Uplifting, therapeutic, small group work
COURSE DETAILS
Would you like to discover the link between reading and well-being and how this can enhance your everyday life?
“Literature offers us a powerful language that can help us understand ourselves and others and gives us the words and perspectives that can help us talk about difficult experiences.” Dr Jane Davis, Founder of The Reader
“One sheds one’s sicknesses in books – repeats and presents again one’s emotions, to be master of them.” DH Lawrence, The Letters of DH Lawrence.
Bibliotherapy dates back to ancient times when libraries were seen as sacred places where answers and healing could be found. My course explores reading as an active strategy to help cope with life’s challenges, looking at the wider and deeper ways in which fiction and non-fiction can 'find' people, emotionally and imaginatively, helping develop self- esteem, emotional granularity and interpersonal relationships. Participants will be introduced to the neurological benefits of reading “for pleasure” and to a wellbeing model to help us tailor our book choices in order to thrive.
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To read course itinerary click here
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE PART OF A BIBLIOTHERAPY EVENT?
Private events available for book clubs, libraries, schools and organisations.
On line or in person individual Bibliotherapy sessions also available.
For more information contact: bibliotherapyforme@outlook.com
EVENTS
Gorhambury Estate Wellbeing Retreat day
Location: Gorhambury Estate
Date: 15 May, 2025
Includes workshops, light breakfast welcome, wellbeing lunch, tea/coffee and cake throughout the day, walk around the grounds
Book here
NEW Bibliotherapy SUNDAY introductory course (5 sessions)
Location: Books On The Hill
Course dates: 9 March - 15 June, 2025
Holywell Hill St Albans, AL1 1ER
Book here
NEW Bibliotherapy ADVANCED course (5 sessions)
Location: Books On The Hill
Course dates: 9 May - 18 July, 2025
Holywell Hill St Albans, AL1 1ER
Book here
NEW Guided afternoon tour of Spitalfields (one-off event)
Location: Meet at Kindertransport memorial, 50 Liverpool Street
Date: Friday 7 March, 3-5pm
Book here
ZOOM Using Bibliotherapy for Wellbeing to Address Feelings of Loss
February 28 @ 10:00 - 11:00
Book here
ZOOM Using Bibliotherapy for Wellbeing to Address Feelings of Anxiety
March 3 @ 13:00 - 14:00
Book here
One-to-One Book Coaching
We are what we read - themes and concerns in our reading often correlate to how we feel in real life. Book coaching can help gain new perspective and direction in both our reading and day-to-day lives.
50 minute session, £40
Book here
PAST EVENTS
World Book Week - Yavneh College
Well-being Week - Samuel Ryder School
Global Inclusion Regional Summit - London Metropolitan University
Redbourn Book Club - The Wine Sisters
Books on the Hill - Taster Sessions /Ongoing Courses
Bibliotherapy Taster Session
Location: Battersea Bookshop
Wednesday 2nd October 18:30 - 20:00
https://batterseabookshop.com/event-the-art-of-reading-for-wellbeing-with-nicole-moody-980064046947
ABOUT ME
Nicole Moody has worked as an instructor at The American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) in London since 2008, teaching a range of courses to American undergraduate students. Partly as a response to the pandemic, Nicole designed, developed and delivered a new course: “Bibliotherapy – The Art of Reading for Wellbeing” for AIFS. The course explores the way reading can be used as a tool towards improving the quality of our everyday lives, aiding the enhancement of self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, and emotional granularity. She has delivered webinars on Bibliotherapy and is an experienced facilitator who has run Reading for Wellbeing and Therapeutic Writing workshops. Nicole has provided Bibliotherapy sessions for MIND Mid Herts, as well as delivering guest talks in schools and for book clubs, and she runs a 5-session “Reading for Wellbeing course” at her local independent bookstore, Books on the Hill in St Albans.
TESTIMONIALS
I have taken many many different courses over my lifetime, and I mean a LOT, and I can say , in all honesty, that Nicole’s Bibliotherapy course, has been my absolute favourite. I loved having the opportunity to discuss with our group, the books, articles and texts she recommended to us. And felt so very fortunate that we had Nicole there to encourage us to discover what lay within their covers - her passion for her subject was truly infectious. I must say that I was sad to say goodbye to her and the group at the end of the six weeks, as I felt we had learnt so much and shared so much. We simply couldn’t have asked for a more generous, inspirational, warm-hearted guide. Thank you Nicole!
- Pauline
We were thrilled to welcome Nicole Moody to our school, during World Book Week, to run a session for our sixth form Psychology and English Literature students. It was incredibly engaging, insightful and thought provoking and was a perfect introduction to Bibliotherapy. Nicole has a wonderful way in delivering her content and the students were all engaged, particularly as she ensured it was an interactive session. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to any other school and we hope to book her again for next year’s Year 12 students!
- Amanda, Librarian, Yavneh College
Thank you again so much for coming in today - it was fascinating. It was an absolute delight to welcome Nicole to our school to speak with a lucky selection of year nines and tens. Their thoughts and reflections were insightful, mature and interesting. I very much hope we can have Nicole back!
- Sandy, Librarian, Samuel Ryder School
I am very grateful for you and this fantastic course. Your support and help means a lot to me and I hope we can meet again in the future. My only suggestion is to have more Bibliotherapy events
- Pupak
Thank you for creating a lovely, supportive space to explore and share books for well-being. thank you especially for the recommendations and consideration of how fiction can support well-being
- Rachel
A valuable and enjoyable course exploring all forms of literature, meeting and getting to know lovely people. Reading is not laziness, it is an essential part of living. Would recommend this course to anyone!
-Teresa
It was a privilege to be part of the course. You created an anergy and culture in the group and impacted us all. I will take a lot away and will keep reflecting on the ideas - Malcolm