Pages & Play: The Power of Bibliotherapy and Play Therapy on Young Minds Fri, 17 Apr 2026 06:30:41 -0400 https://pagesandplaypodcast.buzzsprout.com en-gb © 2026 Pages & Play: The Power of Bibliotherapy and Play Therapy on Young Minds yes Support this Podcast 75a7e375-82da-5c82-aa65-0b13c7ee5a37 Bijal Shah & Freya Howard episodic false Hi! It's Bijal from Book Therapy and Freya from Play Refuge, and we are SO excited to introduce our new six-part podcast series, Pages and Play: The Power of Bibliotherapy and Play Therapy on Nurturing Young Minds which brings together bibliotherapy and play therapy to explore how books and play can shape young minds.


Each episode blends science, stories, book recommendations, and practical play tips to support adults and children. The series tackles key topics including building emotional literacy, embracing diversity, reducing anxiety, navigating grief, and raising teens, offering real-world strategies for parents, educators, and anyone curious.


Please do subscribe to it wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode!


Look forward to having you on board :)


Freya and Bijal x



#bibliotherapy #playtherapy #podcast #parentingpodcast

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Bijal Shah & Freya Howard https://storage.buzzsprout.com/65hzu4ynqpsvyzkrdkkzg0mvvu00?.jpg Pages & Play: The Power of Bibliotherapy and Play Therapy on Young Minds Episode 4: Supporting Anxious Children Through Play and Books Episode 4: Supporting Anxious Children Through Play and Books Hi everyone, we are half way through the series already! I hope you have enjoyed the first three episodes to date, and we are delighted to bring this fourth episode of “Pages and Play” where Freya and I explore how bibliotherapy and play therapy can support a child by enabling them to externalize their fears through story and symbolic play, and support their nervous-system regulation and emotional literacy. 

We discuss research from Jonathan Haidt on the decline of play-based childhood and the rise of phone-based childhood, urging adults to be curious about children’s online lives. 

We also share practical guidance including validating feelings, being transparent about what to expect, and building adult and child emotional regulation tools, including sensory strategies and narrative reflection prompts. 

Our bibliotherapy client story illustrates the use of the picture book “Wemberly Worried” by Kevin Henkes to help a child label worry as a transitory visitor and practice reflective questions to navigate this worry/anxiety. 

We end this episode, like all the others, with book recommendations for children, teens, and adults on anxiety, emotional literacy, and regulation.

We hope you enjoy this episode and Pages and Play Series! And as always we’d love to hear your reflections and thoughts. 

Chapters:

00:00 Anxiety Hidden Signs

00:47 Anxious Feelings Explained

03:18 Books And Play Heal

05:21 Play Therapy Benefits

07:17 Why Anxiety Rising

11:04 Support At Home

14:39 Wemberly Worried Story

20:48 Transparency Builds Safety

24:09 Adult Nervous System Check

28:25 Rewrite Your Inner Story

33:32 Book Picks For Anxiety

41:54 Closing Thoughts


Book Recommendations:

  • The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson
  • Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman
  • Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents by Reid Wilson & Lynn Lyons
  • Nurturing Natures by Graham Music
  • Ruby’s Worries by Tom Percival
  • The Huge Bag of Worries by Virginia Ironside
  • The Invisible String by Patrica Karst
  • The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh by Helen Rutter
  • The Worry (Less) Book: Feel Strong, Find Calm, and Tame Your Anxiety! By Rachel Brian 
  • The Final Year and The First Year by Matt Goodfellow
  • First, We Make the Beast Beautiful by Sarah Wilson
  • The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
  • Wemberley Worried by Kevin Henkes
  • The Girl Who Thought in Pictures (Young Aspiring) By Julia Finley Mosca
  • The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright and Jim Field
  • The Art Cure by Daisy Fancourt
  • What to do when you worry too much by Dawn Huebner
  • The Anxiety Workbook for Kids by Robin Alter & Crystal Clarke
  • Breathe like a Bear by Kira Willey
  • Feelings by Aliki


Support the show

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Find out more at Book Therapy or Play Refuge

Or email us at bijal@booktherapy.io or freya@playrefuge.co.uk

]]> Hi everyone, we are half way through the series already! I hope you have enjoyed the first three episodes to date, and we are delighted to bring this fourth episode of “Pages and Play” where Freya and I explore how bibliotherapy and play therapy can support a child by enabling them to externalize their fears through story and symbolic play, and support their nervous-system regulation and emotional literacy. 

