Greenburgh Public Library Blog

Family Matters - Resources That Help Heal

by Jennifer Rainbeau on 2021-01-30T13:00:00-05:00 in Books & Literature, Children, Health & Wellness, Literacy, Parenting, Teens, What To Read | 0 Comments

In a November 2020 article by Sara Lindberg in verywellmind.com, it states that, “Within the family unit, issues such as anxiety and coping with grief and the ability to rise out of your problems, can sometimes be difficult to manage...” especially with your children. Enter a theory called Bibliotherapy, “ a form of therapy to help you understand and cope with experiences between mind and body by using literature." "Bibliotherapy can help by providing information, support, and guidance in the form of reading activities via books and stories. According to Lindberg, reading can help facilitate the healing process and meet therapeutic goals and is a common strategy found in many treatment approaches.”

In her article, Lindberg mentions that bibliotherapy allows participants in group therapy to exchange feedback about their literature interpretations as they relate to their personal experiences, thereby improving communication and encouraging connections.

The Greenburgh library and the Westchester Library System offers some very useful resources whereby parents can provide their children a taste of personal “bibliotherapy” at home reading with their young ones - never in place of a licensed professional, but as an additional level of support and perspective during a trying time. Specific corresponding picture book, fiction, and nonfiction titles can give parents and/or the child an approach to gain insight into personal challenges and develop problem solving and positive coping skills. Hard copy books are available in the library as well as Ebooks and Eaudiobooks digitally. There is so much to choose from - so much free help out there to hold your hand.