Bibliotherapy, using literary texts in this way can provide a pathway to new perspectives, recognition and insight. Listeners dwell appreciatively in the moment of evoking their own experience; the freshness and surprise of words and the experience of the particular story or poem are savoured, tasted, turned in the mouth, helping to ignite the healing power of our imaginations.
Literary texts contain healing words and images. Over time, the words and images that are good for you will seep into our awareness. Words, a sentence, an image created from some finely observed detail goes on resonating in the listener’s mind long after the listening has finished.
The minimalist eye of a short story writer and the poet speaks eloquently of hidden undercurrents of emotions swirling beneath the surface that help propel us to a more thought-provoking place.
People have found that working with bibliotherapy using literary texts helps them to relax, clear the mind, feel stronger and improve their sense of wellbeing. Bibliotherapy weaves some wellbeing principles into the experience of listening to stories and poems that help us find ways to feel connected and soothed.
Trust your own intuition to find what it needs, and that may change with each listening of the story or poem.
Don’t feel you have to use it just as it is:
You may want to stop and ponder over some especially meaningful words and images the words have created.
You may find that you want to rearrange some words to suit your own experience.
Don’t worry if you go in and out of attention, take what is useful and leave the rest. The words have a way of lingering to be recalled at another moment when needed.
I do hope you can take some time to engage with the power of literature to help yourself heal.
Recommendations from readers for readers.
Books that offer comfort and/or a way to dwell more deeply
If you have found comfort within the pages of a book and would like to share, please email [email protected]
include the book title, author name, and a sentence or two about the book.
Words That Heal 