – it is simply an additional tool that may work for some and is not a substitute for other treatments.  

The attraction in bibliotherapy is that this can be completed in your own time, when you are emotionally ready to approach difficult topics. Literature can also be put down if you are overwhelmed.  

Give it a try – how to get started…   

If you think this self-guided therapy might be something worth trying, it might be worth trying some local clubs or book groups for engaging discussions. Libraries are also an excellent tool – they are free to use and are full of different genres and lengths of literature. You can also easily put something down and try something else if it’s not for you. Remember, there is no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ literature; it is whatever resonates with you and you find helpful and engaging. The oldest library motto is ‘the house of healing for the soul’, so this is as good a place as any to try bibliotherapy and start to ’diminish negative emotions and encourage positive ones instead.  

Written by Katie Ingram

Blogger @Poemstellium

Instagram: @katieingramauthor