The Power of Bibliotherapy: How Stories Can Heal Emotional Wounds with Emely Rumble - Episode 36
In a world where mental health and spirituality often seem like separate domains, the powerful intersection between the two can be life changing. This is the heart of my conversation with Licensed Clinical Social Worker Emely Rumble, an expert in bibliotherapy. Bibliotherapy is a therapeutic approach that utilizes literature to foster emotional healing. Emely's personal journey, her understanding of the healing power of stories, and her insights into how faith and mental health intertwine, offer enlightening lessons for anyone navigating their own mental health challenges.
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This episode covers:
(17:40 - 18:02) Understanding Bibliotherapy as the intentional use of literature as a therapeutic tool to support emotional healing and self-discovery.
(30:09 - (30:40) Emely discusses how engaging with stories can create a safe space for clients to explore emotions, making it easier to process difficult life events and experiences.
(24:01 - 24:36) The conversation touches on the intersection between spirituality and mental health, emphasizing that both can coexist and that seeking mental health support does not dishonor one's faith.
(40:05 - 40:26) Emily recommends the book "The Day God Saw Me as Black" by Danielle Thomas, which addresses the importance of reclaiming Christianity from a holistic perspective, particularly for Black Americans.
(02:28 - 02:38) “Bibliotherapy in the Bronx,” is available April 29, 2025.
Tired of reading? Listen to this podcast episode on Spotify.
What is Bibliotherapy?
Bibliotherapy is a form of therapy that uses literature to help individuals process emotions, heal from trauma, and make sense of their experiences. It typically falls under the category of expressive or creative arts therapies, though it can also be considered a complementary or adjunctive therapy within the broader framework of psychotherapy or counseling.
In this conversation, Emely describes bibliotherapy as a way of connecting with stories that reflect our own lives, providing both comfort and clarity. It's more than just reading for enjoyment; it's reading with a purpose to address mental health challenges. Whether it's a novel, a poem, or even self-help literature, bibliotherapy invites individuals to engage with narratives that resonate deeply with their own struggles, offering both a mirror and a window into their experiences.
Tired of reading? Listen to this podcast episode on Spotify.
What's Involved in Bibliotherapy?
Bibliotherapy involves selecting books or texts that are aligned with the emotional needs of the individual. These texts might help someone process grief, trauma, or any other life experience they’re navigating. The key is that the literature chosen isn’t just random—it should evoke personal reflections, spark new insights, and provide a sense of validation.
In Emely’s practice, the process of bibliotherapy is paired with a safe space for reflection. This could involve journaling about the feelings or thoughts that arise from a story, discussing the themes with a therapist or group, or simply taking time to sit with how a particular text makes you feel. By actively engaging with literature, individuals create opportunities for emotional release, healing, and personal growth.
How Stories Help Us Connect to Ourselves and Others
One of the most powerful aspects of bibliotherapy is its ability to connect us with both ourselves and others. When we read stories, we often find characters or situations that mirror our own lives, which helps us feel understood. Literature has a unique ability to hold up a mirror to our emotions and experiences, allowing us to confront parts of ourselves that we may have buried or neglected.
Moreover, stories have the power to expand our perspectives. As Emely highlights in this conversation, literature serves as a window, offering us glimpses into different lives and experiences. By connecting with diverse narratives, we begin to understand that we are not alone in our struggles, and that others have walked similar paths. This connection can be deeply comforting and encouraging, especially when we are navigating challenging times.
How Bibliotherapy Helps Us Move Through Life
Life is full of challenges—grief, trauma, loss, and identity struggles are just a few of the emotional hurdles we all face at different times. Bibliotherapy offers a way to process these experiences, not by avoiding them, but by engaging with them through stories. When we read a book that resonates with our experiences, it allows us to emotionally and mentally "move through" difficult moments by giving us a new way of thinking about them.
Stories also provide strategies for coping. Characters who overcome adversity or who struggle in relatable ways can inspire us to take action in our own lives. Through bibliotherapy, literature becomes a source of guidance, strength, and resilience, helping us navigate our personal journeys with greater awareness and courage.
The Benefits of Bibliotherapy
The benefits of bibliotherapy are wide-reaching. It provides emotional support by offering a safe and reflective space for individuals to explore their feelings. It also promotes self-awareness, helping us gain a deeper understanding of our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Additionally, bibliotherapy can foster empathy by exposing us to diverse perspectives, enhancing our ability to relate to others. It has also been shown to help improve coping skills, reduce anxiety, and support long-term emotional well-being.
As Emely discusses in her interview, bibliotherapy isn’t just about reading—it’s about engaging in a healing practice that allows literature to be a tool for emotional wellness. For those struggling with emotional health, bibliotherapy offers a way to heal by connecting with stories that validate our experiences and provide new insights.
Final Thoughts
This is a powerful, and emotionally charged, look into the world of bibliotherapy, showing how literature can help us heal, connect, and grow. The insights into the intersection of mental health and spirituality offer a refreshing perspective on how we can reclaim our emotional well-being in a world that often separates the two.
If you're looking to learn more about how bibliotherapy can support your own emotional healing, listen to the full conversation in the podcast. Emely’s book, Bibliotherapy in the Bronx, dives deeper into her journey as a bibliotherapist and offers invaluable tools and wisdom for incorporating bibliotherapy into your life.
Listen to the podcast, connect with Emely, and grab a copy of her book to begin your own healing journey through the power of literature.
Listen to These Episodes Next:
Episode 3 - How Understanding Your Inner Child Helps You Heal Emotional Wounds with Joan Mwangi
Episode 15 - Mindfulness Practices to Heal Childhood Trauma with Rashad Sanders
Episode 20 - The Value of Self-Awareness for Breaking Generational Patterns with Alisha Woodall