Support Bereavement Resources

The term “bibliotherapy” was coined by the American essayist Samuel Crothers in 1916 (Nichani, 2016), but the use of books as a healing modality can be traced back to ancient times. Both ancient Greece and Egypt viewed libraries as sacred spaces and books as containing healing properties (Brewster, 2019). The basic premise behind bibliotherapy is that the reader identifies with the characters presented in the story, helping to identify and release emotions as well as explore and discover new ways of looking at a situation (Cook et al., 2006; De Vries et al., 2017). Bibliotherapy is commonly defined as using literature and stories to promote healing, affect behavior, foster connections, and provide guidance (Rusch, 2020). It is widely accepted as a therapeutic intervention with numerous positive results (Pehrsson & McMillen, 2006).

There are a large number of books written for children about grief, loss, bereavement, and the various emotions and stages they will encounter during this process. Because we know that every individual’s grief process and coping skills are unique, even within the same developmental age period (Rusch et al., 2020), bibliotherapy is useful in supporting one’s individual grief process, teaching and learning coping skills, and fostering communication between concerned parties (Arruda-Colli et al., 2017; Vernon & Clemente, 2005). Further, the use of books by adults as a conversation starter is an invaluable tool. Because adults often do not know what to say or do when interacting with a bereaved child, they often say nothing at all, which we know is to the detriment of the child’s healing process (Pehrrson, 2005). Through the use of books, adults can start conversations surrounding the loss, opening up the possibility for healing (Rusch et al., 2020).