Nyt kesäkuussa kirjoitan edelleen aloittamaani käsikirjoitusta lasten ja nuorten kirjallisuusterapiasta. Työskentelyni on kestänyt kuluneen kevätkauden, ja kiitän mahdollisuudesta luovaan työskentelyyn Kordelinin säätiötä ja Suomen tietokirjailijoita, sain heiltä merkittävää tukea työskentelyyni.

Tutkimukseni tiimoilta olen tehnyt monia kiintoisia löytöjä. Haluan esitellä teille kirjaterapeutti Bijal Shahin Lontoosta.

 

Your name and affiliation 

My name is Bijal Shah, I’m a book therapist, an author and a poet. I was really keen to pursue my passion for literature, writing and psychology having successfully published a non-fiction book titled “The Happiness Mindset”. I wrote the book post-completion of a diploma in psychodynamic counselling and psychotherapy, a skillset that complements my passion for carefully curating apt books for others. I’m affiliated with the International Federation of Library Associations and the American Library Association. 

 

1.    How did you come to know about biblio/poetry therapy? Do you have a bibliotherapist education, what kind of education is it in your country?

 

There is no specific bibliotherapy training in the UK that is officially recognised. The University of Warwick has developed a course titled “Literature and Mental Health”. There is also a foundation called ReLit — ReLit is the Foundation for the complementary treatment of stress, anxiety and other conditions through immersion in the arts with the believe that great literature, drama, music and the visual arts can relieve, restore and reinvigorate the human mind. They have a particular focus on bibliotherapy: the art of slow reading, especially of poetry.

In terms of how I discovered bibliotherapy — as a little girl, I loved receiving book recommendations from trusted friends and family. Finding the next great read became an addictive habit to mitigate those post-book blues. I loved helping others find new books too and my passion for reading, writing reviews and literature in general inspired me to launch Book Therapy — a novel literary advice service that helps match people to books based on their individual needs, interests and reading habits.

 

2.    Do you read / write yourself? What are their meanings to you? Did you read and write yourself when you were a child?

 

I read extensively, searching for literature, books and poetry that will help others — I’ve curated reading lists for people covering anxiety, bereavement, breaking up with someone, depression, motherhood etc. The full list can be found here.

Yes I do write lots of confessional poetry as a way to make sense of overwhelming issues during challenging times. I’m hoping this will help others going through challenging times. You can find some of my poetry here.

I encourage both writing and writing poetry as great therapeutic tools and you readers might find these articles helpful:

Why Poetry is One of the Most Powerful Forms of Therapy

The Power of Writing Poetry as Therapy

How Writing Poetry Saved Me

7 Books on Finding Great Connection to People and Life

The Power of Self-love and Books to Get You Started

 

3.    What is the cituation in England, do you have a national bibliotherapy association? Do you teach bibliotherapy at the university courses?

 

There is no specific bibliotherapy training in the UK that is officially recognised. The University of Warwick has developed a course titled “Literature and Mental Health”. There is also a foundation called ReLit — ReLit is the Foundation for the complementary treatment of stress, anxiety and other conditions through immersion in the arts with the believe that great literature, drama, music and the visual arts can relieve, restore and reinvigorate the human mind. They have a particular focus on bibliotherapy: the art of slow reading, especially of poetry.

 

4.    Do you have doctoral dissertations about bibliotherapy among children and adolescents?

 

No I don’t have any doctoral dissertations but I have curated “book prescriptions” (tailored reading lists for particular issues and interests) for adults and children. For example, there are reading lists that cover all sorts of developmental milestones for children from toddlers understanding emotions to helping your child manage anxiety to introducing your child to poetry.

 

5.    What are the practices you have in kindersgartens and at school with bibliotherapy? Do you benefit from developmental bibliotherapy?

 

In the UK, pre-schools and private nurseries have their own reading lists appropriate for different ages. Additionally public libraries also offer ‘Storytime’ sessions for toddlers and book club for teenagers where age-appropriate reading is prescribed.

I have carefully curated the following reading lists that address developmental bibliotherapy (that are listed on my website):

Anxiety (Helping your child manage anxiety)

Bullying

Child Development

Creative Writing For Little Adults

Emotions (Learning and understanding emotions for toddlers)

Empowering your toddler

Inspiration for girls

Introducing your child to poetry

Recommended Books for 2 year olds

Recommended Books for 8–9 year olds

Starting Daycare/Pre-school

 

6.    What memorable experiences can you recall in your life, that can be regarded as bibliotherapy?

 

As a little girl, I loved receiving book recommendations from trusted friends and family. Finding the next great read became an addictive habit to mitigate those post-book blues. I loved helping others find new books too and my passion for reading, writing reviews and literature in general inspired me to launch Book Therapy — a novel literary advice service that helps match people to books based on their individual needs, interests and reading habits.

Growing up, my most memorable books have been Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, Victor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning and Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton.

Victor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning — the premise of the book is that true happiness comes from the pursuit of something meaningful, our true purpose. Frankl, a prominent psychiatrist and an Auschwitz Nazi death camp survivor, in his sobering yet enlightening memoir, conclusively makes the case that we find meaning in three different ways: (i) through making ourselves useful to others; (ii) through unconditionally loving others; and (iii) through suffering. Whilst the memoir has been out for decades, it seems that far too many of us still continue to chase happiness in the form of pleasure and constant satisfaction, yet too few of us focus on what it is that gives our life purpose or meaning.

Beth Kempton’s Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life — the philosophy of Wabi Sabi, which explores the beauty found in the transient imperfection of life, is captured in this book in stunning vignettes that leave you feeling energised and refreshed, particularly after a difficult day. It’s the perfect book for your coffee table to ensure that you’ll refer to it over and over again and get the most out of it.

Lastly, I have to throw in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott — it’s the book that made me want to become a writer, to fall in love, to read more historical fiction, to travel back in time and to bond with sisters and close girlfriends all at once! An evergreen classic, the book explores themes central to all of us — love and death and juggling personal ambition against family commitments.

 

7.    Do you have international collaboration?

Currently, I am not engaging in any international collaboration, however I am affiliated with the International Federation of Library Associations and the American Library Association.