The question was asked in our Reading group “Why do you read?” The answers were diverse:

“For company”; “To escape’; “To learn”; “To hide”. It was a long list! Each answer spawns a host of other questions. Perhaps we should discuss the topic itself one day in lieu of another book! We could fill two hours with no difficulties! Our answers were as diverse as the people in the group, reflecting our personalities and backgrounds. We have an engineer, a former psychologist, a “professional” rambler, a linguist. It’s a rich and enjoyable group joined by a love of reading and a sharing of opinions. There’s a Ph.D. waiting to be written about which book will appeal to whom and why! 

Clare, an ardent feminist, bristles at the slightest hint of sexism whereas Fred is utterly bemused by her, failing to see “what all the fuss is about.” I’m inclined to see things through a psychoanalytic lens, commenting on a character’s unresolved oedipal conflicts where Sue just sees the character as “a manipulative bastard.” Our responses and reactions are shaped by our histories.

This pattern echoes the work of therapy, where my patients’ responses can be tracked and considered. What is it in Clare’s history that leaves her so determined to “out” sexism - or any other form of what she sees as oppression? Similarly, I might wonder with Fred why he can’t see the impact his words have on his women friends. Another piece of work might be to consider why my patient finds Jane Austen’s work charming but is left cold by Tolkien. This is not to suggest that I conduct my therapy sessions as a substitute reading group -tempting though that might be at times! If I had a patient who wanted to spend their 50 minutes discussing books, I would be failing in my work as a therapist if I didn’t ask what it was that they were trying to avoid. And why.

In my list above I gave some possible reasons as to why we read. They could refer as easily to the work of therapy. People come to therapy for a multitude of reasons. To discover new places and new people. Anyone who engages in therapy will soon meet new places and people. Albeit these will be found not in some foreign land but within our own psyche. It only needs some observations from the therapist to discover all manner of terra incognito in ourselves. The explorations of these new lands is a shared work. No therapist leaves their patient alone to explore the inner world. From my own experience of therapy, I discovered a library of “books” that I didn’t know I had. It was a disconcerting experience at times.

There’s much more to say about the connection between reading and psychotherapy. But I’ll leave the last word to T.S.Eliot, who clearly had an understanding of this journey.

“We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.” 

T.S. Eliot Four Quartets

Image Photo by Tamarcus Brown on Unsplash