We discuss research from Jonathan Haidt on the decline of play-based childhood and the rise of phone-based childhood, urging adults to be curious about children’s online lives. 

We also share practical guidance including validating feelings, being transparent about what to expect, and building adult and child emotional regulation tools, including sensory strategies and narrative reflection prompts. 

Our bibliotherapy client story illustrates the use of the picture book “Wemberly Worried” by Kevin Henkes to help a child label worry as a transitory visitor and practice reflective questions to navigate this worry/anxiety. 

We end this episode, like all the others, with book recommendations for children, teens, and adults on anxiety, emotional literacy, and regulation.

We hope you enjoy this episode and Pages and Play Series! And as always we’d love to hear your reflections and thoughts. 

Chapters:

00:00 Anxiety Hidden Signs

00:47 Anxious Feelings Explained

03:18 Books And Play Heal

05:21 Play Therapy Benefits

07:17 Why Anxiety Rising

11:04 Support At Home

14:39 Wemberly Worried Story

20:48 Transparency Builds Safety

24:09 Adult Nervous System Check

28:25 Rewrite Your Inner Story

33:32 Book Picks For Anxiety

41:54 Closing Thoughts


Book Recommendations:

  • The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson
  • Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman
  • Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents by Reid Wilson & Lynn Lyons
  • Nurturing Natures by Graham Music
  • Ruby’s Worries by Tom Percival
  • The Huge Bag of Worries by Virginia Ironside
  • The Invisible String by Patrica Karst
  • The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh by Helen Rutter
  • The Worry (Less) Book: Feel Strong, Find Calm, and Tame Your Anxiety! By Rachel Brian 
  • The Final Year and The First Year by Matt Goodfellow
  • First, We Make the Beast Beautiful by Sarah Wilson
  • The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
  • Wemberley Worried by Kevin Henkes
  • The Girl Who Thought in Pictures (Young Aspiring) By Julia Finley Mosca
  • The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright and Jim Field
  • The Art Cure by Daisy Fancourt
  • What to do when you worry too much by Dawn Huebner
  • The Anxiety Workbook for Kids by Robin Alter & Crystal Clarke
  • Breathe like a Bear by Kira Willey
  • Feelings by Aliki


Support the show

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Find out more at Book Therapy or Play Refuge

Or email us at bijal@booktherapy.io or freya@playrefuge.co.uk

]]> Bijal Shah & Freya Howard Buzzsprout-19019246 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0100 2604 1 4 full false Episode 3: Building Belonging Through Identification, Representation, Diversity, and Inclusion in Books and Play Episode 3: Building Belonging Through Identification, Representation, Diversity, and Inclusion in Books and Play Hi everyone!

It's Friday again and we are excited to publish the third episode of “Pages and Play”. This episode  explores how bibliotherapy and play therapy support young minds through identification, representation, diversity, and inclusion.

The discussion outlines bibliotherapy stages: identification (“shock of recognition”), representation across identities, diversity of perspectives, and inclusion as true belonging, with research noting fiction builds empathy, reduces prejudice, and strengthens theory of mind. Practical techniques include letter-writing to protagonists and narrative therapy (externalising problems, deconstructing dominant narratives, re-authoring hopeful stories). 

A fictionalised case of Kya Clark from "Where the Crawdads Sing" in play therapy illustrates the process of navigating feelings of abandonment, conditional love beliefs, and finding belonging through nature narratives. We recommend a variety of book and resources including “My Grandmother’s Hands,” Robbie Harris’s “Let’s Talk About…” series, Elliot Page’s “Pageboy,” as well as reading lists on booktherapy.io and other diversity-focused sites.

