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© 2026 Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah
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Hi, my name is Bijal Shah and I am a bibliotherapist and founder of Book Therapy (a bibliotherapy and literary curation practice: www.booktherapy.io). I'm also the author of the book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading (https://bit.ly/bibliotherapybook). I curate book prescriptions and provide online training in bibliotherapy, more detail of this can be found on my website, www.booktherapy.io
In this podcast, I share my knowledge and research on bibliotherapy, including the latest developments, science and book recommendations.
Join me every week where we take a deep dive into Bibliotherapy.
We release two episodes a week:
1. Voicenotes fom Me, Your Resident Bibliotherapist.
2. Ask the Bibliotherapist: Book Recommendations for What's On Your Mind
Join our member-only subscription here to listen to all episodes for free. To get access to corresponding transcripts: https://bibliotherapywithbijal.substack.com/subscribe
I hope you enjoy the show and if you'd like a bibliotherapist in your pocket then you might find my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading (https://bit.ly/bibliotherapybook) a helpful companion.
Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and get new episodes as they are released. If you'd like the transcripts to all episodes, you can join our member-only subscription on Substack: https://bibliotherapywithbijal.substack.com/subscribe
And as always, I love hearing from listeners so if you'd like to get in touch, share any book recommendations or thoughts on bibliotherapy, you can do so at bijal@booktherapy.io
53 Episodes
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Hi everyone, excited to share my conversation with award-winning audio documentary maker and author Catherine Carr about how sibling relationships shape identity, drawing on Carr’s podcast Relatively and her new book 'Who’s the Favourite?' Carr explains that her fascination wtih sibling dynamics began during the 2020 pandemic when people began to reach out to and reconnect with their siblings, highlighting that sibling bonds can be some of the longest relationships in life. We dis...
In this episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah, I interview Sarah Fletcher, a British-American poet who grew up in the UK and later pursued poetry and a PhD researching physical pain and poetry. We discuss the power of poetry to heal through rhythm, sound, precision, memorability, and how physical pain is difficult to capture in language, often relying on metaphor, including militaristic framing and the limits of the 1–10 pain scale. We discuss how chronic pain is isolating, fragmenta...
In this episode, Theresa Lola, an accomplished poet and published author, shares her journey from growing up in Nigeria to becoming a published poet in the UK. She discusses her fascination with poetry, especially grief poetry, and how it helps in processing complex emotions. Theresa delves into her creative process, the power of language, and how her cultural heritage shapes her work. The conversation also covers her initiatives like creative writing workshops for mental health and her new s...
In this episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah, we sit down with Talya Bruck, a late-diagnosed neurodivergent drama therapist and the founder of Savanna Therapeutic Stories. Talia shares the inspiration behind her powerful therapeutic story series aimed at helping neurodivergent children navigate their experiences. We dive into various topics discussed in her books, such as ADHD, autism, and parental mental illness, and explore the impact these stories have had on young readers. Talia...
In this episode, Daisy Fancourt joins me to discuss her new book, 'Art Cure,' that explores the profound impact of arts on mental and physical health. The conversation touches on various aspects of how engagement in creative activities, like music, literature, and even carnival arts, can serve as significant health pillars, much like diet, exercise, and sleep. Daisy, a professor of psychobiology and epidemiology at University College London, shares insights from her journey from b...
Excited to share this reading - the foreward from my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading. I hope you enjoy it, and if you'd like to get a copy of the book, you can do so at all good bookstores or at this link with details of translated versions too: https://linktr.ee/booktherapy_by_bijal And do let me know your thoughts/reflections - I always write back!! Email us at bijal@booktherapy.io Support the show Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and get new epis...
In this episode, we dive into the most buzzworthy and anticipated books shaping the literary landscape this year — a vibrant mix of fiction, nonfiction, history, philosophy, and genre-bending storytelling that reflects our cultural fascinations and anxieties. Join us as we explore towering new releases from acclaimed authors like Mario Vargas Llosa, Amitav Ghosh, Kate Quinn, and Sara Stridsberg, alongside bold, conversation-starting works from emerging and innovative voices. We highlight grip...
In this episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah, listeners are invited into a warm, fireside exploration of meaningful literary and bibliotherapeutic gifts for the festive season. Grounded in the belief that stories can heal, soothe, and transform, this episode serves as a heartfelt guide for anyone seeking Christmas gifts that go beyond the material— literary gifts that hold space for growth, reflection, as well as those that honour reading for both pleasure and for bibliotherapeutic ...
