Poetry and Therapy by Nicholas Mazza

Poetry and Therapy: Interface of the Arts and Psychology by Nicholas Mazza is an academic exploration of the use of poetry in counseling. Presenting the theoretical reasoning behind using poetry in treatment alongside examples of how literature can be used, it is not a book neither written for nor meant to be read by the layman.

In other words, if you are not a professional counselor or therapist you probably won’t find this book particularly inspiring or helpful. There is a small collection of poetry towards the end of the book and some writing prompts as well but these are not likely going to inspire much from the average reader.

Because the book is more theoretical than practical, it really isn’t mean to be read by someone outside the profession. I collected a list of books I would like to read, names a recognize and some new ones as well, and I am not a professional. I just happen to be very interested in this field of healing research. For those who find academic reading uninspiring and tedious, I would recommend either of John Fox’s books: Finding What You Didn’t Lose and/or Poetic Medicine. Both are excellent and far more accessible.

However, Mazza’s book is less about writing one’s own poetry than about how to use already published writings in a counseling practice. Mazza doesn’t limit the literature to only poems; short stories and song lyrics are also used in treatment and how they are used is addressed. I don’t find this the least bit surprising. I am sure that anyone can think of a song with lyrics that stirred something resonant, an emotional echo of what the listener has experienced.

This is what poetry therapy is designed to do—find poems that echo the patient’s emotional experience, add more poems that move beyond that one emotion towards healing, and invite the patient to also put into their own words the experience as part of the healing process.

In the end, this is an excellent resource but not one that I could easily recommended for just anyone.

Here is a website that offers a list of literary resources, including film, for those who are interested in working through their healing:
http://litmed.med.nyu.edu/Online?action=listlittext

Surprisingly, they do not have Wit listed. Maybe someday soon they will add this brilliant drama to their database. In the meantime, I still think this is an excellent resource.