Bibliotherapy and Videotherapy

In a recent workshop with school counselors at the Wisconsin School Counselor Association Conference in Wisconsin Dells, we shared ideas about how to help gifted students understand themselves, their emotions, and other people’s reactions to them. So often there are many ways to approach guidance and counseling, (and parenting), and one of the ways that can work well with gifted students is to use bibliotherapy and/or videotherapy. Bibliotherapy, as the name suggests, uses books to help students solve problems. Videotherapy, on the other hand, uses films, videos, or plays to achieve the same goals. Students can examine characters in books, respond to situations, consider appropriate/inappropriate emotional responses, bond emotionally with characters, and see problem-solving in action.  

Some benefits of both bibliotherapy and videotherapy include providing information and insight, stimulating discussion, examining values and attitudes, creating an awareness that others share similar problems (“you are not alone…”), and providing realistic solutions to problems.

One book that is extremely helpful for bibliotherapy purposes is Judith Wynn Halsted’s
Some of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers from Preschool to High School
In this book, technically an anthology, Halsted groups books by both topic and age group. Topics include many of the things that gifted kids name as concerns…stress, friendship, perfectionism, feeling alone or different, etc. Halsted gives a brief description of the book and ties it to the theme. This anthology is highly recommended for school counselors, psychologists, and parents/caregivers of gifted children. It will soon become a favorite go-to resource.

Videotherapy is also another tool that can be used to help gifted students examine life through the eyes of others. Over the years, I have kept a list of some films that could be used with gifted students, watched together at home with families, or viewed by adults alone to help understand their child’s giftedness. Though this list is certainly not complete, there are many titles that educators and families have suggested. These are not leveled by age, so it is recommended that adults view the movie first to determine what is appropriate for their intended audience. Here are their suggestions, organized loosely by topic:

Behavioral Problems:
    The Breakfast Club
    Stand and Deliver
    Lean on Me
    The Principal
Disabilities:
    Children of a Lesser God
    The Man Without a Face
    Dance With Me
    Mask
    Bridge to Silence
    Forrest Gump
    Ice Castles
    My Left Foot
    Annie’s Coming Out
    The Elephant Man
African Americans:
    Conrack
    Roots
    Amistad
Social and Emotional Issues:
    Dead Poets’ Society
    Little Man Tate
    The Outsiders
    Parenthood
    Real Genius
    Stand by Me
    This Boy’s Life
    Rookie of the Year
    With Honors
    Star Trek
    With Honors
    Babylon 5
    Voyageur
    Star Wars
    The Night Train to Katmandu
    Good Will Hunting
    Toy Story
Gifted Females:
    Desert Bloom
    Say Anything
    An Angel at My Table
    My Brilliant Career
    Matilda
    The Secret of Roan Inish
    The Night Train to Katmandu
    Contact
    Ever After
    Mulan
Performing Arts:
    Fame
    Madame Sousatzka
Process of Talent Development:
    Searching for Bobby Fischer
    Shine
    Contact
    October Sky

Sometimes when topics are difficult to discuss, the safety of a book or film provides the on-ramp to meaningful discussion. I hope this list provides some inspiration for you and your gifted learners. If you have other suggestions for the video list, please share!

Jackie Drummer, Past President and Board Advisor
WI Association for Talented and Gifted