The Bibliotherapists (Toni Jones & Tanya Lynch)

A new podcast from Substackers and community builders Tanya Lynch (EASE Retreats) and Toni Jones (The Shelf Help Club) exploring the healing power of words.

This weekly digital retreat features conversations with some of our favourite Substack writers and authors, sharing about the books that have shaped their lives, and also their relationships with themselves.

Book nerds will love the long lists of recommendations - including fiction and non-fiction - as our guests also share what they're reading now, as well as ideas on how to get intentional about reading and writing as a path to health, happiness and personal growth.

In this episode: Host Toni interviews Host Tanya about her journey to bibliotherapy.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

* The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

* Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman by Joan Anderson

* Things I Don't Want to Know by Deborah Levy

* Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout

* A Spare Room by Helen Garner

* Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg

* Atomic Habits by James Clear

* Toast by Nigel Slater

Coming soon: Our A-list line-up for Series 1 includes interviews with: Beth Kempton , Claire Venus (she/her) ✨ , Women Are Mad with Jen&Salima , Anne Boyd , Laura Pashby , Lucy Pearson , Tamu Thomas and Emma Gannon, with one episode landing every Friday morning.

PS you’ll be able to listen to these podcast episodes on all the usual outlets but we’ll only be sharing the video recordings on Substack…

The Bibliotherapists, is a new podcast from Substackers and community builders Tanya Lynch (EASE Retreats) and Toni Jones (The Shelf Help Club) exploring the healing power of words.

You can read all about how our story began in Episode #1 and our first post (in which host Toni interviews host Tanya).

And in this episode we continue the intros, with Tanya interviewing Toni, and we learn all about how and why, aged 40 Toni created the world’s first self-help book club and the pivotal books that have supported her personal and professional growth since.

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode Toni references and recommends 8 books, including:

* The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C S Lewis

* The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield

* The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma

* Money a Love Story by Kate Northrup

* Self-care for Winter by Suzy Reading

* Change Your life in 7 days by Paul McKenna - 

* Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers

* The Kindness Method by Shahroo Izadi

ABOUT THE BIBLIOTHERAPISTS

This podcast is a love letter to reading and writing and storytelling.

This weekly digital retreat features conversations with some of our favourite Substack writers and authors, sharing about the the books that have shaped their lives and their relationships with themselves, the books they wish everyone would read, how they use reading and writing to support their mental health, and the books they are reading right now.

Guests for series 1 include: Beth Kempton, Claire Venus (she/her) ✨, Women Are Mad with Jen&Salima, Anne Boyd, Laura Pashby, Lucy Pearson, Tamu Thomas and Emma Gannon to close Series 1.

We can’t wait for you to listen. Please share with the people you love, let us know what you think, and - of course - what you are reading right now…

Toni (& Tanya)

xx

PS you’ll be able to listen to these podcast episodes on all the usual outlets but we’ll only be sharing the video recordings on Substack…

We're so excited to introduce you to our third podcast episode, and our very first celebrity guest, the wonderful Beth Kempton.

Today’s episode is a joyous and juicy conversation featuring personal stories and odes to poetry, piles of book recommendations and - of course - a lot of Substack love.

Beth has written SIX non-fiction books, including several bestsellers and several focused on her love affair with Japan.

She is also an award-winning entrepreneur and writing mentor who spends her time supporting people to do what they love and make a career out of their creativity, through her writing workshops and programmes as well as her wonderful community on Substack, SoulCircle.

IN THIS EPISODE:

* LOTS of book recommendations, including two that had a profound impact on shaping Beth’s personal and professional life

* The healing power of (any kind of) poetry

* The business of books and writing (and Substack)

* How Beth’s changing relationship with herself has been reflected in her books

* How writing self-help is the best way to understand our Self

* The power of retreats and finding places to be able to tell our stories

* Why journalling is a balm for the soul

* The perfect book-shaped gifts, including a poetry book to support anyone grieving

* How to have a Calm Christmas (https://calmchristmas.substack.com/)

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode Beth references and recommends lots of books, including:

* The Complete Brambly Hedge by Jill Barklem

* Lost Japan by Alex Kerr

* Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts

* You Are Only Just Beginning by Morgan Harper Nicholls

* The Poetry Pharmacy by William Sieghart

* She is Fierce by Ana Sampson

* Chasing Fog by Laura Pashby

* The Poetry of Impermanence, Mindfulness and Joy by John Brehm

* Mountains of the Mind by Robert MacFarlane

* Freedom Seeker by Beth Kempton

* Kokoro by Beth Kempton

* Calm Christmas by Beth Kempton

ABOUT THE BIBLIOTHERAPISTS:

The Bibliotherapists, is a new podcast from Substackers and community builders Tanya Lynch (EASE Retreats) and Toni Jones (The Shelf Help Club) exploring the healing power of words.

It's a love letter to reading and writing and storytelling and this weekly digital retreat features conversations with some of our favourite Substack writers and authors, sharing about the the books that have shaped their lives and their relationships with themselves, the books they wish everyone would read, how they use reading and writing to support their mental health, and the books they are reading right now.

You’ll be able to listen to these podcast episodes on all the usual outlets but we’ll only be sharing the video recordings on Substack

https://shelfhelpclub.substack.com/

tanyalynch.substack.com/

bethkempton.substack.com

It’s time for a new episode of The Bibliotherapists, and today’s conversation is a really rather special one, because it features Claire Venus, a huge inspiration to our hosts Tanya and Toni, and the reason this podcast exists.

