I Came from a Book

Third Workshop: I Came from a Book’s Literature Therapy

The goal of the third workshop is to leave the students with the resources and desires to continue using reading as a resource throughout their lives. Because of this goal, the third workshop is the most flexible and adaptable. A more in-depth conversation on literature therapy should be included but depending on the age of the group and focus of previous workshops this can take on various forms.

The third workshop may include a follow-up discussion on topics discussed previously or a continuation of small group discussions. These activities should only be continued if the Bridger of Worlds feels they are necessary because the students were cut short in their discussion. It is not necessary to continue just to fill time.

The third workshop can be used to encourage the students to continue using reading as a resource in several different ways:

It can include a few final thoughts on the selected book (whether the students have finished it or not) and further discussion on the benefits of reading on mental health. Depending on the group the Bridger of Worlds can focus more on the benefits of reading or more heavily on mental health.
If literature therapy is going to be implemented in the classroom following the workshops, the third workshop can be used as a springboard for the continued discussion that will occur in the classroom.
If the student organization, I Grew into a Book Club is going to be organized at the school, the third workshop can be used as an introduction to the club and offer resources to continue that program.

Reasons for Reading Talk

The main discussion of the third workshop should be the Reasons for Reading Talk which can include discussion on the following:

Benefits of bibliotherapy
Process of bibliotherapy
Continuing bibliotherapy in our lives

Second Workshop: I Came from a Book’s Literature Therapy

The goal of the second workshop is to allow students the opportunity to talk about the selected book. Depending on the age group, size and dynamic of the group this can be done in various ways:

In very small groups, the Bridger of Worlds, may direct the discussion amongst the whole group. This may be ideal for groups of younger children.
In most situations, the class should be broken up into smaller groups. Depending on the age of the group, you may place a teacher or Bridger of Worlds in each group to guide the students. With certain groups, however, it may help for students to operate the groups independently. With discretion, allow the students to form their own groups so that they feel comfortable with whom they are talking to. The groups may depend on which books the students selected if various books were selected.

If needed, certain topics from the first workshop can be discussed during the second.

Group discussion

McCulliss and Chamberlain outlined examples of how teacher led and student led discussion can be run:

Specific questions can be asked by an adult to help children explore a story and its characters and how they relate to the reader:

Are you like any of the story’s characters?
Do any of the characters remind you of someone?
Who would you like to be in the story?
Is there anything you would like to change about the story?
How would you change the characters, what happened, or how the story ended?
What is your favorite part of the story?
Did anything in the story ever happen to you?
What do you think will happen to the characters in this story tomorrow, in a few weeks, or a year from now?

Literature circles are small student-led discussion groups in which group members have selected the same book to read participate/contribute in discussion and share highlights of the discussion with their entire class. Teachers may ask students to complete various roles that include:

connector (one who makes connections between the reading and their own lives, the world, or other readings and texts)
questioner (one who lists important questions about the text to use during the discussion)
passage master (one who locates sections of the text that are most interesting, important, and puzzling that the group should look back on)
vocabulary enricher (one who identifies important, interesting, puzzling, or unfamiliar words that group members need to understand)
illustrator (one who creates a picture, diagram, or flowchart related to the reading that may be directly related to the text or something the text reminded the person of)

Literature circles encourage authentic student-led discussion and interactions rather than the more common, teacher-centered question-and-answer exchanges.[

Depending on the length of the workshop, the Bridger of Worlds may invite students to switch groups, lead a discussion among all the students at the beginning or end of the workshop or integrate other activities throughout the workshop. Remember that the main objective of the workshop is to give the students the opportunity to talk and practice the process of bibliotherapy.

References

D. McCulliss and D. Chamberlain. “Bibliotherapy for youth and adolescents: School-based application and research.” 2013.[

First Workshop: I Came from a Book’s Literature Therapy

The goal of the first workshop is for the students to understand what anxiety is, how it feels and how they would recognize it in themselves and others. The most important part of this workshop is that students understand anxiety. Feel free to focus on this point as long as it seems necessary. If the students are active participants and willing to talk about anxiety, try your best not to cut the conversation short. It is important that the students have the opportunity to discuss anxiety, even if it means that reading groups are not introduced in the first workshop. Remember, adaptability and individualized content is important in education.

