Bibliotherapy: Using Books to Heal

Using books to support your therapeutic journey of self-development and mental healing, plus a list of clinician recommended books to get you started.

For many people, reading is a way to use our imagination and learn more about ourselves, our world and our existence. It is a way in which we connect with others. If you're an avid reader you have likely already felt the therapeutic effects of a book you just couldn't put down. In fact, the entrance of one of the world's first Libraries owned by the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II was inscribed with "the house of healing for the soul". Bibliotherapy is a term that was first coined in 1916, and is now used as an active form of therapy typically alongside Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

There are several ways in which someone can partake in Bibliotherapy. Often times, bibliotherapy is self-initiated, but can also be recommended by friends and family, clinicians, therapists, libraries and community groups. Some therapist and counsellors will use bibliotherapy as an addition to their psychotherapy based treatment.

The dynamic experience of reading creates an interaction between the reader and the novel, which can act as a coping mechanisms for a variety of stressors, life changes and emotional issues. Interestingly, it is thought that podcasts may represent the evolution of bibliotherapy due to their increase in popularity and cultural influence.

Studies are beginning to show that bibliotherapy might be an effective way to therapeutically manage a variety of conditions including depression, trauma, low sexual desire, insomnia, addiction and stress. At this time, majority of the research focuses on bibliotherapy and it's use on improving patient self-reported depressive symptoms. Findings of several low to moderate quality clinical studies support the use of bibliotherapy in adults, finding it significantly improved patient depressive symptoms. In children, it appears bibliotherapy may be a useful adjunct therapy for self-esteem development, body changes and adverse childhood experiences. In general, more research is needed to more fully integrate Bibliotherapy into modern therapeutic practices.

Additionally, Bibliotherapy is non-stigmatizing, allowing you to feel more at ease with the condition for which you are seeking out knowledge. This makes it an exceptional tool for those who are not yet interested in talking to a therapist due to fears of stigma.

Bibliotherapy, however, may not be for everyone. If you have difficulties with reading and retention skills, suffer from moderate to severe mood disorders or experience suicidal thoughts, it is best you are fully assessed by a trained professional who can work with you to make treatment recommendations.

If you think Bibliotherapy as a form of self-help and development is right for you, I've compiled a list of books to get you started! Keep in mind, reading is a very individualized experience and what works for one person might not be helpful for another. Go into it with an open and reflective mind, and if it's not for you, that's okay too!

Happy Reading!

• Anxiety Happens: 52 way to find peace of mind by John P. Forsyth & Georg H Eifert

• The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Alan Singer

• It Didn't Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle by Mark Wolynn

• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.

• The Power of Vulnerability by Brene Brown

• Nurturing Resilience: Helping Clients Move Forward from Developmental Trauma - An Integrative Somatic Approach by: Kathy L. Kain & Stephen J. Terrell

• Women Who Worry Too Much: How to Stop Worry and Anxiety from Ruining Relationships, Work, and Fun by Holly Hazlett-Stevens PhD (Author)

• Thriving with Social Anxiety: Daily Strategies for Overcoming Anxiety and Building Self-Confidence by Hattie C Cooper and Kyle MacDonald

• 10 Simple Solutions to Panic: How to Overcome Panic Attacks, Calm Physical Symptoms, and Reclaim Your Life by Martin Antony and Randi McCabe

• The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook by Martin Antony and Richard Swinson

• Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment and Your Life by Jon Kabat–Zinn

• The Worry Workbook: CBT Skills to Overcome Worry and Anxiety by Facing the Fear of Uncertainty by Melisa Robichaud and Kristen Buhr

• Finding Your Best Self: Recovery from Addiction, Trauma or Both by Lisa M. Najavits,

• Quiet Your Mind and Get to Sleep: Solutions to Insomnia for Those with Depression, Anxiety or Chronic Pain by Colleen Carney and Rachel Manber

• How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, and Create Yourself by Dr. Nicole LePera (preorder)

---

References

Casares Jr, D. R., & Binkley, E. E. (2021). Podcasts as an Evolution of Bibliotherapy. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 43(1), 19-39.

De Vries, D., Brennan, Z., Lankin, M., Morse, R., Rix, B., & Beck, T. (2017). Healing with books: A literature review of bibliotherapy used with children and youth who have experienced trauma. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 51(1).

Gualano, M. R., Bert, F., Martorana, M., Voglino, G., Andriolo, V., Thomas, R., ... & Siliquini, R. (2017). The long-term effects of bibliotherapy in depression treatment: Systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Clinical psychology review, 58, 49-58.

Hazlett‐Stevens, H., & Oren, Y. (2017). Effectiveness of mindfulness‐based stress reduction bibliotherapy: A preliminary randomized controlled trial. Journal of clinical psychology, 73(6), 626-637

Kavanagh, D. J., & Proctor, D. M. (2011). The role of assisted self-help in services for alcohol-related disorders. Addictive behaviors, 36(6), 624-629.

Lutz, C. E. (1978). The oldest library motto: ψγxhσ Iatpeion. The Library Quarterly, 48(1), 36-39.

Mintz, L. B., Balzer, A. M., Zhao, X., & Bush, H. E. (2012). Bibliotherapy for low sexual desire: Evidence for effectiveness. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 59(3), 471.

Pehrsson, D. E. (2006). Benefits of utilizing bibliotherapy with play therapy. Play Therapy. Retrieved from http://bibliotherapy.ehs.cmich.edu/documents/APT%20bib%20Cover%20article.pdf

Rohde, P., Stice, E., Shaw, H., & Gau, J. M. (2015). Effectiveness trial of an indicated cognitive–behavioral group adolescent depression prevention program versus bibliotherapy and brochure control at 1-and 2-year follow-up. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 83(4), 736.