Bijal Shah<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\u201cWhen I was doing my counselling training,\u201d she tells me, \u201cI found myself constantly turning to literature, books, characters, the protagonists, to express how I was feeling. They helped me explain things I didn\u2019t have words for. They validated my emotions. And when I started digging deeper, I discovered an entire tradition of therapeutic writing, from the Greeks to Montaigne to Wordsworth. I knew then that I wanted to bring that wisdom into modern, multicultural practice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shah\u2019s vision is both ancient and refreshingly contemporary. Through Book Therapy, she offers personalized \u201cbook prescriptions,\u201d bibliotherapy sessions, professional training programs and a suite of children\u2019s literacy tools. The work is grounded in her multifaceted background\u2014counselling, business, math and accounting\u2014which she uses to tailor therapeutic reading in a way that bridges logic and empathy, intellect and emotion.<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess I come across as a bit of a polymath,\u201d she says, laughing. \u201cBut that helps me meet people where they are. I can pull from both my analytical and creative sides to recommend stories that resonate, whether someone wants a character-driven novel or a more structured, idea-based book. The goal is always the same: to help people feel seen, understood and connected.\u201d<\/p>\n
Many influential books<\/h2>\n Shah\u2019s own reading journey has been shaped by works that speak to different moments in life.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Celestine Prophecy<\/em> was a turning point for me,\u201d she says. \u201cIt fundamentally shifted how I perceive energy, intuition and human connection. The book introduced me to the idea that there\u2019s a deeper, almost spiritual current running beneath our everyday interactions. <\/p>\n\u201cComing from an Indian background, where concepts like <\/em>prana, karma and interconnectedness are already part of the cultural fabric, it gave me a way to reconcile those Eastern ideas with more Western frameworks of spirituality. It was like a bridge between worlds I\u2019d always been walking across but didn\u2019t have language for.\u201d<\/p>\nShe continues, \u201cJudy Blume\u2019s Are You There God? It\u2019s Me, Margaret<\/em> had a different kind of impact, quiet but lasting. It was the first time I saw a girl struggling openly with identity, faith and the awkwardness of growing up. For a young me, it was incredibly affirming to see someone grappling with questions I hadn\u2019t even been able to put into words yet. It made me feel less alone while growing up in an orthodox Jain community where mental health was unheard of.\u201d<\/p>\nShe adds, \u201cAnd then came A Little Life<\/em>\u2014it was the first book that made me feel seen, that acknowledged a traumatic moment I had experienced at age four. Hanya Yanagihara writes pain with such relentless honesty and tenderness. It didn\u2019t offer closure, but it offered understanding. So much so that I devoted a few pages to the book in my own book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\nThese books weren\u2019t just stories to me,\u201d she says. \u201cThey were companions. They created safe, brave spaces, places where I could explore difficult emotions, feel seen and process these emotions to reach a place of healing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reading isn\u2019t a passive act<\/h2>\n\n
For Shah, the act of reading isn\u2019t passive. It\u2019s participatory. And, most importantly, she advocates\u00a0leveraging<\/em>\u00a0your reading.<\/p>\n\u201cWhen you connect with a character\u2019s journey, you empathize with their experience and in turn, with your own, resonating with the feelings they may trigger in you. In connecting with these emotions, you are able to relieve them, and in turn, experience catharsis. The literature offers a safe space where there is no risk of judgment from a therapist, friend or any other confidant, allowing you to fully engage with and explore your feelings freely.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis can help break down defenses and lead to real insight, coping strategies and emotional literacy. I always encourage my clients to do some form of \u2018literary journaling\u2019 alongside\u2014the writing literally enables expression and release. Just getting your thoughts on the page can release emotions stored deep in the body, leading to a sense of healing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs bibliotherapy about identification,\u201d I ask her, \u201cor is it something more metaphysical? Could it even be sacred?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBibliotherapy relies heavily on identification, in order for us to benefit from the therapeutic effects of connecting with a narrative or author and the emotions that are triggered in us as a result,\u201d she replies without hesitation. \u201cHowever, books can go beyond this emotional connection to something that touches us on a deeper level\u2014a sense of purpose, soul or transformation. This can be seen as a metaphysical experience that can feel sacred or even fated.\u201d<\/p>\n