The second part, and smaller portion, of the first workshop is to introduce the benefits of bibliotherapy and discuss book selection. The goal of this section is:

That the students have a clear idea how bibliotherapy works
That the students understand the benefits of bibliotherapy
That they know what they are looking for when reading the book selected

Although it is important that the students understand the objectives, this portion is merely an introduction to literature therapy which will be discussed more in-depth in the third workshop. The main objective of this introduction to literature therapy is that the students get the most out of their experience reading the selected book between the first and second workshop. If they do not understand why they are reading the selected book, they will not benefit as much as they will if they understand how literature therapy works.

It is necessary that the workshop ends with the selection of a book so that the students can begin reading the book before the second workshop. This process can be very short or a more engaged process with the students depending on the group. The selection of a book can happen in many different ways. In all options, make sure that the book or books are approved by the school in advanced.

A book can be pre-picked before the workshop begins. In this option, the book will be chosen by the Bridger of Worlds with advice from the teacher based on the age group of the class and any specific instructions given by the teacher. In this case, the books should be ordered in advance and distributed to the students on the day of the workshop. With large classes of students this is the most likely option.
Several books can be brought to the workshop and a discussion can be had with the students about the different stories and topics in each book. Depending on the decision of the teacher and Bridger of Worlds, following the discussion, one book can be chosen for all the students, or each student can pick one of the options and be divided into small groups depending on their choice of book. In this case, the proper number of each book can be delivered to the school the week following the workshop. For most groups, this is the ideal option.
In certain cases, following a more in-depth discussion about bibliotherapy and book selection, each student can pick their own book after the workshop. In this case, ensure that the teacher follows up with the students the following week to ensure that each student has an appropriate book. In this instant, each student would retrieve their book selection themselves from the library or home. This option has advantages for both large and small groups of students. In the case of large groups, depending on the discretion of the Bridger of Worlds and teacher, it may be beneficial for each student to pick their own book to allow for a more individualized approach, or if the group is too large for I Came from a Book to secure books for every student. The disadvantage of this is that discussion will be more difficult in a large group where every student has read a different book. Students will not be able to form the same connections with each other through the book and less time will be spent talking about each student’s book in the discussion during the second workshop. In small groups, even though each student has a different book, there will be more time for each student to share what they gained from their book and talk about their book selection. It will also be easier for the Bridger of Worlds to focus individualized attention on guiding each student through the topics in their book selection.

Anxiety Talk

Anxiety Talk will be the first part of the first workshop and will ideally take up the majority of the time. Please note that Anxiety Talk and How Books Help Us Talk can blend together and do not have to be two distinct and separate discussions.

A general outline of topics to be covered during Anxiety Talk is the following:

What is anxiety?
What does anxiety feel like?
Encourage students to share what they believe anxiety feels like or situations where they believe they experience anxiety.
Why do we feel anxiety?
What is happening biologically when we feel anxious?
How can I recognize anxiety?

How Books Help Us Talk

The purpose of the How Books Help Us Talk is to help the students get the most out of the experience of reading their selected book between the first and second workshop. It is essential that throughout the workshops the students have a positive experience reading and feel a connection with the characters, ideas or stories that they are reading. In order to provide a positive experience, the students must understand why they are being asked to read and how bibliotherapy works. That is the purpose of this second section of the first workshop. Depending on the group and book selection process this portion can vary greatly in length. Below are a few suggested topics to cover, but it is up to the Bridger of Worlds to determine what is needed for each group:

Discuss the benefits of bibliotherapy
1. You may begin by allowing students to share any positive (or negative) experiences with reading.
Explain the process of bibliotherapy
1. Include that the ideal results are that the student will develop a better or new understanding about their own feelings of the feelings of others.
1. Discuss the opportunity that reading gives us to escape from our current thoughts and the opportunity to connect with thoughts similar to or different from our own.
Share your own experience with reading
Depending on the book selection process, discuss the topics in the selected book

Selecting a Book for Literature Therapy

The nature of literature therapy makes the book selection a highly individualized process. The ideal situation is where the characters in the book experience a similar problem to that which the reader is experiencing. The more important aspect of this is that the character expresses their emotions in a way that the reader can relate to. This interaction with the character leads to the ideal result of the reader understanding their own feelings or those of others in a better light or new way.

