Citation

Burns L, Dallos R. J. Fam. Ther. 2008; 30(3): 222-246.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1467-6427.2008.00428.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The importance of literature as a source of inspiration and enrichment for therapy has long been acknowledged, but has not so far been explored in detail via the experience of therapists themselves. This paper presents aspects of a qualitative study exploring therapists' views and practices in relation to their reading of novels, plays and poetry. The participants were senior family therapists actively engaged in clinical, training and supervision contexts. The influences of literary reading were identified in interview transcripts by means of thematic analysis. Effects were noted in participants' accounts of therapeutic practice and of their personal/professional development and a creative relationship was seen to emerge between the ‘language of literature’ and the ‘different worlds’ experienced in literary reading. The relationship between the experiential world of literature and that of therapy is discussed and implications for practice considered.