Increasing Connection Through Bibliotherapy in a Digital World - 2024 Conference

Session Description

Bibliotherapy is reading a book with a client to validate, normalize, and/or support the processing of the client’s thoughts, feelings, and concerns. This can be a useful tool for therapists engaging with children and their families through telehealth, as it provides children with the interpersonal connection that they developmentally crave. Bibliotherapy supports children by providing validation for their experiences and social-emotional skills, through words written for them and read to them. Therapeutic bibliotherapy provides a variety of concepts, ideas, and experiences directed to all ages and levels of ability. This blends easily with telehealth, because it requires little additional materials, focuses on the relationship between therapist and client(s), can target a multitude of topics, and strengthens and maintains connection despite physical distance. With bibliotherapy, children can listen to a story and just be; there is no pressure to perform. The connection is built in the active engagement of a…