The Bibliotherapists Ep #23: Book witch Caroline Donahue talks tarot and victorian psychos

Welcome to a new episode of The Bibliotherapists.This week we’re in conversation with Caroline Donahue, a writer, coach, and book witch joining us from her home in Berlin.Caroline has spent years helping writers move through fear and into their creative work, and in this conversation she offers something grounding AND magical; a way of thinking about books not just as stories, but as spells cast across time.“Writing a book is like casting a spell for what you want to see in the world.”* Caroline DonahueFor Caroline, Bibliotherapy is the idea that books allow us to connect across time, culture, and experience. That somewhere, someone has felt what we’re feeling, and has found a way to put it into words.And that connection, she suggests, is where the healing begins.From there, the conversation moves into writing. Not as a tortured, solitary act, but as something that can be meaningful, even - dare we say it - joyful!Caroline speaks about the work she does helping writers unlearn the idea that suffering produces better art, and instead learn to trust their instincts and create with a sense of possibility.Fear, of course, is part of the process.Whether that’s a fear of being seen, of not being read, or of being read too much.And in this conversation we explore how when we can name our fears, we can begin to move through them.There is also so much here about reading as a wellbeing practice. The idea of “slow reading” as a way to let a book take up delicious space in your life. The quiet ritual of building a monthly reading stack. The freedom of following instinct rather than obligation. And the deep pleasure of matching the right book to the right moment.“Favourite books are the ones you meet in the exact moment you most needed them.”* Caroline DonahueRunning through this conversation is the idea that books are not passive objects. They are active forces, and that writing a book is a way of sending a message forward, while reading one is a way of receiving it.Pure magic.📖 Caroline’s Reading List(and you can see ALL of our guests book picks so far at our Bookshop.org shop)Written by Caroline Donahue:* The Author’s Journey* Writing Through FearMentioned in conversation:* Inciting Joy by Ross Gay* The Book of Delights by Ross Gay* Possession by A.S. Byatt* Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë* War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy* A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske* Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson* The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim* The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern* The Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard* City of Thieves by David Benioff* Orwell’s Roses by Rebecca Solnit* Books v. Cigarettes by George Orwell* Serious Concerns by Wendy Cope* No Time to Spare by Ursula K. Le GuinCurrently reading:* Essays by Zadie Smith* Real Estate by Deborah Levy* Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito* The Art of Repair by Molly MartinMore from CarolineJoin Caroline’s latest course Your Writing Year Intensive which starts on Monday 6th April 2026🖥️ Caroline Donahue Website📺 Caro Donahue InstagramAbout The BibliotherapistsThe Bibliotherapists is hosted by Tanya Lynch therapeutic journalling coach and founder of Ease Retreats and Toni Jones founder of The Shelf Help Club.Each week, we speak to a writer or creative about:* The books that shaped them* How reading supports their wellbeing* Their writing practice and reading habits* How they use Substack as part of their creative ecosystemWe believe words heal. And we love asking other word nerds questions that get beneath the surface (as well as taking a tour through their book shelves).New episodes recorded live on Substack every week so you can join the conversation as it happens. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebibliotherapists.substack.com