Pain of Addiction

Poetry therapy and bibliotherapy are terms used synonymously to describe the intentional use of poetry and other forms of literature for healing and personal growth. The term "biblio" means books and, by extension, literature. "Therapy" is derived from the Greek word "therapeia" meaning "to serve or help medically." Basically then, bibliotherapy is the use of literature to promote mental health.

The National Association for Poetry Therapy (NAPT), incorporated in 1981, confers professional credentials to biblio/poetry therapists who have met its rigorous standards. The poetry therapist today is a professional who is well-grounded in both psychology and literature, as well as group dynamics. NAPT maintains a registry of biblio/poetry therapy practitioners in educational, medical, geriatric, therapeutic, and community settings.

Bibliotherapy has a broad range of applications with people of all ages and is used for health and maintenance, as well as with individuals requiring treatment for various illnesses and conditions. Examples of these are veterans, substance abusers, adolescents, the learning disabled, families with problems, prisoners in rehabilitation, the frail elderly, the physically challenged, and survivors of violence, abuse and incest. The literature and case studies provide evidence that poetry therapy is an effective and powerful tool with many different populations.

The goals of poetry therapy are:

- To develop accuracy and understanding in perceiving self and others;
- To develop creativity, self-expression, and greater self-esteem;
- To strengthen interpersonal skills and communication skills;
- To ventilate overpowering emotions and release tension;
- To find new meaning through new ideas, insights, and information; and
- To promote change and increase coping skills and adaptive functions.

Read the full article at: http://www.nccata.org/poetry_therapy.htm

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