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Reading for Wellbeing Advanced Bibliotherapy course
This course is intended for participants who have already completed the Introduction to Bibliotherapy course.
It will take a deeper dive into how to curate books to best address some of life’s challenges. Each week we will look at
texts that can directly resonate and help address a weekly theme such as loss, anxiety and change/transformation.
Course Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the course, participants will gain:
1. A deep dive into using literature as a form of remedy and healing within our daily lives, when dealing with anxiety/overwhelm; loss/grief and change/transformation.
2. The confidence to apply Bibliotherapy both towards themselves and others
3. Hands-on experience at collaborating in a small group, including development of empathetic listening skills
Course schedule – Spring 2026 Classes run at Books on the Hill on the Fridays listed below, from 2pm – 3.45pm
CLASS ONE - Friday 23 January
Anxiety and Bibliotherapy
What is anxiety/overwhelm and which texts and readings can best help address this?
We will explore the difference between anxiety and depression and its representation in literature, assessing useful texts
and reading strategies to help combat anxiety and overwhelm
Please bring along an extract or example of a book that has helped address or alleviate some form of anxiety/overwhelm – our focus this week
will be on the non-fiction genre so those examples are particularly welcome!
CLASS TWO - Friday 6 February
Meet directly in London, by the Laurence Olivier statue outside the National Theatre – Upper Ground, South
Bank, London, SE1 9PX at 2pm
Please note that because of the travel time included, class will run over but will finish by 1pm.
Visit to Southbank, including
· A guided visit to the Poetry Library, in the Royal Festival Hall · A guided visit to the National Theatre and its bookshop, with a focus on the power of drama in Bibliotherapy · A visit to the Book Market, in Southbank
CLASS THREE - Friday 27 February
Loss/grief and Bibliotherapy Loss is an inevitable part of life so why do we find it so painful and difficult? We will look at different texts with different representations of loss including grief, menopause and empty nesters. Please bring along a poem that has helped address or alleviate some form of loss – our focus this week will be on the poetry genre so those examples are particularly welcome!
CLASS FOUR - Friday 13 March
Activity: Excursion to Hampstead, with its rich literary tradition and bookstores, including a visit to John Keats’s house Options: Travel from St Albans or meet directly in London, Hampstead Guided visit to this historically rich literary area, including visits to Daunt Books, Burgh House and John Keats’s house · Optional tea and cake in a café (not included in the course fee).
CLASS FIVE – Friday 27 March
Change and transformation – Bibliotherapy
What does literature have to say about change and transformation? Through exploring specific texts we will view
different perspectives of change, transformation and altering our perspectives
What is included in the £145 fee?
Venue for classes in central St Albans at Books on the Hill, 1 Holywell Hill, St Albans, AL1 1ER
Instructor as guide to two excursions to London: Southbank and Hampstead
Reading materials, articles and online contact with the instructor throughout the course
NOT included
Travel to, from and around London on excursions
Tea and cake in cafés in London
Please email bibliotherapyforme@outlook.com for further information or to register for the course
and to embark on a journey for your wellbeing.
Places are limited – first come, first served!
This course is intended for participants who have already completed the Introduction to Bibliotherapy course.
It will take a deeper dive into how to curate books to best address some of life’s challenges. Each week we will look at
texts that can directly resonate and help address a weekly theme such as loss, anxiety and change/transformation.
Course Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the course, participants will gain:
1. A deep dive into using literature as a form of remedy and healing within our daily lives, when dealing with anxiety/overwhelm; loss/grief and change/transformation.
2. The confidence to apply Bibliotherapy both towards themselves and others
3. Hands-on experience at collaborating in a small group, including development of empathetic listening skills
Course schedule – Spring 2026 Classes run at Books on the Hill on the Fridays listed below, from 2pm – 3.45pm
CLASS ONE - Friday 23 January
Anxiety and Bibliotherapy
What is anxiety/overwhelm and which texts and readings can best help address this?
We will explore the difference between anxiety and depression and its representation in literature, assessing useful texts
and reading strategies to help combat anxiety and overwhelm
Please bring along an extract or example of a book that has helped address or alleviate some form of anxiety/overwhelm – our focus this week
will be on the non-fiction genre so those examples are particularly welcome!
CLASS TWO - Friday 6 February
Meet directly in London, by the Laurence Olivier statue outside the National Theatre – Upper Ground, South
Bank, London, SE1 9PX at 2pm
Please note that because of the travel time included, class will run over but will finish by 1pm.
Visit to Southbank, including
· A guided visit to the Poetry Library, in the Royal Festival Hall · A guided visit to the National Theatre and its bookshop, with a focus on the power of drama in Bibliotherapy · A visit to the Book Market, in Southbank
CLASS THREE - Friday 27 February
Loss/grief and Bibliotherapy Loss is an inevitable part of life so why do we find it so painful and difficult? We will look at different texts with different representations of loss including grief, menopause and empty nesters. Please bring along a poem that has helped address or alleviate some form of loss – our focus this week will be on the poetry genre so those examples are particularly welcome!
CLASS FOUR - Friday 13 March
Activity: Excursion to Hampstead, with its rich literary tradition and bookstores, including a visit to John Keats’s house Options: Travel from St Albans or meet directly in London, Hampstead Guided visit to this historically rich literary area, including visits to Daunt Books, Burgh House and John Keats’s house · Optional tea and cake in a café (not included in the course fee).
CLASS FIVE – Friday 27 March
Change and transformation – Bibliotherapy
What does literature have to say about change and transformation? Through exploring specific texts we will view
different perspectives of change, transformation and altering our perspectives
What is included in the £145 fee?
Venue for classes in central St Albans at Books on the Hill, 1 Holywell Hill, St Albans, AL1 1ER
Instructor as guide to two excursions to London: Southbank and Hampstead
Reading materials, articles and online contact with the instructor throughout the course
NOT included
Travel to, from and around London on excursions
Tea and cake in cafés in London
Please email bibliotherapyforme@outlook.com for further information or to register for the course
and to embark on a journey for your wellbeing.
Places are limited – first come, first served!