Using Bibliotherapy to Support Bereaved Students

This chapter describes bibliotherapy, an intervention based on the tenets of cognitive-behavioral therapy and solution-focused therapy, as a developmentally appropriate strategy to address grieving children’s emotional needs. Bibliotherapy incorporates literature into the counseling process to address four basic tasks of grief. This chapter discusses key guidelines for implementing a bibliotherapy lesson with bereaved youth. The importance of selecting books and develop activities that align with the bereaved child’s developmental needs, the family’s cultural and religious beliefs, and other facets of the child’s experience is highlighted. The chapter includes recommended books and associated activities that address the tasks of grief and facilitate children’s expression of feelings. A sample bibliotherapy lesson plan is included.