Beat the blues with bibliotherapy

State Library Victoria has launched a new bibliotherapy podcast, bringing the world of books and wellness together in a series of nine episodes titled Bibliotherapy with State Library Victoria.

Facilitated by resident bibliotherapy expert Susan McLaine, the podcast will use short stories and poetry to encourage listeners to reflect on and process their own experiences through guided questions.

Using the healing power of literature to explore thoughts and feelings and inspire deeper thinking, Bibliotherapy with State Library Victoria will also offer practical wellbeing strategies to navigate the complexities of everyday life in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms McLaine says the series will help guide listeners through this particularly difficult time, when many of us are craving human conversations and interactions that have diminished significantly since restrictions came into play earlier this year.

“At a time when we are all feeling additional layers of stress, coupled with isolation from friends, family and our communities, it’s crucial that we give ourselves the space to process emotions and engage in activities that allow us to pause, reflect and process what’s going on in the world,” said McLaine.

“Bibliotherapy is the perfect tool for that, as it gives us a way to explore our thoughts and feelings using the words of others as a springboard. When we find the written words that articulate how we’re feeling in ways we can’t always express, it validates our feelings and gives us the sense that we are not alone.” 

“This podcast aims to encourage listeners to delve into their own experiences as we move through the written works of each episode, finding that sense of connection within themselves and the characters.”

While bibliotherapy isn’t yet as mainstream as more traditional therapies, using reading for healing and therapy can be traced back to ancient Greece, where library entrances were marked as ‘a healing place for the soul’.  

Researchers have found that bibliotherapy can reduce stress levels, improve mood, stimulate creativity, release tension and increase empathy .

In a Beyond Blue discussion paper titled ‘Victoria’s next 10-year mental health strategy’, the mental health advocacy group recommended the Victorian Government adopt a strong focus on E-mental health technology, including bibliotherapy. 

The paper says E-mental health programs (including websites, podcasts, self-guided online programs, meditation apps and more) have been demonstrated to be as clinically effective as face-to-face treatment for mild to moderate depression and anxiety, and may be up to 50 times more cost effective.

In the current climate, which has been described as a mental health crisis, free, alternate therapies such as a bibliotherapy podcast could be just what the doctor ordered.

Subscribe to Bibliotherapy with State Library Victoria to listen and visit the State Library Victoria website for more information.

Episode one will be available from 11am Saturday 5 September, with new episodes launching at the same time every week.