This course is intended for participants who have already completed the Introduction to Bibliotherapy course.

To register for the course and to embark on a journey for your wellbeing please click here and for further information please email bibliotherapyforme@outlook.com.

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

Once you have entered your email at the checkout, the option for ‘store collection’ will appear. This will prevent you from being charged any fees when purchasing event tickets. If you are purchasing a book with your ticket, postage is only required if you wish to have it delivered.

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!

www.bibliotherapyforme.com