The Reading Remedy: Local Service Uses Books to Help and Heal

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It’s no secret that humans’ ability to focus on one thing for an extended period of time has decreased significantly since the dawn of the mobile age – distraction comes easily with the constant stream of stimuli to which our brains are exposed. Possibly related to this constant onslaught of media is a decline in reading books, as evidenced in a recent Pew Research Center study that reported that nearly a quarter of American adults hadn’t read a single book in the past year.

At the same time, other recent research suggests that the simple act of reading has numerous health and social benefits, from reducing stress to staving off mental decline and memory loss, to increasing empathy towards others.

What if changing our reading habits could help us in our lives – not only with curbing the side effects of the Digital Age, like overstimulation and difficulty concentrating, but with other aspects of our life as well?

That question is one of the driving forces behind BiblioRemedy, a business venture launched last year by Chevy Chase resident and lifelong reader Alison Kerr Courtney, a former teacher and bookseller. BiblioRemedy encourages clients to not only pick up a book, but to pick up one specifically tailored to help with any personal issues they might going through, be they big or small. BiblioTherapy’s primary service is matching specialized titles to an individual’s particular needs or situation, with additional packages including less formal “book chats” and personal book shopping services.

BiblioRemedy sessions can take place in-person or remotely, either by phone or Skype. Sessions consist of a 45-minute private consultation, which is ultimately used to select the reading material for the client. Prior to the initial meeting, the client completes a brief questionnaire on his or her reading preferences, which is used to lead the opening conversation.

Within 72 hours of the consultation, a complete subscription list of five to seven books is created, tailored specifically to the client and his or her individual needs. Kerr Courtney says that most lists consist of literary fiction titles, although some lists have featured memoirs, mystery/thrillers and even the occasional graphic novel.

She is quick to make the designation that a BiblioRemedy subscription is not intended as an assignment that the client will be graded or tested on; instead it represents a reading list that is meant to be enjoyed and completed at the pace that properly benefits the individual, allowing for personal growth and discovery. As suggested by the business name, the overall aim is to provide personal remedies, and is not a form of nor a substitute for professional therapy.

“I’m not here to analyze anyone or say ‘This is your problem,’” she said. “I’m here to listen and say ‘I think you should read this book, because there’s a similar situation, or this would be fun for you.’ My lists are dependent on who the person is, what they’re going though, and what I think they need.”

While she has dealt with some “heavy issues,” such as depression and grief, other clients come to her just seeking help finding a good book in which to escape. Despite the varying severity of people’s needs, the feedback she has received thus far has left her encouraged about the possibilities of her service.

Though it’s an idea that might feel foreign to many, the original concept of “bibliotherapy” – the art of matching people with books to encourage reading for therapeutic means – can be traced back to the early 1900s. Today, it is used in a diverse range of settings, from treating dementia in the elderly, to promoting literature to prison inmates, to simply inspiring would-be readers who are seeking an entry point into the world of literature. The BiblioRemedy website describes the process of bibliotherapy as a means “to connect people with stories in an effort to enrich their lives.”

Kerr Courtney’s specific demographic has shown some diversity, including teenagers, but the majority of her clients have been women between the ages of 30 and 40. She maintains that the service is open to anyone interested in the healing and calming power of literature, but that she also seeks to challenge her clients if they are up to the task.

“I’ve asked some of my clients during consultations if they are OK with me taking them out of their comfort zone,” she said.

Opening for business just before Thanksgiving in 2015, Kerr Courtney’s startup of BiblioRemedy represents the culmination of a lifelong passion for reading, writing and teaching that she had been fostering since she began shelving books for her school library in the seventh grade.

While pursuing her communication arts degree at Allegheny College, Kerr Courtney worked in the campus bookstore, moving on to become the first employee hired at an upstart indie bookstore and publisher — Wooster Book Company in Ohio. She eventually relocated to France in her early twenties, where she went on to earn her CAPES national certification to teach in secondary schools. Kerr Courtney said her experience living in France helped introduce her to a lot of classic books that she hadn’t read before, as they were the only books available in English.

Finally returning to Lexington after 13 years abroad, Kerr Courtney joined the Morris Book Shop team as a bookseller. Again delighting in the thrill of placing books in customers’ hands and recommending literature they may have missed otherwise, she began to recognize her gift for bibliotherapy as a potential calling, and turned it into a professional enterprise with BiblioRemedy.

While her main dedication is improving her clients’ lives, Kerr Courtney would also like to see her business become a fixture in the Lexington literary community.

“I think a lot of people forget that reading can be very pleasurable,” she said. “It takes you out your life and puts you into someone else’s.”

For more information on BiblioRemedy’s services, visit www.biblioremedy.com. cc

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