How Bibliotherapy Can Support Doulas and Parents
How Bibliotherapy Found Me
During the pandemic, I was planning a book club for a family program. The program was delivered online, and I knew a traditional book club format with plot and character specific questions wouldn’t hold the children's attention. I needed to pivot.
That's when I connected with a community organization focused on adult literacy, and after sharing my ideas and getting thoughtful feedback, they introduced me to the concept of bibliotherapy. It felt like a missing piece I didn’t even know I was searching for, and aligned with everything I’ve Loved and hoped to do!
Growing up, I always enjoyed reading and filling notebooks with my wonders and observations (insert Harriet the Spy quote here). I would spend hours copying and pasting song lyrics into Notepad, with no real plan of ever using them. Thinking of it now, that was my hobby. Not much has changed. I still carry a book wherever I go, still value paper and pen, and have traded Notepad for the Notes app on my phone!
Words. If we are not speaking them, we are writing them, expressing them; they lead us, connect us, divide us. I would not say I “have a way with words,” but I feel the weight, the meaning, the pauses between one to the next. Think bout Love: By now, you would have thought we have said everything there is to say about it, but then, there is another song, another poem, book, movie, conversation, and somehow, we are in awe over it just the same.
Healing can begin with words. It continues to for me. I hope bibliotherapy will create spaces where it can for you, too.
What is Bibliotherapy?
Non-clinical bibliotherapy is the intentional use of literature, where books, poetry, short stories, and articles etc., are used to support well-being and connection. Sessions are facilitated in a group or individual setting, and each session is guided by a specific theme, like change, joy, resilience, nature, or hope. The facilitator selects prose that aligns with the theme, reads to the participants, and as a group, they reflect on the selection. No prior preparation or reading is required from participants, making bibliotherapy accessible and a great alternative for a book club.
Bibliotherapy is a purposeful practice of engaging with words to explore your thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Shared reflection creates opportunities to shift your views, discover new insights, and deepen connections with yourself and others.
For Doulas
A common thread connecting doulas and parents is the act of care and support for someone else; doulas care for parents so that parents can care for their babys.
The work of a doula is sacred, but also heavy.
Bibliotherapy can be a gentle practice of self-care that helps us release what we have been carrying and reconnect with our purpose, especially during times of burnout or when we desperately need a pause. It can deepen our empathy, introduce us to diverse voices, and help us to embrace experiences that are different from our own. It allows us to feel lighter and to stay connected to those whom we support, as well as to others who work alongside us.
Sessions can be guided by themes that reflect the heart of our doula work, such as purpose, gratitude, growth, identity, loss, rest, and joy.
For Parents
Pregnancy, birth, and parenting can be deeply isolating. As parents, we carry quiet questions, silent fears, and sometimes unspoken grief. Bibliotherapy can become a space for answers, comfort, and healing.
Reflective reading creates a space to talk about birth experiences, recovery, happiness, change, trauma, resilience, and parenting. Hearing stories from others reminds us that we are not alone. Reflections from other parents help us to feel seen and validated, and in the end, build unexpected connections.
We cherish the moments of learning and bonding that come from reading to our children; the same can apply to us as parents through bibliotherapy.
For You
I value bibliotherapy’s ability to adapt. Here are a few simple ways to explore it on your own before attending a formal session:
Set aside quiet time to read something that speaks to you
Start a journal to reflect on the emotions or memories that come up from the reading
Reflect on the words that comfort you (these are part of your personal healing toolkit)
Share a quote or page from the book with someone you trust and begin a conversation. You can ask:
What stands out to you in this quote/page?
What emotions come up for you when you read this?
What does this quote remind you of?
One of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received is a mason jar filled with handwritten, rolled-up quotes, one for each week of the year! Each one creates meaningful moments for bibliotherapy and has deepened my connection with the person who gave it to me, even through distance.