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“I Lost My Reading Groove – Bibliotherapy Helped Me Get It Back”

“I Lost My Reading Groove – Bibliotherapy Helped Me Get It Back”
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As an English Literature graduate, I’ve always prided myself on being well-read. For years, it was a key part of my identity. I competitively kept a tally of how many books I read every year and compared them with friends on Goodreads, was always on top of the Booker Prize list, and never left home without a book. I read on my commute, before I fell asleep, and every Sunday afternoon.

Then, about two years ago, something changed. I became a mother. In the early days postpartum, I was barely coherent enough to shower, let alone read a book. In 2023, I could count the number of books I read on one finger. Not much changed in 2024, despite my daughter starting at nursery. And it’s not for lack of enthusiasm: I’ve excitedly ordered countless titles, only to find them left by the wayside within days.

I’m not alone. According to a study conducted by the Reading Agency in July 2024, more than a third of UK adults have given up reading for pleasure. Respondents cited a lack of time as one of the top reasons (tick), but another reason that came higher on the list was the distraction of social media. And I can relate. Whenever I’ve set aside time to read, within minutes I’ve found myself picking up my phone – to check a notification or look something up – then suddenly half an hour has gone by, while the books sits there, ignored.

Desperate to break the habit in 2025, I consulted Sydney-based bibliotherapist Lucy Pearson. Bibliotherapy is a growing field consisting of librarians, psychologists and therapists. It doesn’t have a certified board and there’s no set qualification you need, but what its practitioners have in common is that they are offering advice on what to read – sometimes in response to a problem in someone’s life, or other times to encourage reading itself. Pearson’s 40-minute Zoom sessions involve asking a series of questions about your reading habits, preferences and struggles, plus how you want a book to make you feel.  

“I launched the sessions during lockdown,” she says. “More and more people were coming to me for recommendations because they either had more time on their hands or were more stressed or anxious,” she shares. “Some people do it from a therapeutic angle, for grief, or stress, but I also do it to help people with pain points in their reading, such as diversifying their bookshelf, or tackling the classics.”

Pearson and I discuss some of the common problems new mums face with reading, including the dreaded scrolling addiction. “The average person spends a third of their waking hours on their phone and for many, it’s even higher,” Pearson shares. “Six hours a day on your phone adds up to nearly two full days a week. Compare that to the 10-12 hours it takes to read a 300-page book, and you don’t need to be a math genius to work out that swapping doomscrolling for a good book could help you up your reading game.”

Pearson’s digital ‘prescription’ includes practical tips to get me reading again (including carving out time in the mornings post-nursery drop-off, and hiding my phone) as well as a reading list. She also recommends carrying a book with you wherever you go and keeping a notepad to hand, so that if you do get distracted by your thoughts, you can jot them down rather than reaching for your phone.

Then she sends three books to get me started (I’m happy to report I’d finished all three before this article was filed).

“There’s no need to be overly pious about what you read; the goal is to read more, more often, and more widely,” she says. “If you’re unsure what to read, seek recommendations from friends, librarians, booksellers or favourite Bookstagrammers. Finally, if you’re not into a book after 50 pages or so, give it up. Life is way too short for bad books.”

5 Books To Get You Out Of A Reading Slump, By Bibliotherapist Lucy Pearson

1. What To Read When You’re... Heartbroken – “The Unexpected Joy Of Being Single by Catherine Gray is a moving meditation on singlehood. It offers a fresh perspective on finding happiness within yourself and reframes singlehood as an equally wonderful and viable option to being coupled.”

2. What To Read When You’re... Lonely – “Alonement by Francesca Specter is part memoir, part manifesto that redefines loneliness, teaching readers how to embrace and enjoy their own company while cultivating self-connection and personal growth.”

3. What To Read When You’re... Grieving – “In Search Of Silence by Poorna Bell is a poignant exploration of grief, healing, and self-discovery that will offer solace to anyone navigating their own loss, showing how to find strength and meaning in solitude.”

4. What To Read When You’re... Seeking Career Inspiration – “Shoe Dog by Phil Knight is a galvanising insight into the grit, creativity and resilience behind building Nike, offering a serious dose of inspiration for anyone wanting to uplevel their career ambitions or entrepreneurial dreams.”

5. What To Read When You... Become A New Mum – “The Hungover Games by Sophie Heawood is a hilarious and heartfelt memoir that perfectly captures the chaos, joy and unexpected revelations of early motherhood, offering comfort and camaraderie to new mums navigating their own messy, untrodden paths.”

Rebecca is a lifestyle, culture and fashion journalist who cut her teeth working on the digital desks at Harper’s Bazaar, Grazia and Tatler. After a decade in the big smoke she now lives in her hometown of Birmingham with her daughter Luna

Self Service,  Culture,  Books 

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