My journey with bibliotherapy
As promised, I’m dedicating this next post to Bibliotherapy.
I was initially going to write a rather boring description of what bibliotherapy is and how we can practice it, but instead, I’ve decided it’s far more interesting to just tell you how I stumbled upon bibliotherapy and well, how it’s changed my life.
So here it is.
How I discovered bibliotherapy…
About 6 years ago I was going through a transitional phase in my life. I was in my mid 20’s, and feeling stuck - both professionally and personally. I had lived an adventure abroad and now I was looking to set roots and find meaningful work to do.
So, I did what I always do when I’m feeling stuck - I went to the library.
Through some research and digging, I found out that there is a discipline called Bibliotherapy - my soul lit up.
It was like discovering something that was in me all along but which I didn’t have a name for.
You see, all my life, I’ve used books to better understand myself and now there was a word for it - BIBLIOTHERAPY.
The fact that this was a real discipline was a breakthrough for me.
So what actually is Bibliotherapy?
The internet definition of bibliotherapy is, “a form of art therapy that enables us to achieve greater self-awareness, cathartic release and emotional relief.”
While I tinkered and assimilated this idea, I came to my own definition:
bibliotherapy
[ bib-lee-oh-ther-uh-pee ]
noun
A therapeutic practice where we use stories to expand our mind, unlock new perspectives and in the process grow and transform.
As I continued to read more about bibliotherapy, I realized that nearly everyone I know has had a book change their life.
Do you ever remember feeling stuck or disconnected in a situation and by chance, stumbled upon a book that opened your mind to new possibilities? That’s the magic of bibliotherapy and my guess is that you have experienced it.
When we have a desire to grow, opportunities (or in this case, books) always present themselves.
My next question was, how can I unlock the potential of bibliotherapy so we can have more of these “Aha” moments?
I needed to go deeper, and with this in mind, I took a course and became a certified Bibliotherapist. This was a proud moment for me and from then on I had a mission - to help people find the books that will lead them to their own personal growth.
…
But as it often happens in life, things got busy.
I moved to Portugal, I built a career in marketing, and grew a beautiful family with my fiancée, our little baby girl and our doggy.
But throughout all these years, bibliotherapy has always been there for me. Books have been coming into my life at just the right moments, I’ve been a part of several book clubs that have taken me way out of my literary comfort zone, and truth be told, that’s the best part about reading.
So, what’s next on this road of discovery? Well, I figured this blog is a good place to start.
As I continue my journey with bibliotherapy, I want to share the books that have had the greatest impact on me in the (vain) hopes that they might do something for you too.
You know the ones I’m talking about;
The books that give us goosebumps and make us sit back and savor the big feelings.
The books that make us wander in awe that someone could write a story which resonates so deeply with us that we feel understood right down to our very molecules.
The books that point our compass needle in a new direction, and give us courage, hope, understanding, lightness, and laughter.
These are the books worth sharing.
Some of these might resonate with you, and some of them might not, but my hope is that somewhere in between, you’ll find a book that speaks to your heart and helps it expand just a little more.
So what do you say, let’s turn the page together?
Up next, I’ll share a very special story about a book that changed the course of my life. It involves moving to Argentina, stepping out of my comfort zone, and embracing the unknown…
Until then.
xx
Tonislava