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Bibliotherapy in

Counseling
Practice
CED 703
Dr. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson
Dr. Paula McMillen

Come,
and take choice of all my
library, and so beguile thy
sorrow.
William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus (Act IV,
Sc1, 1.34)

useful is practice
based
Clinical Bibliotherapy is implemented by

trained helping professionals dealing with


significant emotional or behavioral
problems.

Developmental Bibliotherapy may be

used by teachers and other lay helpers to


facilitate normal development and selfactualization with an essentially healthy
population.

Range of Issues Addressed~


aggressiveness (Shechtman, 1999, 2000)
adoption/ foster care (Pardeck, 1993; Sharkey, 1998)
diversity awareness/ valuation (Pardeck & Pardeck, 1998a; Tway,

1989)
death & dying (Meyer, 1994; Todahl, Smith, Barnes, & Pereira, 1998)
chemical dependency (Pardeck, 1991)
divorce (Early, 1993; Kramer & Smith, 1998; Meyer, 1991)
obsessive-compulsive disorder (Fritzler, Hecker, & Losee, 1997)
giftedness (Hebert, 1995),
conflict resolution (Hodges, 1995)
child abuse/ neglect (Jasmine-DeVias, 1995; Pardeck, 1990),
nightmares (Barclay & Whittington, 1992),
ethnic identity (Holman, 1996),
depression (Ackerson, Scogin, McKendree-Smith, & Lyman, 1998)
separation & loss (Bernstein & Rudman, 1989)
family violence (Butterworth & Fulmer, 1991)
homelessness (Farkas & Yorker, 1993)
self-destructive behavior (Evans et al., 1999)

Benefits can include:


Increase self-awareness
Clarification of emerging values
Development of ones own ethnic/cultural

identity
Greater empathic understanding of others
Increased appreciation of different
cultures, viewpoints and lived experiences
Improved coping skills as learn about
alternative responses to problems
Reduction of negative emotions such as
stress, anxiety and loneliness
Enhanced self-esteem, interpersonal skills
and emotional maturity

Emotional Benefits
Relieving feelings of isolation by learning that

others shared their experience


(universalization)
Gaining comfort or reassurance
Finding hope from hearing how others had
dealt with similar situations in a positive
fashion (an expectation for a good outcome)
Being motivated to act differently
Temporary escape from pressing problems
Emotional release or relief (catharsis)

Cognitive benefits
Increasing understanding of their

feelings and ideas (insight and


integration).
Gaining knowledge such as facts,
information, advice or
recommendations which helped them
make decisions and talk effectively
with gatekeepers such as health care
providers.

Cautionary advice
Zaccaria and Moses (1968) [Bibliotherapy] is not a

panacea neither can it be used with all


individuals.

Shrodes (1950) emphasizes For no two persons

can there be an absolute equivalence of symbols, for


no two people have identical psychological fields.
(p.85)

Above all, the recommender must be well

acquainted with the content of the materials


they intend to recommend or use.

More cautions
Helpers must be familiar enough

with the reading materials and with the


reader/listener to anticipate the state
of reader/listener readiness.

Helpers are sensitive to cultural,

ethnic and religious messages in


material.

Helpers ensure factual material is

accurate and up to date.

Helpers ensure that stories have

characters and situations similar


enough to facilitate some level of
identification.
increase empathy and understanding
for those from different backgrounds.
to provide needed distance from
painful emotions.

Categories for Evaluation


General Info
General Format and

Structure
Subject Matter
Reading Level and
Suitability
Book Length
Text and Pictures
Developmental level

Diversity Factors

Usage:

Context
Environment
Situation

Therapeutic Use

Additional Considerations

Overall Impression

General Format and


Structure
In this section the reviewer evaluates the

material from an overall perspectivethe


Gestalt of the text.
If it is a fictional book, then the reviewer

assesses factors such as plot cohesiveness,


character development, universality of the
story line, and general quality of the text.

Subject Matter
In this section the reviewer evaluates the material

from the perspective of subject matter. Whether it


is fiction or non-fiction, there is usually a subject
(or multiple subjects) addressed in the material.

Specific topics are identified. The reviewer

assesses factors such as relevancy of material,


ability to engage the reader, and fit between
reader interests and subject.

The question posed-- Is this a good subject fit for

the client?

Reading Level and


Suitability
In this section the reviewer evaluates the material

from the perspective of reading level and suitability


of the material. Some materials identify an
appropriate reading or age level, some do not. So it
is up to the counselor to make their best guess as
to the appropriateness. It also depends on how the
material will be applied.
If the clinician is reading to the client, it matters less
if the material is an exact match to the clients skills.
Rhyming and other stylistic devices may influence
how the helper chooses to use the material.

Book Length
In this section the reviewer evaluates the material from

the perspective of how long will it take to use this material


with a particular client.
Counselor looks at book format and length.
Counselor must decide how text is used.
Session to session
Home reading
One time read etc.
Individual client characteristics will also influence how long

it will take to use the book in certain ways.

Text and Pictures


In this section the reviewer evaluates the material from the

perspective of print and illustrations.


Counselor looks at congruence between text and illustrations.
What is the mood created by the combination of print and

pictures?
Counselor looks at quantity and quality of illustrations.
Once an implementation strategy is identified, ask, Will this

combination of text and images create a therapeutic effect


for this particular client?

Developmental Level
In this section the reviewer evaluates the material from

the perspective of developmental level; consider the client


from a holistic perspective, including age and grade.

Additionally, the counselor looks at the therapeutic

readiness and stage of counseling for the client .

The counselor evaluates fit or match of the text,

character, subject matter with the client.

The counselor evaluates the appropriateness of the texts

usage with populations who may be at multiple


developmental levels.

Diversity Factors
In this section the reviewer evaluates the material from the perspective of

diversity and social issues.


The counselor looks at the factors of respectful presentation, cultural

appropriateness, world view expansion, and needs of the client.


The counselor evaluates the text to ensure that stereotyping does not

exist.
The counselor examines the relevancy and current nature of the material

presented.
The counselor evaluates the administrative and political impact of

literature usage.

Use:
Context, Environment and Situation
In this section the reviewer evaluates the material from the

perspective of the context, environment or situation in


which it will be used.
The reviewer considers the setting
Home
Healthcare
Mental health
School-education
Social services
Library
The counselor considers the client population.

Therapeutic Use:
In this section the reviewer evaluates the material

focusing on how the text will used.

The reviewer considers the application of the text:


Choral reading,
Reading to the client or the group or the class
Reading with the client
Reading and reacting
Art, writing, story telling

Other interventions we discussed

The counselor considers the impact on client growth.

The question considered might be what will this do


for the therapeutic movement of my client?

Additional Evaluation
Considerations:
In this section the reviewer takes a final look and

evaluates the material from the retrospective stance.


The reviewer considers overall implications, benefits,

trauma, administrative and political-cultural factors.


The reviewer offers advice to others who may

consider this book for therapeutic use.


The reviewer gives a ballpark figure of the

projected therapeutic value of the text.

Time to practice

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