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Reading for health, well-being and resilience.

Presented by Dr. Natalia Tukhareli

Join us for this program on Bibliotherapy and how literature can help guide us through life challenges and hardships.

The increase in mental health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the search for effective ways to address mental health and well-being of individuals coping with stress, anxiety, grief, fatigue and other psychological and emotional issues triggered by the pandemic. 

Thankfully, we have access to the wealth of the world literature to draw upon its power to console, heal and guide through life challenges and hardships. The idea of applying literature into everyday life constitutes the theoretical basis of Bibliotherapy, a widely recognized evidence-based practice of using books and reading to promote health, well-being, and resilience to people of all ages. Join us for this interactive session to learn about various ways of using books and reading to activate or develop inner resources that may help you cope with today’s reality. 

Dr. Natalia Tukhareli holds the position of the Director of Library & Information Services at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC). Her professional experience includes service in libraries and non-profit organizations, teaching in post-secondary institutions, and scholarly research in various fields of the Humanities and Social Sciences, including Bibliotherapy. Since 2010, Dr. Tukhareli has developed and implemented a number of bibliotherapy-based reading programs to promote well-being and resilience to diverse groups of people, including African children and women living with HIV/AIDS, marginalized populations in Toronto, the staff of a community hospital, and college students and employees.  Natalia is a frequent conference speaker and a published author. Her scholarly manuscript on bibliotherapy “Healing through Books: The evolution and diversification of bibliotherapy” was published in 2014. An active member of library associations consortia in Canada and the US, she received the Ontario Health Library and Information Association (OHLIA) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.

This program is a part of OPL’s Community Conversations Series – OPL’s commitment to creating a community that celebrates diversity, belonging, addressing difficult conversations, and helping build connections.

Skills Learned: Critical thinking, Communication, Information Literacy

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