Biblio Poetry Therapy

March 3, 2026, 12-13 CET

1. An Introduction to Biblio/Poetry Therapy

Welcome to a brief personal biblio/poetry therapy overview, followed by a closer look at a specific project involving one-on-one reading aloud in a clinical setting. The example discussed will be the Läsklubb/Reading Club in Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital, which is currently the subject of a medical research study in the intensive care unit.

Biblio/poetry therapy is an open and dynamic method that combines well with other forms of artistic expressions. It can be adapted to suit different settings and perspectives, such as social, developmental, educational, preventive, rehabilitative, or clinical. It can be adjusted to fit various purposes or contexts. The work is shaped according to the goals, education, and competencies of the facilitator.

Reading and writing is typically used to explore thoughts, feelings, memories and dreams. Novels, poems, short stories, and original writing are read and discussed as catalysts for thinking, talking, and reflecting together, either one-on-one or in a group. Much can be achieved through simple, natural gestures: giving space and time, listening with care and interest, staying on topic, creating a genuine presence and offering a safe environment where participants feel they can share, or remain silent, and still take fully part in the activity.

Join us on March 24, 2026 12-13 CET

2. Appropoetry: A Digital Biblio/Poetry Therapy Workshop of Borrowed Words

Appropoetry is a fusion of appropriation and poetry. It highlights the mindful borrowing of poetic lines for the purpose of free writing, and the respectful act of giving them back.

As a participant, you will be presented with fragments from a poem. The workshop invites you to view these fragments not as parts of an untouchable work of art, but as personal, open and accessible starting points or triggers. These bibliotherapeutic fragments may be followed, altered, or partially erased, depending on your preference. They serve as a framework for associations, allowing you to interpret each word to reflect your unconscious as it unfolds in the moment. The anonymity of the poet enables you to enter without being influenced by the author’s identity or reputation.

At the end of the workshop, after the writing and optional sharing, you will receive the poem, with the cut-out fragments restored to their original context.

Appropoetry expands the possibilities of transforming feelings, thoughts, and memories into original writing, using universal, archetypal metaphors rooted in human experience.

About Eva Selin

Eva Selin is a facilitator, therapist, and former hospital librarian with a unique ability to use poetry as a tool for connection, reflection, and healing.

Her work with bibliotherapy began at Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden, where she initiated Läsklubben, Reading Club for children and young people in isolation. In this emotionally demanding environment, Eva discovered the powerful role that literature can play in creating meaning, presence, and human connection—especially when words are hard to find.

Today, Eva works professionally with biblio/poetry therapy, combining theory with hands-on practice. She offers workshops, supervision, teaching, and consulting, and is also trained as a psychodynamic counsellor, bringing depth, sensitivity, and psychological insight into her work.

In her Biblio/Poetry Therapy workshops, Eva creates a safe and inspiring space where participants explore poetry and writing as a practical and experiential method. Her approach is inclusive and accessible—no prior experience with poetry is needed. Through carefully chosen texts, guided reflection, and creative exercises, participants gain tools for self-awareness, emotional expression, and professional development.