Director of research at The Reading Agnecy, Debbie Hicks, gave a speech to bibliotherapy conference in Huddersfield on the role of reading in health and well-being. This is an extract from her speech. You can download the full speech and a copy of her presentation at the end of the extract. Do you share Debbie's views?
"I am absolutely passionate about the important, versatile and sometimes unrecognised role that reading can play in delivering health and well-being. A role that can range from the delivery of health information and self-help therapy at one end of the spectrum through to the sense of well-being generated by being part of a reading group, talking to others about books and empathising with character and story in a way that can throw a lifeline to all sorts of vulnerable people. Reading can build knowledge, grow understanding, connect people up, inject fun and throw a new light on personal experience. That makes it a pretty powerful remedy. And we are only just beginning to explore the healing possibilities of connecting up these different strands in new and exciting ways - for example combining self-help reading or health information with creative practice.
"And at the heart of all this sits the term bibliotherapy - a rather clumsy and awkward phrase, fast going out of fashion but useful shorthand for the power of reading to heal and keep people well."
I have always been interested in Bibliotherapy but I know that my service could not fund the activity Is there any funding available now that the benfits are beginning to be recognised?
I have always been interested in Bibliotherapy but I know my service would have problem in funding activities in this area. Do you know if there is any new funding available now that the benefits are beginning to be recognised?
Lots of PCTs are beginning to recognise the health benefits of reading both in terms of books on prescription activity but also the more general benefits of social reading activity on well being. Its a good idea to start to build relationships with your local PCT perhaps using the BOP contact as a way in to exploring more general funding opportunities.