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.