Bibliotherapy is a powerful psychological aid tool that uses the power of literature to heal the soul. It is especially effective for those who had to leave their homes because of the war and to adapt to new living conditions.

Our psychologist, Inna Semenenko, successfully uses this method in her work with IDPs. Recently, she has faced a complicated case at the Kyiv Hope and Healing Center. Inna received a request from an elderly with chronic disease who could not visit a psychologist’s office but urgently needed help.

To help the person, the psychologist began conducting sessions in comfortable conditions for the client, using the book “The World in the Pictures of Artists.” This therapy helps a woman to relive her memories of a past life more easily. It was full of the happiest moments but destroyed by war. Thanks to these sessions, the victim began to find solace in beauty.

This approach is essential for older people who adapt hard to the new conditions in centers for displaced persons. Bibliotherapy helps them resist stress and depression and strengthens their spirit. You can use this method during the treatment of various addictions, injuries, mental illnesses, and emotional lability. It is recommended for people who have left their usual surroundings and adapted to changed living conditions. And the case of our psychologist vividly confirms this.

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Consultations are conducted within the program Complex Psychological Assistance to Children and Families Affected by War, which is implemented within the framework of the USAID project Development of a Sustainable Public Health System with the support of PACT, which aims to provide psychological support to displaced persons – adults and children who have experienced trauma.