As a result of this, the process of book selection can be extremely difficult, especially when working with a group. The ideal outcome with a reading group is that readers will learn the process of recognizing their own emotions in those of the characters and develop the skill for themselves of dealing with their own emotions even if the book being read does not personally relate to them.

In Bibliotherapy for youth and adolescents: School-based application and research McCulliss and Chamberlain compiled the following suggestions when selecting a book:

1. Motivating and challenging experiences

2. Suitability to age, ability, and maturity

3. Elicits response

4. Range of literacy structures

5. Proper use of language

6. Broadens understanding of diversity

7. Develops sensitivity and understanding

In the same research, the following questions were suggested when identifying if a book was a good selection:

Is the story simple, clear, brief, non-repetitious, and believable?
Is it at an appropriate reading level and developmental level?
Does the story fit with relevant feelings, needs, interests, and goal?
Does it demonstrate cultural diversity, gender inclusivity, and sensitivity to aggression?
Do characters show coping skills, and does the problem show resolution?

Most importantly the reader must form a connection with the characters or story in the book. As human beings, we have the ability to see ourselves in each other. The basis for literature therapy is that we develop this skill. Every book may not change your life, but reading a book is never a wasted experience.

What are Literature Therapy Workshops?

The purpose of the literature therapy workshops is for the students to be exposed to the central ideas of literature.

The immediate outcomes are that the students:

Understand what anxiety is and are capable of recognizing it within themselves
Learn resources and techniques to deal with anxiety and mental illness
Understand the process and benefits of literature therapy

In the ideal literature therapy workshop the long-lasting outcomes are that the students:

Develop a love of reading
Feel connected to others
Understand that they are awesome

Literature therapy workshops are the first step in implementing a literature therapy program in a school. They are intended to introduce the process and ideas. A trained I Came from a Book workshop presenter—referred to as Bridger of Worlds because of their role creating connections between the students, the books and the peers—will visit the school over the course of a month and present three different workshop to a class of students. Workshops are presented to a single class at a time. If suited to the school, workshops can be, and are ideally, presented to smaller groups of students with specialized need or desire.

Each workshop has a main goal and suggested outline but it is intended that each Bridger of Worlds will develop their own workshop following closely to the guidelines. This is intended so that each presenter will be extremely familiar with the material that they present and so that the necessary flexibility is allowed and individualized content is encouraged depending on the group. Knowledge, adaptability and individualized content are essential ideas to education. It’s important for the presenter to be extremely well-trained and knowledgeable, but it is even more important that the presenter have the ability to adapt and individualize the program to the specific students which they are presenting to.

History of Literature Therapy

Although literature therapy is considered a relatively new concept with research currently being done to expand the idea, the idea of literature therapy as it exists today has actually existed for almost a hundred year.

The term bibliotherapy, which is a common term for literature therapy, was first coined by Crothers in 1916 where he “recommended assigned reading materials in order to expand an individual’s level of self-understanding and to expand the understanding of others’ perceptions.”

This same idea of an increased understanding of self and others is the basis for literature therapy today. When we better understand ourselves and the world around us we have a better awareness of our experiences and are better able to cope with the difficulties that arise. This is the idea that Crothers developed almost a hundred years ago.

The healing power of literature has been found even further back in history, throughout time. Researchers have recognized the ancient Greeks as the first people to recognize books as therapeutic tools. Around 300 BCE the inscription above the library at Thebes in Alexandria, Egypt read, “The Healing Place of the Soul.” A similar inscription was also found in the Medieval Abbey Library of St. Gall in Switzerland reading, “The Medicine Chest for the Soul.”

