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The idea that reading is therapeutic goes back many centuries. Over the entrance of the library in ancient Thebes was the inscription, "The Healing-Place of the Soul." The notion persists today, as we subscribe to the value of reading to children and the infirm. Many social workers, psychotherapists, and counselors share literature with their clients. The formal use of literature in clinical practice is known as bibliotherapy. Poetic therapy is a form of bibliotherapy in which the counselor uses poetry with their clients.


This site is dedicated to the idea that poems can be comforting, inspiring, or even empowering, and as such they can be therapeutic for readers. Our purpose is to spotlight individual poems that may be therapeutic for readers in certain circumstances. Contributors to the blog are not therapists themselves, but each writer offers a personal, heartfelt appreciation of the potential therapeutic value of a poem.

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"Talking to Grief" by Denise Levertov

Note: This essay was written by Gabriella Ragusa, a student at FranU, in 2024. One might be able to find poetry in the newspaper, in children’s books, or framed in grandma’s house, but one place you might not suspect to find these works is in a doctor or therapist’s office. Poetry does not discriminate; it is not only for authors and writers but can be for anyone wanting to express themselves in various ways. Poetry as therapy is gaining traction not only for at-home personal use but is also now being used as a means of narrative medicine in the clinical setting. Councilors, therapists, psychiatrists, and doctors have implemented the practice of recommending that patients write poetry to help identify and process emotions in hopes of evoking a journey of mental healing. The poem "Talking to Grief" by Denise Levertov was published in Jennifer Healey’s blog titled “Healing Brave,” which can be found at https://healingbrave.com/blogs/all/talking-to-grief-poem . This poem has the...
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Writers' Guidelines

Poems That Heal seeks brief, thoughtful essays examining the therapeutic value of individual poems. If you would like to write for us, please follow these guidelines: Each post should be in the 500-750-word range, approximately. Please focus on a single poem. Identify the poem by title and author. If possible, insert a link to the text of the poem. Take care to properly acknowledge sources of poems and any other materials. The poem should be previously published, and it should not have been written by the author of the post. In our best posts, the writers have a clear grasp of the uses and benefits of poetic therapy. Writers also have a clear grasp of terms such as inspiration and empowerment. It is up to the writer whether or not to discuss their own personal life. Doing so is neither required nor forbidden. In any case, it should be clear what kind of person the poem would be most therapeutic for. Please make an effort to craft a well organized blog post. It does not have t...
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"The Loss of a Heart-Dog" by Colleen Fitzsimmons

Note: This essay was written by Libby Lambert, a student at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, in 2025.           The loss of a pet is staggering and leaves many with an ache in their heart that will last for a lifetime. I lost my childhood dog in 2024, and grief still affects me to this day. One tool that I didn’t anticipate would help with my sorrow was poetry. In fact, poetry is a form of expressive arts therapy which allows writers/readers to explore complex feelings and validate emotional events. Healthcare professionals use this form to understand someone’s struggles and how to properly treat them. "The Loss of a Heart-Dog" by Colleen Fitzsimmons is a beautiful poem depicting pet loss and offers healing to her readers through the idea that our lost pets are always watching over us, that they are no longer in pain, and that we will meet our lost pets once more. The poem can be found here .           An intere...
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