What makes bibliotherapy so unique? <\/h2>\n The idea of reading to support emotional and psychological growth isn\u2019t new. Many therapists already incorporate poetry therapy, narrative therapy or journaling into their work. So what separates bibliotherapy from other approaches like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)?<\/p>\n
\u201cThe key difference,\u201d Shah explains, \u201cis that bibliotherapy isn\u2019t just a technique. It\u2019s an entire framework, a philosophy of healing through literature. CBT focuses on patterns of thought and behaviour. Bibliotherapy connects those patterns to deeper emotional and symbolic narratives. It invites reflection through resonance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Indeed, in many clinical settings, bibliotherapy is used alongside other modalities. A therapist might assign a novel, memoir or poem that mirrors a client\u2019s lived experience, which can help the client process their feelings indirectly. It\u2019s especially effective with younger clients, such as children and adolescents, who may find it difficult to verbalize trauma or anxiety or who do not yet have the language to explain how they feel. These narratives bridge that gap.<\/p>\n
In group settings, bibliotherapy can foster collective healing through shared experience. This shared experience is paramount, as it\u2019s this connection to others through having endured something profoundly difficult that helps members feel seen\u2014their pain is acknowledged and validated. The vulnerability enables connection. Participants are encouraged to share their feelings as evoked by texts or narratives, creating a space to explore emotions and heal together.<\/p>\n
In Shah\u2019s practice, this multiplicity isn\u2019t a drawback. It\u2019s a strength.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe magic happens when we leverage<\/em> our reading\u2014be that poetry, a memoir, a novel or something else\u2014through bibliotherapy techniques such as narrative therapy, literary journaling, poetry and others that I discuss in my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading<\/em>. Whether you\u2019re in one-on-one therapy, a group workshop or just journaling on your own, literature\u2014and bibliotherapy, specifically\u2014gives you a structured but open space to explore, process and reflect.\u201d<\/p>\nA love letter to literacy<\/h2>\n\n
Beyond adult mental health, Shah is passionately committed to childhood literacy and storytelling. Her work includes the Children\u2019s Bibliotherapy Skills Online Course, the Raising a Reader and Storyteller<\/em> series, a podcast collaboration with The Jai Jais<\/em> that explores literacy and the emotional lives of young readers, and the Raising a Reader and Storyteller Online Course.<\/p>\n\u201cWe need to model a love of reading,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen children see their parents reading, or go to libraries, or join book clubs with peers, they begin to associate books with joy, not obligation. Reading fosters empathy. It helps them imagine lives beyond their own.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd storytelling?\u201d I ask. \u201cWhy emphasize that so much alongside reading?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\u201cStorytelling is the first language of the unconscious. It\u2019s the foundation of how children make sense of symbols, emotions and relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n
\u201cStorytelling is the first language of the unconscious. It\u2019s the foundation of how children make sense of symbols, emotions and relationships. It\u2019s also how they begin to connect with their own voice.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a culture dominated by quick-fix self-help and algorithm-driven advice, bibliotherapy offers a more enduring path, one rooted in self-reflection and emotional patience.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s accessible,\u201d Shah says. \u201cNot everyone can afford therapy or access it regularly. But with bibliotherapy, you can pick up a book, journal your reflections, or record voice notes, audio journaling. These are powerful tools. Sometimes they carry you between therapy sessions, when you cannot see a therapist but would still like to process your feelings. Sometimes, they are<\/em> the therapy.\u201d<\/p>\nStill, she acknowledges a concern:<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do have to be careful not to commodify reading. There\u2019s real value in reading purely for joy. Not every book needs to be \u2018for therapy.\u2019 It\u2019s about balance. When you\u2019re reading therapeutically, it should feel like a relationship, not a prescription. You\u2019re reading because you deeply connected to the narrative, perhaps because it resonates with your own life story, or you\u2019re seeking guidance or self-awareness, or you\u2019re simply curious about others who are walking the same path as you, be it fictional or non-fiction. That\u2019s where the magic is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before we end, I ask her the question I\u2019ve been holding back:<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you had to prescribe just one book to humanity right now, what would it be\u2014and why?\u201d<\/p>\n
