Getting Started with Practicing Bibliotherapy at Home

Bibiotherapy is a form of therapy that utilizes books to treat different things, such as anxiety, depression, grief, etc. It is a supplemental form of therapy that can be used at any age and is usually used in conjunction with other forms of therapy in a treatment plan.

However, it is possible to practice bibliotherapy yourself while at home. The main goal of bibliotherapy is to help you work through your emotions as you read a book to better understand and manage your emotions day to day. It can also help you to work through more difficult periods, such as a period of grief, so that you can work through what you are feeling and find some relief. I do have to mention, though, that practicing solitary bibliotherapy at home is not a substitute for treatment with a therapist and/or psychiatrist. This form of therapy at home can be helpful to work through more minor concerns, or larger concerns as a form of supplemental therapy if you already have a treatment team. But if you are experiencing suicidal ideation, self-harm urges, or urges to harm others, please do call the suicide & crisis hotline at 988.

While doing bibliotherapy at home, it is important to utilize journaling while you are reading. I always recommend having one journal dedicated for your bibliotherapy practice. In your journal is where you can document how certain parts of a book made you feel, and what may be coming up for you. Documenting these moments will help you to go back once you finish the book to find patterns in what you were feeling. Writing down specifics quotes from a part of the book that really impacted you will also be helpful.

But to get started, you first need to choose a book. Below are some of my book suggestions for working through anxiety, depression, and grief. These books range between young adult and adult fiction but are ideal for all ages.

DepressionEverything I Never Told You by Celeste NgThe Bell Jar by Sylvia PlathLooking for Alaska by John GreenAnxietyTurtles All the Way Down by John GreenFangirl by Rainbow RowellThe Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky GriefA Monster Calls by Patrick NessThe Fault in Our Stars by John Green Still Alice by Lisa Genova

*Note: These books may be sensitive for some readers due to their subject matter. Please read with caution.

When choosing a book, you do not have to find one that addresses exactly what you are going through. Sometimes it is just about picking a book that brings up the emotions you may be experiencing, such as sadness.

If this is your first time trying out bibliotherapy, I would advise you to choose one of the books above and journal while reading through it to get a feel for how this form of therapy works – especially when it is self-directed. It can be quite the journey, and it might take you awhile to get a feel for how this therapy will work for you. Just be patient with yourself and go with the flow. You’ve got this.