What is Bibliotherapy?

Bibliotherapy is a way to approach personal problems through reading or even to enhance traditional therapy through consumption of books (Psychology Today, 2022). The idea is not that reading or listening to books replaces person to person therapy but that it offers another way to explore ourselves and receive insights from others. It can be an opportunity to explore different points of view and more diverse experiences.

Bibliotherapy can include typical self-help and psychology-related books but can also expand to memoirs and even fiction works.

I highly encourage you to shop through local bookstores. If you're not in a financial place to be buying lots of new books, check out your local library branch. I personally love visiting my local library branch to feel connected to my community and can usually find books through inter-library loan. My library also gives me access to the app Libby and Hoopla which allows me to freely borrow e-books and audiobooks which sometimes suit my lifestyle better. I highly encourage you to check out whatever options you think will best suit you.