You can listen here:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2598949/episodes/18909353 Or wherever you listen to podcasts. Simply search for "Pages and Play" and subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

I hope you enjoy this episode and Pages and Play Series! And as always we’d love to hear your reflections and thoughts. 

x

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Pages and Play

03:26 Identification and the Shock of Recognition

05:41 Representation, Diversity and Inclusion

08:27 Inclusive Language in Play

10:30 How Fiction Builds Empathy Skills

16:28 Representation and Role Models

19:17 Letter Writing in Bibliotherapy

21:40 Narrative Therapy 

25:12 Libraries for Reading Diversity

27:13 Case Study - Kaya in Play Therapy

37:17 Play Prompt 

38:14 Book Recommendations and Resources

41:38 Closing Thoughts 



Support the show

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Find out more at Book Therapy or Play Refuge

Or email us at bijal@booktherapy.io or freya@playrefuge.co.uk

]]> Hi everyone!

It's Friday again and we are excited to publish the third episode of “Pages and Play”. This episode  explores how bibliotherapy and play therapy support young minds through identification, representation, diversity, and inclusion.

The discussion outlines bibliotherapy stages: identification (“shock of recognition”), representation across identities, diversity of perspectives, and inclusion as true belonging, with research noting fiction builds empathy, reduces prejudice, and strengthens theory of mind. Practical techniques include letter-writing to protagonists and narrative therapy (externalising problems, deconstructing dominant narratives, re-authoring hopeful stories). 

A fictionalised case of Kya Clark from "Where the Crawdads Sing" in play therapy illustrates the process of navigating feelings of abandonment, conditional love beliefs, and finding belonging through nature narratives. We recommend a variety of book and resources including “My Grandmother’s Hands,” Robbie Harris’s “Let’s Talk About…” series, Elliot Page’s “Pageboy,” as well as reading lists on booktherapy.io and other diversity-focused sites.

You can listen here:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2598949/episodes/18909353 Or wherever you listen to podcasts. Simply search for "Pages and Play" and subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

I hope you enjoy this episode and Pages and Play Series! And as always we’d love to hear your reflections and thoughts. 

x

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Pages and Play

03:26 Identification and the Shock of Recognition

05:41 Representation, Diversity and Inclusion

08:27 Inclusive Language in Play

10:30 How Fiction Builds Empathy Skills

16:28 Representation and Role Models

19:17 Letter Writing in Bibliotherapy

21:40 Narrative Therapy 

25:12 Libraries for Reading Diversity

27:13 Case Study - Kaya in Play Therapy

37:17 Play Prompt 

38:14 Book Recommendations and Resources

41:38 Closing Thoughts 



Support the show

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Find out more at Book Therapy or Play Refuge

Or email us at bijal@booktherapy.io or freya@playrefuge.co.uk

]]> Buzzsprout-18936925 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0100 2635 1 3 full false Episode 2: Developing Emotional Literacy in Children Through Books and Play Episode 2: Developing Emotional Literacy in Children Through Books and Play The episode of “Pages and Play” focuses on emotional literacy as central to bibliotherapy and play therapy, emphasising that children need language and safety to understand and express feelings, and that adults’ own emotional awareness is vital. We discuss how books and play provide safe ways to explore big emotions (anger, grief, anxiety, jealousy) and reduce shame, supporting co-regulation and later self-regulation. 

We reference theories and research from Claude Steiner, Daniel Goleman, and Mia Kellmer Pringle on emotional security and learning. We discuss how hide-and-seek and the Hansel and Gretel fairytale illustrate how a child can process separation anxiety, attachment needs, and autonomy, alongside the importance of validating feelings. Practical prompts include body-based questions and open-ended reading discussions, plus book recommendations for children, teens, parents and caregivers.

