Bibliotherapy groups

We offer a variety of reading and writing for wellbeing groups. These groups will run throughout the year. In Semester One of 2024-25 all students attending Bibliotherapy Groups will receive a £5 book token. Please visit the SAW events site to book onto these events.

We also recommend our LJMU Library and LJSU Literature Society book club.

Reading for Wellbeing

The Counselling Team in connection with Library Services and with support from the wider team within Student Advice and Wellbeing has introduced its own collection of therapeutic books. Throughout the year there will be online/face to face group events focusing on a particular book/subject.

You do not need to have read the book to attend. These groups will be a way of exploring your feelings around a particular book/subject with a chance to voice your thoughts. Where appropriate some groups will be attended by the authors themselves and/or members of local community/organisations.

To book a place please see SAW Events.

Writing for Wellbeing

Would you like just an hour’s space to sit with your thoughts and do some expressive writing to get stuff out of your head and onto paper? This group offers a safe and relaxed space for free-writing in response to short prompts – such as images, words, or poetry. You do not need to be a writer or a poet to attend, just a willingness to take part and go with wherever your writing takes you!

These workshops enable you to focus on the process of writing rather than any product or output: giving yourself permission to just ‘write without rules’ about whatever emerges from your pen or pencil has the potential to lead to insights, revelations, and greater self-awareness.

There is no obligation for you to share your writing in the session, though participants can benefit from sharing and listening to different personal reflections about this process of writing for the self.

Sessions are led by Dr Anne-Marie Smith, senior lecturer in the School of Education and a qualified and experienced Writing for Wellbeing practitioner.

To book a place please see SAW Events.