A Journey into Bibliotherapy

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Issue Date
2012-12-07
Authors
Whitehead, Jamie
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Abstract
This thesis paper will use an autoethography method to examine, from a firsthand perspective, how might the use of a particular self-help book be beneficial or harmful to an individual. This paper aims to expand the body of knowledge related to bibliotherapy for the purpose of assisting therapists who recommend bibliotherapy to their clients or work with clients who are interested in using bibliotherapy. Although there is not yet a concluding body of research that determines the efficacy of self-help resources, the industry continues to grow and affects the psychotherapy field by way of client usage of bibliotherapy or therapist recommendations or production of bibliotherapy. This paper follows the journey of a researcher, who attempts to follow the prescribed program of The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, (Bourne, 2010). The method chapter outlines each prescribed intervention and the researcher experience. Following, is an overview of the aspects of the overall experience that were found by the researcher to be most beneficial or harmful. Beneficial parts of the experience were found to be the experience of skill and strategy expansion. Harmful parts were found to be a sense of isolation and extreme pressure on the reader. Therapist recommendations that came as a result of these findings are to establish a questioning dialogue with the client, for the purpose of examining client readiness and strengths, bibliotherapy compatibility and client autonomy
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Keywords
autoethnography , bibliotherapy
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