What About Bibliotherapy? Great YA Fiction That Tackles Mental Health Issues
While it's not a mainstream method for treating mental health problems, many experts agree that "bibliotherapy," or reading about characters suffering from mental health issues from Anxiety to Shizophrenia, can help teens struggling with these issues to feel less alone, to gain perspective and to learn coping skills. It helps other readers gain insight and empathy.
Erin E. Moulton, savvy librarian and author of Chasing the Milkyway, has compiled an outstanding list of great YA Bibliotherapy Fiction in an article at School Library Journal. These are compelling reads regardless of their theraputic value. Check it out!