These ancient peoples recognized the medicinal and healing effects that literature can have on the soul. More recently, research has identified these healing effects as reduced stressed, better sleep, increased empathy, improved understanding and a greater ability to solve problems.

In recent years the study of bibliotherapy has greatly expanded and bibliotherapy programs have emerged in certain areas of the world.

References

Melissa Allen Heath, Kathryn Smith, Ellie L. Young. “Using Children’s Literature to Strengthen Social and Emotional Learning.” 2017.

Debbie McCulliss. “Bibliotherapy: Historical and Research Perspectives.”2012.

Benefits of Literature Therapy

Research and scientific study has found many benefits of reading. These benefits can come from simply reading casually or from a more focused process of literature therapy.

Some benefits of reading casually are the following:

Reading lowers your heart rate and physically relaxes you
- Reading reduces stress levels by 68 percent according to David Lewis at the University of Sussex, which is more than listening to music, having a cup of tea and taking a walk.
It distracts your thoughts and improves mood
- Reading improves people’s mood, according to a survey by the “National Year of Reading,” a program that was conducted in England in 2008 to explore the benefits of reading in everyday life. 63% of participants reported they were more relaxed when reading.
It increases intelligence and memory
- According to Dr. Ken Pugh of Haskins Laboratories at Yale University, because reading is more demanding on your brain that processing images or speech it exercises your brain in a way that other leisure activities won’t.
It helps you solve problems
- Debbie McCulliss in her work Bibliotherapy: Historical and Research Perspectives states that it increases your ability to find workable solutions to identified problems as well as realize a variety of potential solutions
It rewrites your brain to be more compassionate and develops empathy
- Keith Oatley described this process: “Fiction is the simulation of selves in interaction. People who read it improve their understanding of others. This effect is especially marked with literary fiction, which also enables people to change themselves. These effects are due partly to the process of engagement in stories, which includes making inferences and becoming emotionally involved, and partly to the contents of fiction, which include complex characters and circumstances that we might not encounter in daily life.”
It helps you develop perspective
- American author James Baldwin stated, “You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive.”
It develops a more honest perception of yourself and others
- Debbie McCulliss, again, in her work Bibliotherapy: Historical and Research Perspectives states that it enhances self-conception and discovery of others with similar problems or situations which creates a sense of belonging.

What is Literature Therapy?

Literature therapy is a research-backed solution to anxiety and other mental illnesses. Therapy through literature, often referred to as bibliotherapy, is a rising field of study which uses books and literature as a therapeutic tool. Bibliotherapy is based on the foundational understanding that certain reading materials can expand a person’s self-understanding and the understanding of others. In other words, reading develops empathy and creates an awareness of others. It has the possibility to change the way we think and changing the way we think, can change the way we feel, which ultimately impacts behavior. The idea of our thoughts and feelings impacting our behavior is the basis for cognitive behavioral therapy, referred to as CBT. This is the foundation of literature therapy.

The actual process of literature therapy follows four steps as described in McCulliss and Chamberlain’s research on bibliotherapy for youth.

identifying the reader’s issue
selecting the book to match the reader’s needs
guiding reading based on a planned approach
following-up on what the reader learned or gained from reading

During these steps, McCulliss and Chamberlain explain that the reader should experience five stages in order to yield results. The five stages of literature therapy are simplified as recognizing, feeling, thinking, universalization and projection.

Recognizing is identifying with the character or situation in the story
Feeling is connecting with the story and gaining inspiration
Thinking is the insight which occurs and leads to motivation for positive change
Universalization is the recognition that we are not the only one having these problems
Projection occurs when we consider what this could mean for the future

Through this process literature therapy has been found to be effective because of the overall improvement in mental health caused by the following results:

empathy
positive attitudes
personal and social adjustment
positive self-image
new interests
tolerance, respect, and acceptance of others
realization that there is good in all people
socially accepted behaviors
examination of moral values, which can result in character development
enhanced critical thinking skills
perspective and universality of problems
insight into human behavior and motives
increased capacity for self-evaluation
higher-level reasoning
careful planning before taking a deliberate course of action
choices and alternative solutions in problem solving

Overall literature therapy is the process of developing a deeper connection with the human experience. As we better understand the emotions in others, we can better understand our own feelings. This is ultimately the response that bibliotherapy is searching to evoke.

