The Never-Ending Power of Books

We all know that as well as being enlightening and hugely entertaining, books are great healers, helping us through the most difficult of times. Often, we turn to books for comfort, friendship, and safety – to not only escape our reality, but to also better understand it, to make sense of the complex emotions, feelings, and thoughts that we experience every day.

But did you know that there are people who specialise in recommending books for people who are feeling stressed, lost, or troubled? These people are known as bibliotherapists, and they are living proof that books have the power to transform and heal.

Bibliotherapy is not a new fad – it’s actually a practice that’s been around for a long time, with evidence of its existence dating back as far as 1916. The therapy is based on the scientific knowledge that all books, regardless of genre or style, create a reaction in our brains. Like medicine, alcohol, or drugs, they can act as either a depressant or a stimulant, changing the chemical make-up of our brain, and, in turn, changing the way we feel and think about ourselves and the world around us.

According to this therapeutic practice, books, like medicine, are prescribed, based on individual needs – and, lucky for us, there are millions of books that exist in the world, meaning a bibliotherapist is near guaranteed to find a book suited to you and your personal needs.

Now, we aren’t saying you need to see a bibliotherapist (though it sure would be interesting). But what we are excited about is the fact that books truly are powerful tools for self-reflection and healing. We all have books that have gotten us through a particularly hard time – whether it be a loss, a change, or a period of uncertainty – so, in a funny way, we are all just bibliotherapists, recommending books to loved ones, friends, and strangers, trying to spread the love and make the world a better place.