The Power of Bibliotherapy in Social Work

Books can entertain, inspire, challenge, and educate. But did you know that they can also help heal?

“Reading specific pieces of literature and talking about them with a therapist (or in a group therapy setting) is thought to help patients understand perspectives other than their own, make sense of a difficult past or upsetting symptoms, or experience feelings of hope, contentment, and empathy,” Psychology Today writes on its website. “More generally, reading is also thought to improve self-esteem, self-awareness, and feelings of self-efficacy.”¹

Bibliotherapy’s Beginnings 

In 2000 BCE Egypt, a library was known as “the house of healing for the soul.”² And while the term bibliotherapy widely joined the modern lexicon in 1914,³ experts say incorporating literature into healing practices is much older.

But in the U.S., an early iteration of bibliotherapy began during World War I when the Library War Service was established to collect and distribute books to military personnel.⁴ There were hospital libraries in the U.S. and abroad, and librarians lived and worked in some of these hospitals. According to the Books as Medicine online exhibit, doctors and librarians saw books as a means of therapy, as well as sources of education, vocational training, entertainment, and more.⁴

Bibliotherapy in Social Work Therapy

Fast forward to today, where bibliotherapy is a type of therapy for social workers, the largest group of mental health services providers in the U.S.⁵ Social workers use works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and other forms of written expression in their social work therapy practices.

How does reading a text help a client? Psychology Today says there are four steps in the process. They are:¹

• Identification: Readers connect with a character they can relate to.
• Catharsis: Readers feel the character’s hardships, hopes, and emotions from a safe distance.
• Insight: Readers see parallels between the incidents or characters and their own circumstances. They can choose to apply concepts from the literature to their own lives.
• Universalization: Readers understand they’re not alone and see that others have overcome comparable obstacles.

Clinical social workers who work with children may choose books that deal with topics like bullying, grief, and emotion regulation.⁶ Bibliotherapist Bijal Shah recommends Silo’s Sadness by Talya Bruck, which explores themes such as change, friendship and loss.⁷

Shah’s “A to Z” bibliotherapy list of recommendations for adults includes books on topics like depression, divorce, leadership, parenting, racism, and self-confidence. For people who want to work on building self-confidence, Shah’s list includes Nathaniel Branden’s Six Pillars of Self-Esteem and Alice Oseman’s novel, I Was Born for This.⁸

Another benefit of bibliotherapy is that it can increase engagement, Psychology Today says. But experts agree: It is one part of the therapeutic process.

“Therapists who utilize a wide variety of modalities may make use of bibliotherapy. Thus, when searching for a bibliotherapist, it may be helpful to learn about their primary modality and discuss with them how bibliotherapy will be incorporated into the treatment plan,” Psychology Today says.¹

Become a Social Work Professional

Social workers are in demand,⁹ and you can help prepare for all kinds of social worker jobs by earning a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree online from Walden University.

Walden’s MSW degree program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CWSE), which is a requirement for licensure in most states. This CWSE-accredited social work degree program is offered online, giving you the flexibility to log in and work on your studies on your own schedule, 24/7.

Walden, an accredited university, gives you the opportunity to align your MSW studies with today’s in-demand social work jobs by choosing one of five focus areas: Addictions, Child and Family, Healthcare, Military, and Trauma. You can also take your studies further by adding a third course from a single focus area to earn an optional embedded certificate along with your MSW degree.

Choose one of three online degree completion options to create an MSW degree experience that fits your lifestyle. Walden also lets you take your social work education to the highest level by offering Doctor of Social Work (DSW) and PhD in Social Work online degree programs.

Earning an MSW can give you knowledge and skills you can use to build a career and a social work practice. Request information today and prepare to become a social worker making a difference in the lives of people and communities.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering an online Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient online format that fits your busy life.

¹Source: www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/bibliotherapy
²Source: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/629993
³Source: www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bibliotherapy?src=search-dict-box#h1
⁴Source: booksasmedicine.com/library-war-service
⁵Source: www.socialworkers.org/news/facts/social-workers
⁶Source: www.booktherapy.io/en-us/pages/childrens-a-z-of-books
⁷Source: www.savanna-therapeutic.org.uk/
⁸Source: www.booktherapy.io/en-us/pages/a-z-of-book-prescriptions
⁹Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-workers.htm

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.

Accreditation
Walden University’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). CSWE’s Commission on Accreditation is responsible for developing standards that define competent preparation for professional social workers and ensuring that social work programs meet these standards.

Note on Licensure
Walden University’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program meets the academic requirements to obtain the required credential to practice as licensed social workers in all states.

State licensing boards are responsible for regulating the practice of social work, and each state has its own academic, licensure, and certification requirements for practice as a social worker. Walden recommends that students consult the appropriate social work licensing board in the state in which they plan to practice to determine the specific academic requirements for licensure or other credentials. Walden enrollment specialists can provide information relating to the state-by-state requirements for licensure. However, it remains the individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all licensing requirements for the state in which he or she intends to practice. Walden makes no representations or guarantees that completion of its coursework or programs will permit an individual to achieve state licensure, authorization, endorsement, or other state licensure or credential.