We use the written word to engage with people experiencing mental health and wellbeing issues, loneliness and isolation in order to access the person beneath a diagnosis to help them to improve their self esteem, confidence, social and  communication skills, sense of wellbeing, resilience and provide access to deeper thoughts and feelings and the words to express these to others.

Bibliotherapy supports people with mental health and wellbeing issues such as depression and anxiety, dementia, psychosis to help to improve their quality of life. Our Bookchat groups use poetry and literature to engage with participants imaginatively to help reduce inequalities and combat stigma and discrimination; providing the opportunity for participants to increase their coping skills and develop a sense of self sufficiency and self-worth. It helps to create a feeling of genuine connection and sense of community and friendship between participants, which often endures outside the Bookchat group. We use all forms of the written word and do not just read aloud and discuss what we have read but have developed many different resources to engage with participants, including those who may only be able to concentrate for a very short time.  

We provide Bookchat sessions in various settings, such as day centres, community groups, libraries and including clinical settings such as acute psychiatric admission wards, to stimulate participants and establish a sense of inclusion and community thus improving quality of life. an improvement in the provision of care can sometimes result from our groups as staff are given a better understanding of the participant as a person, and their likes and dislikes. 

We also provide training for staff or volunteers who want to deliver Bookchats in their own community/setting.

Our beneficiaries are people experiencing mental health and wellbeing issues, including those living with dementia and experiencing loneliness and isolation.