We All Need Some Bibliotherapy
We all know about
pet therapy, where one gets comfort and a sense of calm from having their pet
go everywhere with them – car, plane, work, school, outdoor restaurant, etc.
Well, how about bibliotherapy?
Yes, books can be
therapeutic!
Writing books. Reading
books. Being surrounded by books, authors, and book people is most soothing for
me. How about yourself?
In the technical
sense, bibliotherapy has evidence of reducing alcohol dependence, self-harm,
and panic disorder. Basically, bibliotherapy is the act of intentionally using
books to help us overcome a burden or challenge, to put us in a healthier frame
of mind, and to alleviate stress.
Books can certainly
help us resolve certain issues, either because the content specifically
addresses an issue of concern, or because the act of reading allows us to
relax. Reading stories that provide an opportunity for growth, escape, or
enjoyment are as therapeutic as anything else. Bottom line: Does reading books make
you feel better? Yes? Bibliotherapy, thank you!
Wikipedia describes bibliotherapy as such:
“ Although the term
"bibliotherapy" was first coined by Samuel Crothers in 1916, the use
of books to change behavior and reduce distress has a long history, dating back
to the Middle Ages. When applied in a therapeutic context, bibliotherapy can comprise
both fictional and non-fictional materials.
“Fictional
bibliotherapy (e.g., novels, poetry) is a dynamic process, where the material
is actively interpreted in light of the reader's circumstances. From a
psychodynamic perspective, fictional materials are believed to be effective
through the processes of identification, catharsis and insight. Through
identification with a character in the story the reader gains an alternative
position from which to view their own issues. By empathizing with the character
the client undergoes a form of catharsis through gaining hope and releasing
emotional tension, which consequently leads to insights and behavioral change.
“Working
with an imaginative journey and a specific selection of metaphors, proponents
claim that a therapeutic story approach has the potential to shift an out of
balance behavior or situation back towards wholeness or balance. A patient
might also find it easier to talk about his issues if he and the therapist can
pretend that they are talking about the character's issues. Proponents suggest
that the story form offers a healing medium that allows the listener to embark
on an imaginative journey, rather than being lectured or directly addressed
about the issue.”
So, books are therapeutic,
whether you realize it or not. They give us skills, provide knowledge, distract
us from problems, share wisdom, provide mentoring and support, and allow for us
to have a teacher, therapist, coach, and minister right beside us, 24/7,
wherever we are. We are never alone with good books.
“To approach
greatness, write about the unwritten, the unspoken, the unspeakable.”
--Arthur Miller
“The harder I
work, the luckier I get.”
--Samuel Goldwyn
“Be yourself,
everybody else is already taken.”
--Oscar Wilde
Need Book Marketing
Help?
Brian
Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at [email protected] He is available to help authors
promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30
years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres.
Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!
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About Brian Feinblum
Brian Feinblum should
be followed on LinkedIn. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2023.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two
kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His
writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent. This award-winning blog has generated over 3.4
million pageviews. With 4,600+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named
one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018
as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by
www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades,
including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book
publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with
many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with
best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen,
Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard,
Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C.
Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a
panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA,
Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction
Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland)
Writers Association, APEX, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association.
His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal,
USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News
(Westchester) and The Washington Post . He has been featured in The
Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald . For more information, please consult:
www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum
