Bibliotherapy Basics Reflections
Reflections from participants who have completed Bibliotherapy Australia’s foundational training, Bibliotherapy Basics, offered through the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) training platform, including both ALIA members and non-members.
Offered online once a year and accredited for 30 CPD hours through the ALIA Continuing Professional Development Scheme, the course welcomes participants from public, school, hospital and tertiary libraries across Australia, and also non-members, including counsellors who are drawn to this way of working.
All reflections shared anonymously
“I was so excited to discover the Bibliotherapy Basics course. I still remember accidentally stumbling across bibliotherapy through Dr Susan McLaine during Covid — mind blown by the power of the experience. Finding a course years later to continue that exploration felt like a true delight.
Bibliotherapy Basics was a first acquaintance with the field — an introduction to its components, the pieces of the puzzle, and a gentle re-acquaintance with reading itself. It invited me to look at reading material through a different lens: community, story and wellbeing. The course sparked real excitement in me, nourished me through the sense of community, and prepared me beautifully for the deeper dive of the advanced course.”
“I loved this course. It was therapeutic as well as practical, and I’ve taken away brilliant resources and inspiration.”
“I rediscovered poetry, reflection and the quiet joy of reading in community. It’s opened a whole new way of seeing.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed this course.”
“It was therapeutic as well as a wonderful way to learn about bibliotherapy.”
“It was far more comprehensive and in-depth than I anticipated for a basic course.”
“I really enjoyed working through the course and have a lot of notes to revisit and develop further.”
“I loved this course. I felt it was extremely informative and I’ve taken away some brilliant resources and a long list of further reading.”
“The self-reflections were a very important aspect of this course as they encouraged me to think more critically about my ideas and decisions when developing bibliotherapy content.”
“It’s opened up a whole new avenue of opportunity for me to expand my professional skillset.”
“All of the comments provided to participants were really insightful and useful.”
“I really appreciated the guided reflection activities. I didn’t always journal them, but used them as prompts for thinking during the week.”
“Susan was very helpful when emailing her regarding questions. She was very prompt in her replies.”
“It was good, easy to understand and engaging.”
“The further reading lists were a welcome addition.”
“Excellent for a basic course.”
“I felt the pace and workload of the course were suitable.”
“The content was clearly written, and the additional resources were valuable.”
“Access to the Bibliotherapy blog is great as a resource.”
“An excellent course that really made me think about how we select texts for programs in the library, and how I might apply this to future collaborations.”
“I very much enjoyed this course and thought it offered a good overview of bibliotherapy’s history, the different types of practice, the forms of literature that can be used, and practical strategies for implementation.”
“The practice session helped me understand just how interesting, challenging and thought-provoking bibliotherapy can be.”
“It might seem like I flew through this course, but that was because I enjoyed the subject so much and wanted to keep learning as much as I could.”
“I have never been a reader of poetry due to high-school experiences, but this course encouraged me to engage again with the form. I now feel I could look for inspiration in poems when I need support.”
“Bibliotherapy can be used in so many ways. I feel it can help everyone, and it’s something I’d like everyone to be aware of and have access to.”
“Overall, I had a wonderful experience with this course and I want more.”
“I thought it was wonderfully set up and had no problems following the instructions or accessing the material.”
“It all felt very supportive, especially Dr Susan, whom I already admired from the State Library of Victoria bibliotherapy recordings.”
“Very supportive and engaged facilitator. An ideal introduction to bibliotherapy.”
“I’m grateful for a renewed appreciation of the power and impact of words.”
“This course helped me carve out time for pause and reflection. At first, I found the reflective aspects difficult, but with Susan’s support I found them deeply beneficial.”
“I was surprised and delighted to rediscover poetry through this course.”
“I think the course was fabulous.”
“It was therapeutic as well as practical.”
“I felt supported throughout and encouraged to keep going even when life got busy.”
“I appreciated how well-structured the course was—clear, kind and well paced.”
“It was a wonderful course and I can’t wait to explore more, both personally and professionally.”
“I have completed the course—it was such a joy and comfort to have this material to study.”
“I have no right words for the heartfelt joy I received through doing this course. I just feel deeply grateful for the reflections you offered; it created a sense of joy, belonging and empowerment within me.”
“I have loved working through this course and feel I’ve already learned so much from it.”
“Thanks very much, Susan. I enjoyed the course a great deal.”
“We are really enjoying the bibliotherapy course at our library. I didn’t expect to enjoy the poetry section as much as I have, but I think I like it even more than the stories section.”
“We’ve had wonderful team conversations about what we’re learning, and even turned reading poems aloud into a fun team-building activity in the library.”