In this episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah I reflect on the most powerful, inspiring, and thought-provoking books of 2025 — the ones you’ll want to carry with you into 2026. From breakout literary fiction and moving memoirs to transformative nonfiction and hidden indie gems. I explore how these books can both entertain, and inspire personal growth for the year ahead. Whether you’re looking for comfort reads, bold new voices, or stories that challenge and heal, this episode is your readi...
In this week’s episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah, we turn our attention to one of the most joyful yet underestimated genres in literature — the romantic comedy. So often dismissed as light or escapist, the rom-com is in fact one of the most powerful forms of emotional storytelling, offering laughter, tenderness, and deep psychological insight. We’ll explore how romantic comedy functions as a form of bibliotherapy — a way of healing through reading and emotional reflection. From Jane Au...
In this episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah, I explore how contemporary fiction and nonfiction depict love and relationships between humans and artificial intelligence. Blending utopian and dystopian perspectives, I examine novels such as Klara and the Sun, Machines Like Me, and Frankissstein, alongside nonfiction works by thinkers like Sherry Turkle and Susan Schneider. Utopian stories portray AI as capable of empathy and moral growth, offering new forms of connection, while...
In this week’s episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah, we explore the quiet, transformative power of love stories — and how the romance genre can become a profound tool for emotional healing. From the classic worlds of Jane Austen to the modern intimacy of Sally Rooney, and from the wisdom of Bell Hooks and Erich Fromm to the poetic tenderness of Alain de Botton, we look at how stories of love — in all their beauty and heartbreak — help us understand ourselves and others. Through the lens o...
In this week’s episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah, I explore Erich Fromm’s timeless classic The Art of Loving and reflect on what it can teach us about love in our modern world. I look at how Fromm’s vision of love — as a discipline, a practice, and a moral art — can help us navigate the challenges of connection in 2025, from digital intimacy to generational shifts in how we give and receive love. At its heart, this episode is an invitation to slow down, pay attention, and rediscover lo...
In this opening episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah, I trace love’s enduring role as literature’s greatest subject, and explore love not as sentimentality, but as a profound human discipline that shapes how we live, connect, and heal, from divine longing to intimacy, navigating loss and loneliness. I reflect on the paradox of modern loneliness: that the deepest ache is not the absence of others, but the longing to be truly seen. Drawing on the words of Erich Fromm, Rumi, and Kahlil Gibra...
Excited to share Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah is back with Season 4! In Season 4, I’ll be sharing my 40 best books of 2025 to read in 2026 across both fiction and non-fiction — and yes there are some surprise reads in there! We’ll also dive deep into the role of the romantic comedy in healing — and what it means to be a romantic hero: someone who, despite a hundred heartbreaks, can still say, “I still believe in love.” After all, most of us have been heartbroken — if not by a person, then ...
In today's episode, we’re immersing ourselves in the gentle, contemplative, and often transformative world of Japanese literature. As we step into the season of spring, a time of renewal, impermanence, and quiet growth, I can’t think of a better literary tradition to explore. We'll be diving into both Japanese fiction and nonfiction that can support our emotional wellbeing, offer perspective, and help us reconnect—with ourselves, with nature, and with others. Plus I share some helpful therape...
In today's episode, I explore the psychological depth of Dostoyevsky’s literature through the lens of bibliotherapy. Could the Russian novelist understand the human psyche more intimately than Freud himself? We examine key characters, existential themes, and the healing potential of Dostoyevsky’s work, comparing literary insight with psychoanalytic theory. From Raskolnikov’s guilt to Ivan Karamazov’s spiritual crisis, this episode uncovers how fiction can mirror the unconscious—and why Dostoy...
Dear Listener, Hello and welcome back to Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah—the podcast where books are more than stories—they're medicine for the soul. Today, I’m thrilled to share some of the spring and summer reads that I am most excited about reading this year. Whether you're seeking escape, self-discovery, or emotional renewal, this season’s fiction and nonfiction titles offer powerful paths to healing. From stories of love, loss, and intergenerational memory to explorations of identity...
In this episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah, we explore how the shared experience of reading can become a profound path to healing. From grief support circles to juvenile justice programs and women's shelters, I share examples of settings where group bibliotherapy can be incredibly impactful. Discover how stories can break isolation, build empathy, and foster collective resilience. Whether you're a therapist, educator, or simply a book lover, this episode will inspire you to see li...
The concept of neurodiversity has gained widespread recognition over the past few decades, advocating for a shift in perspective from viewing neurological differences as deficits to acknowledging them as natural variations of the human brain. Neurodivergence encompasses conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, and other cognitive differences. Rather than pathologising these variations, neurodiversity embraces the idea that c...
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