Narrative Bibliotherapy

Thank you, Mariana, for all you give to us through the workshops! Your selection of readings is always stimulating, and I particularly like how you lead the group. Sharing your library with us is so generous!

It’s been such a transformative experience to meet with Mariana! Each session is a safe haven in which I feel supported and gently encouraged to play with the harmonies that emerge and resonate back and forth between my own stories, and the texts Mariana (quite magically, it seems, I must say) suggests. As the process continues to unfold, I’m struck by the power that being truly, deeply listened to has, and by how deeply healing it is to engage with narratives (others’, my own) in a space held with such care. Our work together has also greatly helped me to reflect upon my own work with others as a teacher and facilitator. I feel I am developing a more grounded, compassionate presence, with a growing awareness of all the threads that come into play, and with a growing confidence in the tools that I possess and that are continuing to evolve in me, under Mariana’s guidance, to responsibly hold and guide spaces where people can engage with their ideas, feelings and one another.

These sessions are most enjoyable, thought provoking and invigorating. Awesome experience, thank you for facilitating.

Another catalyst for this thesis was my attendance at the narrative bibliotherapy sessions facilitated by Dr Mariana Casale during the pandemic. […] In those intellectually stimulating, non-hierarchical, rhizomatic, and deeply personal sessions, we were invited to engage with the texts not from the perspective of an authoritative interpretation but from our own embodied experiences and life perspectives. We could respond, perform and generate new conversations with freedom and respect rather than embarking on obscure, never-good-enough interpretations of the texts. These sessions […] helped me reclaim my right to read and a place of value for my writing.

Heartfelt thanks for inspiring me to find a way to take my great love of poetry deeper into my work and sharing this with souls who are usually denied its richness. As you can see, there were quite a few adaptations that were required, but I think the key to it being successful was channeling a little fraction of the poise, conviction, passion and generosity of spirit that you bring to your bibliotherapy work, as well as the very thoughtful way you use questions to guide an open exploration that goes deep into intrapsychic, interpersonal and even transpersonal space.