Bibliotherapy is a well-researched and developed method of therapeutic intervention that has been part of the mental health field for many years. Often, when bringing up bibliotherapy in the therapeutic space, clients expect that they will receive self-help or other non-fiction book recommendations. These certainly can be beneficial, but fiction literature can also be utilized in therapy spaces, as well as in personal exploration of mental health which readers may want to undergo without the guidance of a mental health professional. When picking up your next fiction read, think about some of these potential benefits to your mental health:

  • We can find characters in literature which we relate to in ways that may not be accessible in everyday life. Books give us a window into the stories of others that we do not often get, whether they are set in the “real world” or an unrecognizable fantasy realm. At times we can learn about aspects of ourselves which are unexplored or require perspectives that we cannot get in our current environment. There is powerful validation which can come from picking up a book and seeing parts of yourself in the characters and their stories.
  • We can explore our own identities and develop our values. Relatedly, storytelling portrays a multitude of topics, identities, and issues which have relevancy to us or others. Through these stories, we can explore the people we want to be and the values we would like to embody. Reading gives us a way to experience variations of the world and society which can inform our actions in the rest of our lives.
  • We can learn about different kinds of relationships and have models for healthy relationships. Books offer us opportunities to learn from or identify with the relationships in their pages. We may identify an unhealthy relationship in a book which mimics one in our own lives and magnifies a need for change, or we may see a relationship which we would like to strive for and work towards.
  • We can increase our ability to take other perspectives and have empathy. Ultimately, reading is about immersing yourself in someone else’s story. You learn to see through the eyes of someone other than yourself and have more empathy for people who are different from you. Reading can also bridge the gap in difficult or sensitive conversations by introducing a topic in a safe manner and giving all members of the conversation the ability to learn from an outside perspective.
  • We can improve our overall cognitive function. Numerous studies support the impact of reading, including reading works of fiction, on cognitive health across the lifespan.

The good news is reading is also low-cost and accessible for many! Beyond bookstores, most municipalities have access to public libraries, and this access is consistently expanding with the integration of e-books and audiobooks that don’t require physical books to be stored or transferred. These new mediums also create greater accessibility for those with disabilities, or who are unable to reach their local library for any reason. Enjoy your next read, it’s improving your mental health!

Meagan Arnold, LPC