I think it’s high time for me to officially announce that I am now Dr Susan McLaine. I still feel a little shy about it… so if you’d be kind enough, please forgive me for being a bit quiet, but now it’s time to get on and increase the advocacy for bibliotherapy, something I deeply believe in: using the power of literature and the human voice to heal.
After spending over a decade in the research world, I’ve successfully completed my doctoral research ‘Looking beyond traditional bibliotherapy: a new view’. This research study looks beyond the use of self-help books as traditional bibliotherapy in clinical settings to creative bibliotherapy facilitated by non-health practitioners in community-based settings. Such group reading programs, sharing imaginative literature, have become a widely used means of promoting wellbeing in Australia and internationally.
My RMIT Supervisors, including Dr Sue Reynolds, Dr June Allan and Dr Huan Vo-Tran, need special thanks: especially Dr Sue Reynolds. As does State Library Victoria, for supporting my study in the area of bibliotherapy. As well as family and friends for hearing more about bibliotherapy than they ever perhaps wanted to.
If lockdown restrictions allow, look out for me in December, wearing the doctoral graduation gown, PhD robe and bonnet; you may just see me heading down to end-of-year graduation at Marvel Stadium.