bibliotherapy

noun

bib·​lio·​ther·​a·​py ˌbi-blē-ə-ˈther-ə-pē How to pronounce bibliotherapy (audio)
-ˈthe-rə-
: the use of reading materials for help in solving personal problems or for psychiatric therapy
also : the reading materials so used

Examples of bibliotherapy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At times like these, a little bibliotherapy might help. Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2023 Scientists are now studying how bibliotherapy can be used to increase mental well-being. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 8 Feb. 2022 The trend toward bibliotherapy -- a strategy of seeking books that aid you through difficult times and aspects of your life -- is starting to catch on. David G. Allan, CNN, 26 Jan. 2022 My first inclination was to run to a local bookstore and engage in some bibliotherapy. Mark Travers, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2022 Bhat, for instance, points to the practice of bibliotherapy, the use of books to improve one’s mental health. Manavi Kapur, Quartz India, 29 May 2020 Books can also be therapeutic, as Price points out in the chapter on bibliotherapy, which delves into a book prescription program launched in Wales in 2005. David Silverberg, Washington Post, 5 Sep. 2019 The term bibliotherapy was first coined in 1916 by Samuel Crothers, a Unitarian minister who believed in prescribing books to help people deal with their troubles. Charlotte Cowles, The Cut, 12 Apr. 2018 More recently, bibliotherapy has been incorporated into medical treatment programs for depression and other psychological disorders, with positive results. Charlotte Cowles, The Cut, 12 Apr. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bibliotherapy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bibliotherapy was in 1914

Dictionary Entries Near bibliotherapy

Cite this Entry

“Bibliotherapy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bibliotherapy. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

bibliotherapy

noun
bib·​lio·​ther·​a·​py -ˈther-ə-pē How to pronounce bibliotherapy (audio)
plural bibliotherapies
: the use of selected reading materials as therapeutic adjuvants in medicine and in psychiatry
also : guidance in the solution of personal problems through directed reading
bibliotherapeutic adjective
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