The Process of Interactive Biblio/Poetry Therapy

Focusing on Postgraduate Students in the Caring Profession

Abstract

The present study introduced Interactive Biblio/Poetry therapy (bibliotherapy) into Japan for the first time. The aim was to reveal the process of how participants experience bibliotherapy. Five postgraduate students, all trained as professionals in human services underwent five sessions and two semi–structured interviews. The acquired data was analyzed using the modified grounded theory approach (M–GTA) method. Results revealed 31 concepts, 9 categories, and 5 sub–categories. The core process of bibliotherapy is as followed: Developing multiple awareness while the alternation between one’s internal and external world repeats. The researcher argued that the structure of bibliotherapy consists of three types of alternation between one’s internal and external world. Moreover, there seems to be a synergy between bibliotherapy and the narrative approach. The other aspects include the influence of non–participants who intruded into the session. In addition, the role for each internal factor for bibliotherapy, such as reading, metaphor, writing, discussion, and group poem was discussed. The current study revealed the significance of introducing and offering future insights for the practice of bibliotherapy in Japan.