Bibliotherapy Today

Bibliotherapy has been around for generations. Parents have read storybooks to youngsters, whether Grimms' Fairy Tales or more modern titles like Where the Wild Things Are. Kids naturally have anxiety. The world is bigger than they can manage. And their worries are sometimes quite normative and not pathological.

"Read me a book, mommy!"

"I want that book again!"

And parents comply because their kids are tremendously engaged.

These books do something inside a child's psyche, and it can prove adjunctive for both children and adults in psychotherapy.

Let's take a quick look at how children's literature helps us as little kids. Goodnight Moon is a soothing read for a child who is anxious about going to sleep. Where the Wild Things Are goes deeply into fears, murky fears, within children, and then yields a sense of agency.

Upon finishing the book, the child may think, “It's just a book. I'm okay, and the monsters are quiet."

In Therapy

Bibliotherapy works by helping people connect with a character or story that feels similar to their own life. This connection can bring emotional relief (a "lightbulb moment") and inspire new ways to solve problems.

Some studies show that bibliotherapy appears to be particularly effective in the reduction of adult depressive and anxiety symptoms in the long-term period. It has also proven useful in therapy around trauma.

As adults, we often read books that make us feel better. A spy novel can take us to a faraway place and somehow make our lives more exciting. Lord of the Rings takes both children and adults on a long journey that enriches our lives. The mind becomes bigger than the small spot of earth we habitate.

In my practice, as a child and adult psychiatrist, I use bibliotherapy quite often. And Psychology Today has proved to be a special source of material; I often share a piece by a colleague (or myself) for a patient to read.

• The Puer Aeternus – For patients stuck in cycles of avoidance, self-doubt, or fear of adulthood.
• The Avoidant Mind – To help patients recognize and break free from avoidance habits.
• Can You Forgive? – To guide patients in using forgiveness as a tool for healing.
• Dysregulating the Dysregulator – To help patients stay calm and set boundaries with toxic people.

Bibliotherapy as a Tool

There must be an acknowledgement that you’re not imposing; it’s an offer—a bridge between sessions, where a patient is given homework that they want. You have to be careful that they don’t do it just to please you as the therapist.

Because the articles of the type on Psychology Today (for example) are short and targeted to particular issues, the patient is often grateful and interested. They know that we’re in this together, and it gives us something concrete to work on. The patient will read these articles and come back and talk about them. If there's resistance, I write it off. They don't have to read my article, or any article by anyone else, or any book that I've read.

It’s critical that the patient understand their agency in this.

Many people will take it forward, however, and continue to be interested. They’ll bring it up in the next session, or months later. Bibliotherapy can encourage a more active integration of treatment between sessions.

Children

Studies have shown that the use of bibliotherapy as an intervention method for children is particularly useful when they have experienced trauma: It reduces trauma symptoms in children.

Stories are a tool to enable and enlighten children when dealing with these issues.

Sometimes, they come back in with questions or insight, or a sense of enabling. Many of the more current Disney stories, for instance, portray their princess protagonists as enabled rather than passive. Think Pocahontas, a favorite among many.

Collecting a list of bibliotherapy sources can be a good adjunct for your therapeutic practice. For young kids, there are many useful books to help with anxiety, OCD, depression, and all kinds of concerns.

• The Invisible String (2000) gently helps children cope with grief by showing them that love keeps us connected, even when we’re apart.
• Just Roll With It (2021) offers a creative and approachable way to help kids navigate the tricky, repetitive thoughts that come with OCD.
• Dark Cloud (2023) gives kids a language to understand depression, showing that even the heaviest feelings can eventually lift.
• Don't Feed The WorryBug (2011) helps kids manage anxiety by teaching them not to let their worries grow out of control.
• My favorite series for anxious children are the books by Dawn Huebner, which have proven to be incredibly helpful for young kids.

Therapy Essential Reads

What Is the Right Type of Therapist?

How Effective Are Therapy Intensives?

I am often pleasantly surprised that six months later a patient will refer back to an article. It’s a multimodal approach—the therapy itself and reading about ideas that the treatment elicited, all working together.

In conclusion, patients are often grateful to have bibliotherapy homework. The piece must be chosen carefully, and in a spirit of collaboration. When done well, it becomes a truly interesting addition to treatment.

To find a therapist, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.