Kursinformation

In today's world, where mental health awareness, the looming climate crisis, and political unrest are all too real, bibliotherapy has become a vital self-help tool for well-being. Bibliotherapy is a research field and therapeutic practice that has been evolving for over 100 years, yet its roots lie in antiquity. The inscription “medicine for the soul” above the doors of ancient libraries in Alexandria and Thebes attests to this fact. The phrase captures the essence of bibliotherapy, in which reading serves as a gateway to insight, guidance, and solace for promoting improved mental well-being. As a rich and diverse field, bibliotherapy crosses disciplines and has found its way into both clinical/self-help contexts (e.g., therapy sessions) and creative/literary contexts (e.g., reading and creative writing groups).

In this seminar, we will venture into creative/literary bibliotherapy by investigating various genres (e.g., poetry, short stories, drama, excerpts from novels) to enhance self-inquiry, self-awareness, and self-expression. The objectives of this seminar are multiple: 1) identify, evaluate, and select suitable works of poetry/fiction/drama to compile a "Bibliotherapeutic Pharmacy," 2) put bibliotherapy into practice by crafting pieces of therapeutic writing according to prompts/brief readings of fiction, and 3) compose a final reflection on your process and progress during the semester. Are you ready for a healthy dose of bibliotherapy?