“Every reader finds himself. The writer’s work is merely a kind of optical instrument that makes it possible for the reader to discern what, without this book, he would perhaps never have seen in himself.” -Marcel Proust

References

Melissa Allen Heath, Kathryn Smith, Ellie L. Young. “Using Children’s Literature to Strengthen Social and Emotional Learning.” 2017.

D. McCulliss and D. Chamberlain. “Bibliotherapy for youth and adolescents: School-based application and research.” 2013.

Debbie McCulliss. “Bibliotherapy: Historical and Research Perspectives.”2012.

School Books that Made an Impact

Sometimes the only thing that can ruin a good read is when we’re forced to read it. For many of us books read in school are the only books we read growing up and for others they were a merely a distraction from what we really wanted to be reading.

But sometimes, in the midst of all them, there are a few books that are forced upon us that are too good for us not to fall in love with. After all, aren’t the books we read in school are supposed to be the greatest classics ancient and modern.

Today we’re searching for some of the best and most impactful books that we read in school.

Last year we put out a small survey asking what books from your schoolyears had the biggest impact on you.

You told us that you loved these books because it felt like they understood you, they aspired you, they made you appreciate things, and because they took your own experience and made you see the world differently. These are the top three we found.

To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Harper Lee and published in 1960. As one of the greatest classics of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird is the story of eight-year old Scout Finch. We get to see the world from her point of view, as she experiences life in the south with her brother, Jem and father, Atticus. It deals with issues of rape, racial inequality and injustice, as Scout’s dad defends a man accused of rape.

The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner, the most recent book to make our short list, was written by Khaled Hosseini in 2003. This book is the story of Amir recalling the events of his childhood in Afghanistan during a politically tumultuous time. This heavy story deals with intense subject matter such as sexual assault at the same time as, what Hosseini describes the focus of the story as, the father-son relationship.

Where the Red Fern Grows

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls was published in 1961. This classic children’s novel is, as the subtitle suggests, a story of two dogs and a boy. This heart wrenching tale is the story of Billy Coleman, a young boy who works hard to earn his own hunting dogs and the adventures that they go through together. This coming of age story teaches the meaning of friendship and loyalty.

Literature Therapy in Action: Books on Prescription

Despite the research being done, literature therapy is still a relevantly new concept. However, there are programs emerging around the world that are taking advantage of the idea of literature therapy to improve lives.

One of these programs is the “Books on Prescription.” This program operates out of public libraries in the United Kingdom and Ireland. People are referred to the program where they are given a combination of fiction and self-help books in order to provide a self-help method of assisting those with low to medium levels of mental illness.

This program is designed with the idea that when people are given the correct resources they can help themselves when dealing with low severity mental illnesses. It is often described as a low-cost solution to mental illness because it does not require many resources and simply operates as a program which gives people the resources to help themselves.

In 2012 Rebecca Furness and Biddy Casselden performed an evaluation on this program and found that throughout the United Kingdom widespread mental illness is still a constant, that helpful and effective treatment is still inadequate and that only a quarter of adults suffering from depression or anxiety disorders are receiving treatments. Their conclusions were that although this program does not appear to be making a huge impact, that a widespread, standardized Books on Prescription program could provide simple access and have a positive impact on the quality of lives of those suffering from mental illness.

In addition, Patricia Neville studied that role of Book on Prescription programs in Ireland and concluded in her findings that overall participants were positively inclined to literature therapy.

Let us know about other programs you’ve heard of and the impacts that they are making around the world.

References

Rebecca Furness and Biddy Casselden. “An Evaluation of a Books on Prescription Scheme in a UK Public Library Authority.” 2012

Patricia Neville. “Prose Not Prozac? The Role of Book Prescription Schemes and Healthy Reading Schemes in the Treatment of Mental Illness in Ireland.” 2013.