Who would have known that reading is not only fun and relaxing, but can also be therapeutic? Involving the reading of specifically allocated books, this method of psychotherapy employs how a reader relates to a specific work to help explore the inner workings of their own minds, psyches, and emotions. The books involved can range in genre or type, from simple story books to works of poetry. Clearly, for those who are comfortably literate and who have sufficient time to devote to reading, such a tool has definite advantages over other forms of therapy, in that so much of it can be done on one’s own, with minimal guidance from the bibliotherapist concerned. It is also relatively inexpensive, in that the reading material involved can often be obtained for free from a library.

Reading is a basic skill that is usually taught at the lower school level, as one of the three core subjects: reading, writing, and arithmetic. As such, it tends to be universally acquired. Most people know how to read. No advanced skills or equipment, such as that which is associated with information technology, is required, so that the economically disadvantaged can have ready access to the available materials, with minimal expenditure on their part. The major resource required, apart from the physical access required to the written word, is that of time. The easily portable and transportable aspects of books serve in favor of the use of such a medium for the enhancement of daily living and the improvement of general health and well-being.

How does bibliotherapy work? Suiting both group and individual settings, bibliotherapy enables those undertaking therapy to express their feelings and thoughts that they found arose on reading a particular piece of writing. Bibliotherapy is, accordingly, a highly personalized encounter with a set text. Especially where there is a widely disparate group, reading the same work and discussing how it has made one think and feel can facilitate the expression and realization of what one has in common with others, and help clarify where differences and discrepancies most readily tend to manifest themselves. Accordingly, such activity can maximize the potential growth of the group through the fostering of cohesive group dynamics, encouraging a focus on a common goal.

In the case of individual bibliotherapy, the client and therapist start by considering challenging areas in the former’s life. The therapist then identifies which book is most likely to have a positive effect on the client’s ways of thinking and feeling, through their ability to relate to those featuring most prominently in the material read. For instance, reading a book about an alcoholic who was traumatized as a child might enable the client to open up about their own abusive background, which has led to their current addiction problem. Bibliotherapy is a versatile form of therapy that can help maximize the potential of an environment that is relatively under-resourced and is, therefore, a facilitator of both social and individual change at comparatively little cost.