In this week’s episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah, we explore the quiet, transformative power of love stories — and how the romance genre can become a profound tool for emotional healing. From the classic worlds of Jane Austen to the modern intimacy of Sally Rooney, and from the wisdom of Bell Hooks and Erich Fromm to the poetic tenderness of Alain de Botton, we look at how stories of love — in all their beauty and heartbreak — help us understand ourselves and others.

Through the lens of bibliotherapy, I’ll unpack how reading about love can validate our experiences, repair our emotional wounds, and remind us that connection and hope are still possible - even in an age of disconnection.

I hope you enjoy the episode and as always, all thoughts/reflections welcome!

x

Email us at bijal@booktherapy.io

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and get new episodes as they are released. If you'd like access to the transcripts, do subscribe to my substack: Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah - Transcripts on Substack.

If you'd like a bibliotherapist in your pocket then you might find my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading a helpful companion.

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In this week’s episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah, I explore Erich Fromm’s timeless classic The Art of Loving and reflect on what it can teach us about love in our modern world. I look at how Fromm’s vision of love — as a discipline, a practice, and a moral art — can help us navigate the challenges of connection in 2025, from digital intimacy to generational shifts in how we give and receive love.

At its heart, this episode is an invitation to slow down, pay attention, and rediscover love as the deepest expression of what it means to be human.

I hope you enjoy it! x

Email us at bijal@booktherapy.io

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and get new episodes as they are released. If you'd like access to the transcripts, do subscribe to my substack: Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah - Transcripts on Substack.

If you'd like a bibliotherapist in your pocket then you might find my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading a helpful companion.

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In this opening episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah, I trace love’s enduring role as literature’s greatest subject, and explore love not as sentimentality, but as a profound human discipline that shapes how we live, connect, and heal, from divine longing to intimacy, navigating loss and loneliness.

I reflect on the paradox of modern loneliness: that the deepest ache is not the absence of others, but the longing to be truly seen. Drawing on the words of Erich Fromm, Rumi, and Kahlil Gibran — and novels from Pride and Prejudice to Normal People — I explore how reading love stories and romance can mend the fractures of the heart and remind us that belonging is possible.

I also discuss how the romantic comedy is an important literary device in this respect — a gentle rebellion against cynicism — and explore how it offers a space for forgiveness, courage, and restoration of faith in love’s ability to connect, heal and empower us.

Email us at bijal@booktherapy.io

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and get new episodes as they are released. If you'd like access to the transcripts, do subscribe to my substack: Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah - Transcripts on Substack.

If you'd like a bibliotherapist in your pocket then you might find my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading a helpful companion.

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Get 10% off with code PODCAST on the following:

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Excited to share Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah is back with Season 4!

In Season 4, I’ll be sharing my 40 best books of 2025 to read in 2026 across both fiction and non-fiction — and yes there are some surprise reads in there!

We’ll also dive deep into the role of the romantic comedy in healing — and what it means to be a romantic hero: someone who, despite a hundred heartbreaks, can still say, “I still believe in love.” After all, most of us have been heartbroken — if not by a person, then by a loss of any kind.

We’ll analyse characters who embody romantic heroism, and what they teach us about endurance, vulnerability, and faith in connection.

From my favourite romance books from age 0 to 43, to AI and love in utopian and dystopian futures, and the timeless wisdom of Erich Fromm’s The Art of Loving — this season is a love letter to literature and to life.

We’ll also explore books to help us cope with disconnection, loss, and heartbreak over the festive season, and why true and lasting love often brings us closer to the divine.

And finally, I’ll share my most anticipated reads and bibliotherapy predictions for 2026 — stories that will heal, uplift, and inspire.

First episode drops this Thursday.

Hope you love it!

x

Email us at bijal@booktherapy.io

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and get new episodes as they are released. If you'd like access to the transcripts, do subscribe to my substack: Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah - Transcripts on Substack.

If you'd like a bibliotherapist in your pocket then you might find my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading a helpful companion.

