Specialised therapies
Bibliotherapy / Poetry Therapy
What is Bibliotherapy / Poetry Therapy?
- What is Bibliotherapy / Poetry Therapy for?
- Working on emotional topics with reading, writing and poetry
- Is Bibliotherapy / Poetry Therapy legally regulated?
- Not a separate legally regulated health profession. Training via institutes and professional associations.
- Does Bibliotherapy / Poetry Therapy treat illnesses?
- No independent curative treatment. Used complementarily.
Bibliotherapy and poetry therapy use texts – reading selected literature as well as your own writing, journaling and poetry – as a way to engage with your own experience. Words help to order thoughts, express feelings and find new perspectives.
They are used complementarily, for example in psychosocial support, in groups, in grief work and in personal development.
You do not have to “write well”; it is about expression, not literary quality.
What is allowed
- Open a path to your own experience through reading and writing
- Foster self-reflection, ordering of thoughts and expression
- Work complementarily in psychosocial support, grief work and development
- Spark resources and new perspectives
Where are the limits?
- No diagnosis and no independent treatment of mental illness
- No substitute for psychotherapy or medical treatment
- Not a writing course; no literary experience needed
How to recognise quality
- Solid bibliotherapy or poetry therapy training
- Membership in a professional association
- A clear goal rather than a mere writing workshop
- Confidentiality
How it works
- First sessionclarify concerns and interests
- Working with textsreading, writing prompts, your own texts
- Reflectiondiscussing what was written or read, together
Costs & insurance
In institutions and groupsdepending on the organisation, often inexpensive
Private practiceprivate service, no insurance funding
Guide price private practiceapprox. 50 to 90 € per session