Reading & Mental Health

I love reading, and have always joked that I wish someone would pay me to read for a living. I suppose that is what editors and publishers get paid to do? But I was thinking more along the lines of being in a room sitting in a comfy chair with a stack of books, some calming music, copious amounts of coffee, tea, and cookies, and someone patiently waiting for me to tell them what I thought about whatever it is I read. No pressure. Just books and eventual conversation. Hey, I’m not picky, this could also take place outside. Unfortunately, this very realistic career aspiration did not come to fruition.  Instead, as a counselor, I have found the discussion of reading/stories to be very useful with clients. For those of us who enjoy reading, we often find ourselves relating to the characters and stories. We can feel what the characters feel (if the book is well written), we can draw parallels to our own lives, and it can often make us feel seen, like someone understands what we have gone through. It can be as overt as a woman going through a divorce reading a fiction story about a woman going through a divorce and as subtle as a friendship in a book making the reader think about relationships overall. 

My use of reading and overall entertainment (movies, shows, etc) as a therapist happens casually, but often, with my clients. We share our opinions of things we have read, watched, or listened to and make recommendations to one another; it leads to fruitful conversations and gives insight into how clients view the world. It can naturally guide the session into the discussion of feelings and how to process situations that might not have come up otherwise. While I do enjoy the casual discussion of fiction books with my clients, I have worked with some clients to come up with specific reading material/workbooks for working through self-esteem and body image issues.  

Bibliotherapy is the use of literature and reading materials to support the therapeutic process. In bibliotherapy, the therapist usually assigns specific reading material to help the client with whatever their presenting concern might be (grief, abuse, parenting, friendship, anxiety, depression, etc). This includes fiction, non-fiction, self-help, magazine articles, and poetry.  This approach only works if the client enjoys reading; it won’t be effective if they are already overwhelmed or find reading to be a difficult task.   

Here are some ways that bibliotherapy can be used to support mental health:

1. Identification and Relatability: Clients can see themselves in the characters and situations presented in the literature. This identification helps them feel less isolated in their experiences.
2. Catharsis: Reading about characters facing similar challenges can provide an emotional release, allowing clients to process their feelings in a safe space.
3. Insight and Perspective: Literature can offer new viewpoints and solutions, encouraging clients to think about their problems in different ways.
4. Modeling Behavior: Characters in books often demonstrate coping strategies and problem-solving skills that clients can emulate.
5. Empathy and Understanding: Bibliotherapy can foster empathy by helping clients understand others’ experiences and emotions, enhancing their interpersonal relationships.

Any sort of literature can be used for bibliotherapy:

1. Fiction: Contemporary novels often explore complex emotional and psychological themes. Books like "Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine" by Gail Honeyman or “It Ends with Us” by Colleen Hoover provide deep insights into mental health struggles and abuse, allowing clients to connect with characters who face and overcome significant challenges. This is the type of literature I (and my clients) gravitate towards most often.
2. Memoirs and Biographies: Non-fiction works offer real-life stories of resilience and personal growth. These narratives can inspire clients and provide concrete examples of overcoming adversity. I enjoy memoirs and because they are true stories they can be very effective in making a client feel less alone. 
3. Self-Help Books: Many clients find guidance in self-help literature because they offer practical advice and strategies for personal development and well-being. As I mentioned I use these with clients who are struggling with body image issues and self-esteem.
4. Poetry and Short Stories: These shorter forms of literature can be particularly powerful, offering poignant reflections on the human experience. 
5. Children’s and Young Adult Literature: For younger clients (and adults, too), age-appropriate books can address relevant issues like bullying, identity, and social justice.

My 3 Step Process for Bibliotherapy

These steps are outlined for bibliotherapy that is being done in conjunction with regular therapy sessions. I will provide a worksheet at the end that can be helpful for people who are trying to process connections to literature on their own.

1. Assessment: Understand the client’s interests, reading level, and specific issues they are facing. 
2. Selection: Choose literature/genre that aligns with the client’s needs and resonates with their experiences. While it is nice to have read the book that the client is reading,this is not a requirement. You can easily work with the client to make the connections between what they are reading and what they are feeling without knowing everything in the story/book. 
3. Reading & Reflecting: Determine the appropriate amount of reading to be done between sessions. Then you will reflect on the characters, themes, and other elements that you connect with in the material. There are many ways to do this:
   1. Journaling (with or without specific prompts)
   2. Highlighting
   3. Annotating or note taking
   4. Writing Summaries

Discussion: Use therapy sessions to explore the themes and lessons from the reading material. Discuss how the client relates to the characters and situations. 

Some Examples of Bibliotherapy

I recently finished Funny Story by Emily Henry. This is likely to be considered to be a "beach read" by many. It is a romance novel with a lot of sarcasm and humor. However, it also deals very directly with issues of abandonement and how childhood relationships with parents affect adult relationships with friends and partners. A great of example of how a book can be used to identify and work through attachment issues (while also making you laugh).

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods was not a light easy beach read. It was full of magical realism and themes of abuse and low self-esteem. It could be used to help someone who is feeling less than or looking for examples of people mustering the strength to take big steps/make a change.

The movie It Ends with Us (A book written by Colleen Hoover) is being released today (8/9/24). In my opinion the book (not sure about the movie yet!) did an excellent job describing the internal struggle that someone in an abusive relationship has when they don't know if they should stay or leave. Something that can be very relatable particularly to the population of women that I have worked with over the years. It normalizes the idea that it isn't easy to label abuse and it is just as difficult to leave that realtionship.

Conclusion

Anyone who reads regularly likely finds themself connecting with the characters and stories. I am including a worksheet to help other bibliophiles process the emotions they are feeling when they are reading. I have also created a workbook to be used with a therapist when bibliotherapy is being used as part of a mental health treatment plan. You can reach out to me if you are interested in the workbook!

Bibliotherapy WorksheetDownload

Is there a book you have read that has felt therapeutic?