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Get 10% off with code PODCAST on the following:

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In today's episode, we’re immersing ourselves in the gentle, contemplative, and often transformative world of Japanese literature. As we step into the season of spring, a time of renewal, impermanence, and quiet growth, I can’t think of a better literary tradition to explore. We'll be diving into both Japanese fiction and nonfiction that can support our emotional wellbeing, offer perspective, and help us reconnect—with ourselves, with nature, and with others.

Plus I share some helpful therapeutic practices to engage with to deepen your reading experience. Hope you enjoy it!

Bijal x

(Bibliotherapist and Founder, Book Therapy, Author of Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading)

Email us at bijal@booktherapy.io

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and get new episodes as they are released. If you'd like access to the transcripts, do subscribe to my substack: Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah - Transcripts on Substack.

If you'd like a bibliotherapist in your pocket then you might find my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading a helpful companion.

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Get 10% off with code PODCAST on the following:

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In today's episode, I explore the psychological depth of Dostoyevsky’s literature through the lens of bibliotherapy. Could the Russian novelist understand the human psyche more intimately than Freud himself? We examine key characters, existential themes, and the healing potential of Dostoyevsky’s work, comparing literary insight with psychoanalytic theory. From Raskolnikov’s guilt to Ivan Karamazov’s spiritual crisis, this episode uncovers how fiction can mirror the unconscious—and why Dostoyevsky still resonates as a therapeutic force today.

Email us at bijal@booktherapy.io

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and get new episodes as they are released. If you'd like access to the transcripts, do subscribe to my substack: Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah - Transcripts on Substack.

If you'd like a bibliotherapist in your pocket then you might find my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading a helpful companion.

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Get 10% off with code PODCAST on the following:

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Dear Listener,

Hello and welcome back to Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah—the podcast where books are more than stories—they're medicine for the soul. Today, I’m thrilled to share some of the spring and summer reads that I am most excited about reading this year. Whether you're seeking escape, self-discovery, or emotional renewal, this season’s fiction and nonfiction titles offer powerful paths to healing.

From stories of love, loss, and intergenerational memory to explorations of identity, time anxiety, and reinvention, each book speaks to a part of us that longs to be seen or soothed. These are books for the curious and the courageous—those ready to embrace transformation through story. Join me on this episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah to find not just what to read next, but what your soul might need most this spring and summer.

Plus my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading is finally out in the US and Canada on June 10, 2025 in case you’d like to add it to your Spring and Summer reads. I hope you love it :)

Let’s dive in!

Enjoy!

Warmly,

Bijal

Email us at bijal@booktherapy.io

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and get new episodes as they are released. If you'd like access to the transcripts, do subscribe to my substack: Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah - Transcripts on Substack.

If you'd like a bibliotherapist in your pocket then you might find my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading a helpful companion.

******************************************************************************************

Get 10% off with code PODCAST on the following:

Online Bibliotherapy Courses

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In this episode of Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah, we explore how the shared experience of reading can become a profound path to healing. From grief support circles to juvenile justice programs and women's shelters, I share examples of settings where group bibliotherapy can be incredibly impactful. Discover how stories can break isolation, build empathy, and foster collective resilience.

Whether you're a therapist, educator, or simply a book lover, this episode will inspire you to see literature as a bridge—not just to understanding yourself, but each other.

If you’re interested in Group Bibliotherapy, Book Therapy’s Online Group Bibliotherapy Skills Course offers comprehensive training.

You’ll learn how to:

• Select appropriate texts.
• Structure and facilitate sessions.
• Adapt for diverse groups and needs.

It’s self-paced and online, so you can complete it at your own convenience —ideal for anyone strapped for time. You’ll also receive a certificate of completion.

Thank you for joining me today. If you have stories or experiences with group bibliotherapy, I’d love to hear from you—email me, write to me. I always love hearing from passionate listeners.

Until then—happy reading.

Email us at bijal@booktherapy.io

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and get new episodes as they are released. If you'd like access to the transcripts, do subscribe to my substack: Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah - Transcripts on Substack.

If you'd like a bibliotherapist in your pocket then you might find my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading a helpful companion.

******************************************************************************************

Get 10% off with code PODCAST on the following:

Online Bibliotherapy Courses

Personalised Book Prescriptions

Bibliotherapy Sessions

You can also follow us on your preferred platform using the links below:

Instagram

Facebook