She laughs, then reflects.<\/p>\n
\u201cApart from my own? That\u2019s a tough one. I don\u2019t like being overly prescriptive because people need different things at different times. But there are a few I always return to: Lori Gottlieb\u2019s\u00a0Maybe You Should Talk to Someone<\/em>\u00a0provides a great insight into therapy, and her therapy client stories will resonate with others, too. Viktor Frankl\u2019s\u00a0Man\u2019s Search for Meaning<\/em>\u00a0is timeless.<\/p>\n\u201cMuriel Barbery\u2019s\u00a0The Elegance of the Hedgehog<\/em>, a philosophical novel about finding transcendence and meaning through art, literature, music and aesthetics, is deeply moving. And\u00a0The Five Love Languages<\/em>, a simple but powerful book for couples seeking to understand each other better\u2014I use it often in couples\u2019 bibliotherapy. Arundhati Roy\u2019s\u00a0The God of Small Things<\/em>\u00a0is helpful for exploring trauma, and Kathryn Schulz\u2019s\u00a0Lost and Found<\/em>\u00a0is an insightful read on navigating grief.<\/p>\n\u201cThere are countless others I could recommend. But my approach is incredibly personal, there is no one-size-fits-all. All my clients complete a short questionnaire designed to understand their personal needs, interests and reading preferences before I curate a personalized book prescription tailored to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reading represents relationships<\/h2>\n In the end, that\u2019s what Shah returns to again and again: relationship<\/em>. Whether it\u2019s between reader and book, parent and child, therapist and client, or the reader and their own shadow self, books aren\u2019t passive tools but intimate companions. And when we actively leverage<\/em> our reading, they can bring about profound therapeutic benefits.<\/p>\nIn a world fraying at the seams, Bijal Shah offers something quietly revolutionary.<\/p>\n
A return to slowness.
And if you\u2019re listening closely, you might just hear what the page has been whispering all along:<\/p>\n
You\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n
\u00abRELATED READ\u00bb<\/strong> MINDFULNESS IN THE AGE OF ALGORITHMS: Reclaiming focus and clarity\u00bb<\/strong><\/p>\nimages: Depositphotos except image 2: Bijal Shah, Bibliotherapist & Author,\u00a0Book Therapy<\/em> \/ Photo credit: Alexandra Taibel,\u00a0Alexandra Photography<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the growing constellation of wellness practices\u2014from mindfulness meditation and somatic therapy to breathwork and digital detoxes\u2014Bijal Shah\u2019s work offers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18066,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18065","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspiration"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shop-cili.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shop-cili.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shop-cili.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shop-cili.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shop-cili.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18065"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/shop-cili.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18065\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shop-cili.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18066"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shop-cili.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shop-cili.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shop-cili.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"Bijal](\"https:\/\/cdn.shortpixel.ai\/spai\/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto\/eadn-wc05-103229.nxedge.io\/cdn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/bijal-shah-bibliotherapy-reading.jpg\" "\\"THE")
![\"Four](\"https:\/\/cdn.shortpixel.ai\/spai\/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto\/eadn-wc05-103229.nxedge.io\/cdn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/young-adults-reading-books.jpg\" "\\"THE")
![\"Group](\"https:\/\/cdn.shortpixel.ai\/spai\/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto\/eadn-wc05-103229.nxedge.io\/cdn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/bibliotherapy-kids-reading-outdoors.jpg\" "\\"THE")