Bibliotherapy in practice: shared reading as integrated care

Abstract

This workshop aims to present the outlines of a research project situated in the interdisciplinary research domain of bibliotherapy: the use of literature in healthcare contexts. With this project we want to demonstrate that different syndromes and pain experiences require a diversification of the (prescribed or non-prescribed) texts and the associated reading practice. On the one hand, the project aims to refine the international discourse of bibliotherapy on this central point. On the other hand, through concrete reading and co-reading sessions with participants from different medical backgrounds (cancer patients, the elderly, patients in rehabilitation, renal dialysis patients), we aim to gain a sharper insight into various bibliotherapeutic needs associated with specific syndromes. The project brings together a team of literary scholars and medical experts who, with their joint efforts, want to make a significant contribution to the interdisciplinary domain of health humanities and narrative medicine.
 In the project we want to find out how literary texts have a therapeutic effect in specific care contexts and we want to increase that effect through a better understanding of the functioning of that text. We assume that the therapeutic effect of literary texts is determined by an interplay between the text itself (with its specific characteristics), the way and circumstances of reading and the mental and physical state of the patient-reader.
 In the workshop we want to present the outline of the project and together with participants simulate a shared reading session.