The term bibliotherapy was first coined in 1916, and refers to the choice or prescription of books to foster self-discovery and healing. Many of us have sought out poems to comfort us in times of the loss of a loved one, and poems and novels offer solace in a wide variety of circumstances. If you're interested in curating a reading list to guide you through the chapters of your own life, or learning more about the healing prospects that bibliotherapy might offer, these books will transform your practice.
Bibliotherapist and counsellor, Bijal Shah, reminds her readers that the word curator comes from the Latin 'curare' meaning 'to take care of.' Selecting books for yourself or others in as an art form and also requires intention and a human touch as…
Caught up in the endless scroll of watching the news on her phone, Cathy Rentzenbrink has a moment where she realizes she must be her own doctor and prescribes herself a course of re-reading. She wants not just to survive but to thrive and it's in…
With the help of her father, Iranian-American Muslim author, Melody Moezzi translates Rumi's poetry as she follows a path from Dx (diagnosis) to Rx (prescription). The expected modern ailments, such as isolation, depression, distraction, anger, and…
Suffering can be an access point to poetry and for some who have been comforted by poetry it becomes a lifelong love. Anyone may find solace in poetry and there is a poem for almost every human condition. The right poem at the right moment can…
Michiko Kakutani is the former chief book critic of The New York Times known for her incisive reviews. Ex Libris, though, has Kakatuni writing as an enthusiast and a reading encourager. Books can help us think things through, and here we have a…
Canadian poet Ronna Bloom has worked as a psychotherapist and has served as poet in residence at Sinai Health. Bloom once wrote poems for The Spontaneous Poetry Booth where she would ask people "what do you need a poem for?" and then she would write…
Will Schwalbe wrote this book knowing he's "not alone in my hunger for books to help me find the right questions to ask." As a model of finding and applying the right book to one's life, Books for Living is a salve for the reader. Each chapter…
Beloved and renowned Irish teacher and poet John O'Donohue wrote blessings for seven stages of the human journey: beginnings, desires, thresholds, homecomings, states of the heart, callings, and endings. O'Donohue looks at those profound moments of…
From Abandonment to Zestlessness, and every ailment in between, The Novel Cure offers the reader a book for diverse conditions. Whether you are suffering from a fear of dinner parties, empty nest syndrome, rage, regret, or loneliness, the authors…
Anyone interested in the history and practice of bibliotherapy and poetry therapy to as a support for the treatment of mental health challenges would benefit from reading Bibliotherapy in the Bronx. Words, says Rumble, are witnesses to trauma and…
The right book at the right time can change everything, and Molly Masters will help you narrow down your next best read. A mix of recommended modern and classic novels with a focus on underrepresented voices are listed to help navigate life moments…
