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 to get in touch, share any book recommendations or thoughts on bibliotherapy, you can email us at bijal@booktherapy.io

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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Online Bibliotherapy Courses

Personalised Book Prescriptions

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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 to get in touch, share any book recommendations or thoughts on bibliotherapy, you can email us at bijal@booktherapy.io

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

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 to get in touch, share any book recommendations or thoughts on bibliotherapy, you can email us at bijal@booktherapy.io

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