Learn how books from renowned authors like Brené Brown, Tom Percival, and Mark Wolynn can guide both adults and children through the complex landscape of emotional development. Whether you’re seeking guidance for yourself or your child, you’ll find resources to nurture self-awareness, compassion, and connection within your family.


00:00 Emotional Literacy Basics

01:21 Why Words Matter

02:28 Emotional Literacy Research and Foundations

04:01 Play Therapy Goals

04:50 Lessons from Hide and Seek

06:57 The Use of Fairytales in Bibliotherapy and Play Therapy

07:58 Hansel and Gretel Case Study

10:08 Characters as Containers

13:58 Multiplicity of Feelings

19:38 Body Signals and Questions

22:15 Building Secure Attachment through Hide and Seek

27:06 Back to the Hansel and Gretel Case Story

35:21 Imagination & Executive Skills

37:51 Bibliotherapy Reading Tools

42:47 Book Recommendations

51:59 Closing Takeaways


Support the show

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Find out more at Book Therapy or Play Refuge

Or email us at bijal@booktherapy.io or freya@playrefuge.co.uk

]]> The episode of “Pages and Play” focuses on emotional literacy as central to bibliotherapy and play therapy, emphasising that children need language and safety to understand and express feelings, and that adults’ own emotional awareness is vital. We discuss how books and play provide safe ways to explore big emotions (anger, grief, anxiety, jealousy) and reduce shame, supporting co-regulation and later self-regulation. 

We reference theories and research from Claude Steiner, Daniel Goleman, and Mia Kellmer Pringle on emotional security and learning. We discuss how hide-and-seek and the Hansel and Gretel fairytale illustrate how a child can process separation anxiety, attachment needs, and autonomy, alongside the importance of validating feelings. Practical prompts include body-based questions and open-ended reading discussions, plus book recommendations for children, teens, parents and caregivers.

Learn how books from renowned authors like Brené Brown, Tom Percival, and Mark Wolynn can guide both adults and children through the complex landscape of emotional development. Whether you’re seeking guidance for yourself or your child, you’ll find resources to nurture self-awareness, compassion, and connection within your family.


00:00 Emotional Literacy Basics

01:21 Why Words Matter

02:28 Emotional Literacy Research and Foundations

04:01 Play Therapy Goals

04:50 Lessons from Hide and Seek

06:57 The Use of Fairytales in Bibliotherapy and Play Therapy

07:58 Hansel and Gretel Case Study

10:08 Characters as Containers

13:58 Multiplicity of Feelings

19:38 Body Signals and Questions

22:15 Building Secure Attachment through Hide and Seek

27:06 Back to the Hansel and Gretel Case Story

35:21 Imagination & Executive Skills

37:51 Bibliotherapy Reading Tools

42:47 Book Recommendations

51:59 Closing Takeaways


Support the show

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Find out more at Book Therapy or Play Refuge

Or email us at bijal@booktherapy.io or freya@playrefuge.co.uk

]]> Bijal Shah & Freya Howard Buzzsprout-18916587 Fri, 03 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0100 3280 1 2 full false Episode 1: The Transformative Power of Story and Play on Childhood Development Episode 1: The Transformative Power of Story and Play on Childhood Development In this first podcast episode, we introduce bibliotherapy and child-centred play therapy, explaining how stories and play support children’s emotional, psychological, and social development. 

We discuss the neuroscience and research behind how play and storytelling build neural pathways, executive function, language, emotional literacy, and agency. We also share our personal career journeys into the fields, suggest relevant book recommendations, and preview our next episode on emotional literacy.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and Overview

00:51 What Is Bibliotherapy

01:26 4 Bibliotherapy Pillars

02:39 Developmental vs Clinical Use

03:44 How Stories Help Children

05:05 Play Therapy Basics

06:18 Child-Centred Approach

08:58 Play Therapy Benefits

10:59 Trauma and Neurodiversity

11:36 Combining Story and Play Therapy

14:46 Why It Matters Today

15:27 The Science of Play and Story on Childhood Development

19:17 The Importance of Language 

23:08 Safety and Environment

23:42 Making Time to Play

25:17 Our Personal Journeys

25:44 Freya's Path to Play Therapy

30:27 Bijal's Path to Bibliotherapy

35:15 At Home Play Prompts

38:45 At Home Reading Prompts

39:47 Relevant Book Recommendations

44:55 Closing Remarks and Next Episode Preview



Support the show

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Find out more at Book Therapy or Play Refuge

