Bibliotherapy in the Bronx is now available!

Join readers across the country in discovering the healing power of story.

'Bibliotherapy in The Bronx' is a groundbreaking exploration of the healing power of literature in the lives of marginalized communities. Drawing from her personal and professional experiences, Emely masterfully intertwines storytelling with therapeutic insights to reveal how reading can be a potent tool for self-healing, emotional transformation, and social change.

Book Cover Design By: Sara Pinsonault

Rich with practical tips,

reflective exercises, and book recommendations, 'Bibliotherapy in The Bronx' is a resource for anyone interested in the power of words to save lives. Whether you're a therapist, librarian, educator, bibliophile, or simply someone seeking deeper understanding and growth, this book offers a compassionate, culturally affirming guide to the healing power of storytelling.

IN THIS TRANSFORMATIVE WORK,

Emely offers readers an intimate glimpse into her journey as a psychotherapist in The Bronx where she has spent over 14 years using books to help clients navigate complex emotions, heal from trauma and find their voices. In a time where the world feels increasingly divided, 'Bibliotherapy in The Bronx' reminds us that the stories we tell- and the stories we read - can unite us in our shared humanity.

A photo of Emely joyfully holding up a copy of 'Bibliotherapy in the Bronx'

Emely Rumble, LCSW

Psychotherapist | Bibliotherapist | Author

Emely Rumble, LCSW, is a distinguished licensed clinical social worker, school social worker, and seasoned biblio/psychotherapist with over 15 years of professional experience. Committed to making mental health services more accessible, Emely specializes in the transformative practice of bibliotherapy.

Emely is the author of Bibliotherapy in the Bronx, her acclaimed debut book exploring the healing power of literature in therapeutic practice and community care. Passionate about advocating for the integration of creative arts in psychotherapy, mental well-being, and self-improvement, she champions the social model of disability and embraces a neurodiversity-affirming therapeutic approach.

Her work has been featured in respected publications such as Parents Magazine, School Library Journal, Essence Magazine, Bustle Wellness, PopSugar, CNN Health, The New York Times, DAZED Magazine, Women's World Magazine, Publisher's Weekly, BronxNet News, Success Magazine, and The Bronx Is Reading.

Beyond traditional therapeutic spaces, Emely shares her expertise through @Literapy_NYC, her dedicated platform on Instagram, TikTok, and Podia, offering educational content on bibliotherapy and mental health.

Emely earned her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College and completed her social work degree at Smith College School for Social Work. She resides in Western Massachusetts with her husband, two children, and her psychiatric service dog, Montana. She embodies a holistic, compassionate, and culturally affirming approach to mental health and healing.

Subscribe at the bottom of this page to stay connected, receive free resources, and hear the latest updates about her work and upcoming projects!

Photo Credit: Shana Sureck Photography

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Want to learn more about our approach to bibliotherapy as a healing modality? Check out our blog and our bibliotherapy book club!

'Readers Who Run with the Wolves' is a FREE book club on the Fable and StoryGraph app with a focus on building community with like-minded readers!

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FREE Downloads

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Bibliotherapy SEL Lesson Plan Rubric for Educators

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Bring the power of literature to life in your classroom with this Social Emotional Learning Lesson Planning Rubric, designed for educators who want to align SEL and bibliotherapy goals with literacy instruction. This easy-to-use tool helps you: 1. Identify clear SEL and bibliotherapy objectives for your lesson 2. Ensure lessons meet clinical, developmental, and culturally relevant learning goals

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FREE BOOK LIST: Books That Changed Our Lives

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My debut book 'Bibliotherapy In The Bronx' is releasing on April 29, 2025! Stay tuned for updates! In collaboration with the LiterapyNYC community, readers responded to the following prompt: Name a book that changed and/or saved your life? Download the FREE book list to access the titles that many readers have praised as bibliotherapy in their own self-healing practice!

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Reflecting on Boundaries: Journal Prompts Inspired by Little Rot by Akwaeke Emezi

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Explore your boundaries and relationships with this easy-to-use PDF of journal prompts inspired by Akwaeke Emezi's novel, Little Rot. These prompts will guide you to reflect on how the "rot" surrounding you —negative influences or toxic relationships—might be holding you back.

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Speaker Media Kit

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Download My Speaker Media Kit: Inspiring Talks, Workshops & a few free events yearly. Interested in bringing me to your conference, school, library, or community space? My Speaker Media Kit includes event topics, past engagements, and booking details. While most events are fee-based, I reserve a few sliding scale and free engagements each year for grassroots organizations and community initiatives.

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What the heck is bibliotherapy?

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What the heck is bibliotherapy? Download this FREE PDF to learn about the official definition of using books to heal and the three domains of using bibliotherapy in healing practice.

