Balancing on the Edge of Existence: Existential Pedagogical Considerations in Bibliotherapy Practice

Abstract

This paper examines the connections between existential pedagogy and bibliotherapy, highlighting the need for a re-humanization of pedagogy where the goal is not solely knowledge transfer but supporting the student as a whole person and their development into a subject. It explores how educators can help students confront existential questions and foster personal growth. It shows that when applied in appropriate doses during bibliotherapy practice, literature's sugar coated pills can reduce the feeling of Heideggerian unhomeliness (Unheimlichkeit) and help students navigate their world. It details how an existential perspective can be integrated into the practice of developmental bibliotherapy, with particular attention to Viktor Frankl's meaning-centered approach. The process of a bibliotherapy session is reviewed along the path from consciousness-raising (borrowed from symbol therapy practices) through personal meaning-making to personal transformation. It emphasizes the importance of reflection through literary works and the search for individual meaning. The role of creative writing in integrating processed personal experiences is also highlighted. The study aims to demonstrate how developing critical thinking and deepened self-awareness can support students in responsibly shaping their own life paths in a complex world that still seems alien to them.