Books after book-in: The roles of shame, guilt, and empathy in bibliotherapy

There are few, if any experiences that are strictly, and truly unique to us. Through telling our stories to others, we can see we are not alone in this world, for our experiences are shared. Storytelling has existed for thousands of years, and it seems in today’s day and age, the tales will be able to spread quicker than ever before. Through written works, voice recordings, videos, and more, we can share our experiences with others. What is so special about telling these stories and is there anything we can gain or learn as the audience? This study examines how persons imprisoned show empathy to written personal narratives while experiencing guilt and shame.