Supporting your mental health and physical wellbeing through a therapeutic programme of bibliotherapy.
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There is a growing evidence base that therapeutic writing and reading can support people with long-term physical health conditions as well as improving mental health.
More about bibliotherapy
Looking for a more creative way to get support with your mental health and wellbeing? Look no further! If you are 11 +, here's what you can do.
Take you inside the story where you can make it your own. Interact with the characters and record your thoughts, feelings, memories and ideas. Discover yourself when you read a Living Book.
More about living books
Book these with your counsellor. One to one sessions offering a structured but creative experience with therapists trained in the bibliotherapeutic approach.
More about therapy sessions
Use our templates to get started with writing your story. You can share your writing with your bibliotherapist as well if you want to.
More about therapeutic writing
“There was a lot of emphasis on creative writing, and you would explore if there's something difficult, you're going through. It's back and forwards like that, it's so wonderful and calming and it helps me feel more like me again.
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“I feel like a different person when I'm writing, I feel like me, most the time I don't know what I'm doing. When I write it makes me think 'this is what I'm here to do'. The sessions feel very anchoring, which I find helpful.
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“I like having access to previous chat records, it's really useful. Like a journal to reflect upon over the following week and throughout the therapeutic process.
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“The online part is very easy to work, the platform is easy to use. If I want to read a book I can, write a poem I can, I can sit and do it without the help. It's easy to use. I like that you don't have to send things you do online to the therapist, it's your choice. If you don't send it, it's something for you to keep. I use the poems part on the platform.
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“I think this will appeal to people especially males who might find it easier to put down their feeling and aspirations in the 3rd person.
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“I really like the project, I believe it will support mental health and is an alternative to IAPT (Talking Therapies) which doesn't work for everyone.
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“The books are great. Some are small (quick reads) which is brilliant for me.
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“The books look great, I've already found one I want to read.
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“Its brilliant to offer this intervention as a treatment option for people on wait lists. Offering a wider choice of therapy rather than the current standardised pathways which don't work for everyone.
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“The books are great. Some are small (quick reads) which is brilliant for me.
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Our books are written by award winning authors. We publish children's books, Young Adult and New Adult fiction in print, ebook and for the bibliotherapy service as Living Books.
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Your safety is important to us.
We understand that finding the right therapist can be difficult. If you feel that you are not getting on with your therapist it can be helpful to try discussing your feelings with them. If you are unable to do this or you find that after the discussion you still don't get on with them you can either;
Our confidence in the service comes from our extensive experience of delivering online therapeutic interventions alongside our interest and involvement in a range of research activities.
Our programme is based on humanistic person-centred counselling principles alongside other evidence- based interventions, including CBT and psychodynamic therapy. Bibliotherapy is a relational approach.
Our programme structure has also been informed by the evidence-based programme created by Arts for the Blues - see Arts for the Blues: The development of a new evidence-based creative group psychotherapy for depression Joanna Omylinska-Thurston, Vicky Karkou, Ailsa Parsons, Kerry Nair, Linda Dubrow-Marshall, Jennifer Starkey, Scott Thurston, Irene Dudley-Swarbrick, Surina Sharma.
Further information has been provided on the commissioners page.
Please email elaine@zuntold.com if you would like further details of the evidence base for this approach and for our most recent research projects.
ZunTold deliver a 10-week Bibliotherapy training and placement opportunity for Qualified Counsellors and those nearing the end of their Diploma in Counselling and/or Psychotherapy. Eligibility to apply for paid roles is offered on completion of the programme. If you would like further information, please contact Jan Clitheroe e. janclitheroe@zuntold.com .
The service is offered free of change at the point of delivery. This means that if you live in an area where ZunTold is commissioned, and you meet the eligibility criteria you will not be charged for using our service. If you are not sure about where ZunTold is available or who can access the service, please contact janclitheroe@zuntold.com for further information.
If you are a commissioner and would like to know more, please contact elaine@zuntold.com
Anyone using ZunTold's services can be assured that anything they share with us will be handled on a confidential basis.
We only breach confidentiality in exceptional circumstances. This would be if there were serious concerns about your safety or someone else's safety. Your safety and well-being are important to us and therefore we will always listen to and (where possible) agree next steps with you.
We value your feedback, comments, compliments and complaints as these help us to improve the service we provide.
If you have a complaint or concern, you can let us know in any of the following ways;
A copy of our Complaint policy can be found here
Books are 'healers for the soul' and creative and therapeutic wriitng brings many health benefits.
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We publish for Middle Grade, Young Adult and New Adult fiction in print and ebooks and for the bibliotherapy service, as ZunTold Living Books. We also publish
adult non-fiction.
If you are interested in trialling our service we'd love to hear from you. Just contact janclitheroe@zuntold.com or elaine@zuntold.com .
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