Or email us at bijal@booktherapy.io or freya@playrefuge.co.uk

]]> In this first podcast episode, we introduce bibliotherapy and child-centred play therapy, explaining how stories and play support children’s emotional, psychological, and social development. 

We discuss the neuroscience and research behind how play and storytelling build neural pathways, executive function, language, emotional literacy, and agency. We also share our personal career journeys into the fields, suggest relevant book recommendations, and preview our next episode on emotional literacy.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and Overview

00:51 What Is Bibliotherapy

01:26 4 Bibliotherapy Pillars

02:39 Developmental vs Clinical Use

03:44 How Stories Help Children

05:05 Play Therapy Basics

06:18 Child-Centred Approach

08:58 Play Therapy Benefits

10:59 Trauma and Neurodiversity

11:36 Combining Story and Play Therapy

14:46 Why It Matters Today

15:27 The Science of Play and Story on Childhood Development

19:17 The Importance of Language 

23:08 Safety and Environment

23:42 Making Time to Play

25:17 Our Personal Journeys

25:44 Freya's Path to Play Therapy

30:27 Bijal's Path to Bibliotherapy

35:15 At Home Play Prompts

38:45 At Home Reading Prompts

39:47 Relevant Book Recommendations

44:55 Closing Remarks and Next Episode Preview



Support the show

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Find out more at Book Therapy or Play Refuge

Or email us at bijal@booktherapy.io or freya@playrefuge.co.uk

]]> Bijal Shah & Freya Howard Buzzsprout-18909353 Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000 2847 1 1 full false Coming Soon! A Six-Part Series on Bibliotherapy and Play Therapy Coming Soon! A Six-Part Series on Bibliotherapy and Play Therapy Hi! It's Bijal from Book Therapy and Freya from Play Refuge, and we are SO excited to introduce our new six-part podcast series, Pages and Play: The Power of Bibliotherapy and Play Therapy on Nurturing Young Minds which brings together bibliotherapy and play therapy to explore how books and play can shape young minds.

Each episode blends science, stories, book recommendations, and practical play tips to support adults and children. The series tackles key topics including building emotional literacy, embracing diversity, reducing anxiety, navigating grief, and raising teens, offering real-world strategies for parents, educators, and anyone curious.

The series launches on Friday 27th March and we will be publishing an episode every Friday over the course of six weeks. So please do subscribe to it wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode!

Look forward to having you on board :)

Freya and Bijal x

Support the show

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Find out more at Book Therapy or Play Refuge

Or email us at bijal@booktherapy.io or freya@playrefuge.co.uk

]]> Hi! It's Bijal from Book Therapy and Freya from Play Refuge, and we are SO excited to introduce our new six-part podcast series, Pages and Play: The Power of Bibliotherapy and Play Therapy on Nurturing Young Minds which brings together bibliotherapy and play therapy to explore how books and play can shape young minds.

Each episode blends science, stories, book recommendations, and practical play tips to support adults and children. The series tackles key topics including building emotional literacy, embracing diversity, reducing anxiety, navigating grief, and raising teens, offering real-world strategies for parents, educators, and anyone curious.

The series launches on Friday 27th March and we will be publishing an episode every Friday over the course of six weeks. So please do subscribe to it wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode!

Look forward to having you on board :)

Freya and Bijal x

Support the show

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Find out more at Book Therapy or Play Refuge

Or email us at bijal@booktherapy.io or freya@playrefuge.co.uk

]]> Bijal Shah & Freya Howard Buzzsprout-18877131 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 23:00:00 +0000 79 1 trailer false