The Healing Power of Reading for Mental Health

The Nystrom & Associates provider who consulted on this blog about reading for mental health is Anna Patricia P. Grgurovic, LPCC (MN), LPC (WI). 

How Reading for Mental Health Encourages Emotional Expression and Healing  

Literature offers a safe space for individuals to process and express complex emotions. By immersing themselves in stories that mirror personal experiences or challenges, readers can find comfort, validation, and language for feelings that may be difficult to express in daily life. This process can be especially therapeutic for those experiencing grief, trauma, or psychological distress, helping them work through emotions and find models for resilience and recovery, according to the American Journal of Health Behavior, Volume 48, Number 2.  

Related: What is Self-Compassion? 

Can You Build Empathy and Social Connection Through Reading for Mental Health 

Reading for mental health is a proven method for reducing stress. Studies show that reading can lower heart rate and relax muscles, with some research indicating it can reduce stress levels by up to 68% (Vallie). This relaxation response can help mental health by providing a healthy escape from daily pressures and creating a sense of calm.  

Additionally, reading can help with feelings of isolation. Anna Patritica P. Grgurovic explains,

Storytelling is known to build connection and facilitate healing by bridging feelings of isolation. The act of reading books is the written form of storytelling. By reading, we are experiencing storytelling at a massive scale, building connections through shared experiences by creating avenues to connect with people who happen to read the same books as we do.

Reading lets you see the world through different characters’ eyes, helping you understand how others feel and think. By understanding other perspectives and experiences, readers become more compassionate and socially aware. This empathy can improve relationships and reduce feelings of isolation, especially when readers identify with characters facing similar struggles. 

Related: Strategies to Manage Anxiety: Therapist-Approved Tips 

Self-Reflection and Personal Insight through Mindful Reading 

Reading for mental health encourages you to think deeply about your own values, beliefs, and actions. When you follow the adventures and challenges faced by different characters, you begin to see parts of yourself in their journeys. Exploring these characters’ experiences and the important themes in the stories helps you understand your own thoughts and feelings better.  

This process of self-reflection allows you to discover what truly matters to you and recognize areas where you might want to improve. Over time, this deeper understanding can lead to meaningful personal growth, helping you set clear goals and make positive changes in your life. By connecting with literature in this way, you develop a stronger sense of who you are and what you want to achieve. 

Related: How Gratitude Improves Anxiety 

Inspiration and Motivation: How Stories Can Spark Positive Change 

Stories about people who face hard times, change, and learn about themselves can inspire you to grow too. When you read about characters who overcome adversity, it can give you hope and show you that you can change and improve your own life. These stories teach important lessons about being strong, brave, and flexible.  

They encourage you to try new ways of thinking and to accept change. Books can also help you want to make good changes in your life, like learning new skills, building healthy habits, or seeing mistakes as chances to get better.  

Characters who show courage and never give up can be great examples for you. By watching how these characters handle problems, you might feel motivated to set your own goals and work hard to become your best self. 

Related: The 3 Easiest Habits You Can Adopt for Your Mental Health 

Boosting Cognitive and Communication Skills with Reading for Mental Health

Reading often helps your brain get stronger in many ways. When you think about the main ideas, symbols, and how characters grow in a story, you practice your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Reading also sparks your creativity by showing you new ideas and different ways to see the world, which can help you imagine and create your own stories or solutions.  

" When I teach parenting skills to those with toddlers and young children, we talk a lot about how dysregulated behaviors can stem from lacking the ability to communicate how they are feeling. We see that a lot with adults too. Reading is known to statistically improve language literacy and fluency. Adults are starting to confuse thoughts and feelings because of a lack of vocabulary to describe their emotions. Reading impacts more than building empathy and resilience through storytelling, but improving literacy also statistically improves communication skills and vocabulary. Just like toddlers who can't communicate their feelings, adults who lack language fluency can also experience higher dysregulation because of being unable to communicate how they are feeling"

Anna Patricia P. Grgurovic

Reading different kinds of books improves your vocabulary and helps you understand what you read better. This also makes it easier to talk and write clearly. These skills are useful not just in school but in everyday life too. Reading for mental health, regularly, helps you focus better and remember information, which is helpful for learning and working. Overall, reading is a great habit that helps you keep learning and prepares you to handle new challenges in life.

Related: Why Mental Health in the Workplace is Important  

Unlocking Self-Discovery through Bibliotherapy 

Are you searching for a deeper connection with the books you read and with yourself? Whether you’re an adolescent just beginning to explore literature or an adult eager to reflect on life’s complexities, Subtext is designed to transform your reading experience into a powerful journey of self-discovery and emotional growth.  

Subtext is written by Nystrom & Associates provider, Anna Patricia P. Grgurovic. Traditional reading can be a passive activity, but Subtext makes it active and introspective. By providing a structured framework for bibliotherapy—the therapeutic use of books and reading—Subtext turns every novel, memoir, or poem into a tool for self-reflection and growth. This approach is supported by a growing body of research highlighting the healing power of reading and bibliotherapy for enhancing mental health and emotional resilience. You can purchase a copy of Subtext here. 

A Word from Nystrom & Associates  

 If you want to improve your interpersonal skills, build stronger relationships, or simply feel more confident in how you communicate with others, therapy can be a great place to start, please call us at 1-844-NYSTROM or request an appointment online. We're here to help! We'll find a therapist that best fits your needs.