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Bibliotherapy in The Bronx Book Club Companion Guide

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Deepen your journey with Bibliotherapy in the Bronx through our free Book Club Companion Guide. Designed for readers, book clubs, and community groups, this guide offers reflective questions, annotation tips, and conversation starters to explore the healing power of story together. Whether you're reading solo or with others, this guide invites you into deeper connection, emotional growth, and shared discovery.

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Bibliotherapy in the Bronx Educator Resource Guide

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Empower your students' emotional growth through story with the Bibliotherapy in the Bronx Educator Resource Guide. Designed for elementary, middle, and high school educators, counselors, and librarians, this guide offers reflection prompts, classroom activities, and annotation tips to nurture resilience, empathy, and emotional literacy through literature. Adaptable for a variety of grade levels and learning needs.

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Bibliotherapy in the Bronx Healer’s Companion Guide

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The Bibliotherapy in the Bronx Healer’s Companion Guide is a free resource for healing practitioners who integrate literature into their work. This guide offers reflection questions, session ideas, expressive writing activities, and bibliotherapy techniques to support emotional healing and meaning-making with clients. This guide invites you to deepen your practice and expand your healing toolkit.

Work with LiterapyNYC

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LiterapyNYC Social Media Kit

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Want to collaborate with LiterapyNYC? Download our social media kit- a comprehensive resource designed for collaborative endeavors. From personalized book recommendations to curated content creation, we're committed to nurturing collaborations that inspire and uplift therapeutic, diverse literature. Reach out today to embark on a collaborative adventure with LiterapyNYC!

Bibliotherapy Courses

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Bibliotherapy 101: An Introduction

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During this recorded Bibliotherapy 101 presentation, you will learn about: The history of bibliotherapy as a modality that uses literature as a tool to promote mental health and overall wellness. The essentials of bibliotherapy in practice in schools, hospitals, and therapy practice overall (both developmental and clinical bibliotherapy). The main goals and qualities of bibliotherapy. References Included.

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Intro to Bibliotherapy: For Librarians

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Designed specifically for library workers, this session explores: - The History of Bibliotherapy & Therapeutic Practices. - The Library Worker's Role: Learn how librarians act as frontline mental health advocates - Protecting Access: Gain insights into how safeguarding diverse stories can promote social justice. The session includes a comprehensive reference list.

Reading Intake

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LiterapyNYC Reading Intake

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By purchasing the LiterapyNYC reading intake, you will have a digital workbook that will guide you through the intake process, questions to ask, and clinical considerations to be mindful of. You will also have immediate access to a recorded mini webinar tutorial that will walk you through each step. Become a more confident bibliotherapist today!

Developmental Bibliotherapy

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A Parent's Guide to Developmental Bibliotherapy

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This ebook draws on 14 years of early childhood experience offering a wealth of insights for parents. You will: 1. Learn how carefully selected books can become the building blocks for a resilient parent-child relationship. 2. Discover innovative ways to leverage the stories within books to teach children valuable life skills. 3. Gain insights into how specific books can support emotional literacy in children.

Book Prescriptions

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Book RX: Fiction for inner child healing

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A PDF download consisting of four reading recommendations for inner child healing from the fiction genre.

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Book RX: Self-Help books for inner child healing

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A PDF download consisting of four reading recommendations for inner child healing from the self-help genre.

  • $29.99

Literary Alchemy: A Year of Healing through Libros y la Curación

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This comprehensive collection features 12 months worth of meticulously curated book prescriptions from my own bibliotherapy practice, offering a diverse range of titles designed to support emotional well-being and personal growth. Additionally, this resource includes a community curated book list with readers at LiterapyNYC, featuring literature that has not only resonated profoundly but has also saved our lives.

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Literary Alchemy: A Year of Healing through Libros y la Curación (2025 Edition)

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This ebook offers 12 months of thoughtfully curated book prescriptions from my bibliotherapy practice, each title chosen to nurture emotional resilience and inspire personal growth. These recommendations are more than books, they’re lifelines, guiding us toward strength & innerstanding. Discover the power of literature to heal, connect, and transform with this essential resource of diverse, therapeutic literature.

Bibliotherapy Journals

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Grief & Loss Process Journal

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This PDF journal features writing prompts, visualization prompts, and coping strategies in order to help the writer process feelings of grief, sadness, and loss.

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Reading Reflection Journal

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This PDF journal is a tool for readers who want to better understand their mood reading preferences as they arise. The journal contains visual and written prompts to help the writer process thoughts and feelings that arise while reading. There are several resources included to help the reader reflectively pause during reading to understand emotions the literature is bringing to the surface.

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Literapy Journal Bundle: Reading Reflection Journal and Grief Journal

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Bundle up on both Literapy reading reflection and grief PDF journals and save! The Reading Reflection Journal is a tool to assist readers to process their emotions while reading a deeply impactful text. The Grief Journal is a tool to help writers process overwhelming sadness and grief. Both journals contain visual and written prompts to facilitate the healing process while journaling.