It’s also a total celebration of taking the time to get to know ourselves and what makes us happy on the inside, in order to be able to best serve and ultimately create success on the outside.

As you’ll hear in this episode, our guest is a shining (sparkling!) example of a ‘multi-hypen’; someone who has successfully combined her love of many things, including; creativity, writing, mentoring, educating, slow living, learning and all things Substack, to create a job - and a life - that she loves, and that inspires thousands of others to work and live in joyful ways that don’t require selling or burning out.

This episode is a love letter to bibliophiles and creatives alike, celebrating the transformative power of words and stories.

Find out more about Claire and her Substack programmes and membership > HERE.

IN THIS EPISODE:

There is - of course - a lot of Substack chat, but there’s also lots of value for anyone looking to work in a more sustainable and joyous way.

We discussed:

* The importance of finding your own pace; creating, consuming, and living at a sustainable rhythm.

* Substack as a digital sanctuary for thoughtful writing and community building (vs the frenetic pace of traditional social media).

* Claire’s love for books as grounding, sensory experiences—from the smell of secondhand bookstores to the joy of discovering books during travel.

* How books have helped her navigate personal challenges (The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle helping her answer some philosophical questions in her 20s, and Beth Kempton's Kokoro provided comfort during a time of grief).

* The transformative - and hugely challenging - experience of co-authoring, self-publishing and promoting How to Build a World-Class Substack with Russell Nohelty (out next week!).

* Why self-care is a non-negotiable for Claire, how this enhances her creativity and ability to hold space for others.

* Claire’s commitment to personal growth: including her personal goal of writing a book annually for ten years, and how Substack has been a critical platform for her evolution, offering a supportive and inspiring community.

* Navigating Growth and Sustainability: How running a thriving Substack community (with over 12,000 subscribers) has taught Claire to balance growth with sustainability, ensuring she avoids burnout while continuing to deliver value, and love what she does.

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SHOW NOTES:

In this episode Claire references and recommends lots of lovely books, including:

* The Giant on the Skyline by Clover Stroud

* The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

* The Success Myth by Emma Gannon

* Kokoro by Beth Kempton

* TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking by Chris Anderson

* Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

* Matilda by Roald Dahl

* How to Build a World-Class Substack by Claire Venus and Russell Nohelty

-----------

ABOUT THE BIBLIOTHERAPISTS:

The Bibliotherapists, is a new podcast from Substackers and community builders Tanya Lynch (EASE Retreats) and Toni Jones (The Shelf Help Club) exploring the healing power of words.

It's a love letter to reading and writing and storytelling and this weekly digital retreat features conversations with some of our favourite Substack writers and authors, sharing about the the books that have shaped their lives and their relationships with themselves, the books they wish everyone would read, how they use reading and writing to support their mental health, and the books they are reading right now.

You’ll be able to listen to these podcast episodes on all the usual outlets but we’ll only be sharing the video recordings on Substack

https://shelfhelpclub.substack.com/

tanyalynch.substack.com/

It’s time for the fifth episode of our chart-topping new podcast, and we're SO glad we’re sharing this episode ahead of the Christmas holidays, because you’re going to need some serious down time to make any kind of dent in this guest’s EPIC reading list.

Professional reader and writer Lucy Pearson lives and works between Bondi (Australia) and London (UK), curating libraries and book collections for hotels, homes and airbnbs, as well as working as a freelance travel journalist and book blogging at her Substack, The Literary Edit.

Lucy takes reading seriously. So seriously that she has a tattoo dedicated to her favourite author (Hanya Yanagihara), and is regularly up with the Sydney sunrise at 5am to complete her latest reading challenge.

But she also just loves books. And words. In any format.

And as you’ll hear in our interview, she loves to inspire others to read too, having created possibly the world’s most brilliant job in which, as a roving Bibliotherapist, she’s able to combine her love of reading, writing and travel to light up the world’s bookshelves

IN THIS EPISODE (LUCY’S TIPS FOR READING MORE):

* Always give a new book at least one hour at the start.

* Leave your phone in another room and have a notebook handy to scribble down anything you’re desperate to google/share/screenshot etc as you read (you can do that after reading, instead of getting lost in the scroll when you really want to be lost in a book).

* Schedule it in your diary and set aside intentional, undistracted time for reading, treating it as a well-being ritual akin to yoga or journaling.

* Replace the mindset of "I don’t have time" with "It’s not a priority" to remind yourself what truly matters in life.

* Use whatever format works for you. Audible if you’re on the move, Kindle when you’re travelling. "The best way (to read) is what suits you best," she says.

* Join the 5am club!

* Set yourself a reading challenge. Lucy loves a list, crediting the discovery of Rebecca (by Daphne du Maurier) and subsequently the rest of BBC’s Top 100 Books list with changing the trajectory of her life as a hungover and lost double English graduate in her 20s. She’s currently on a mission to complete the New York Times Top 100 Books of the 21st Century before her 40th birthday (February 2026). She says that working to a list like this - and shouting about it - gives her accountability and motivation and also means she reads all kinds of different books she wouldn’t otherwise make the time for.

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode Lucy references and recommends at least 20 different books, including;

* The 5am Club by Robin Sharma

* A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

* A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

* Places I stopped on the Way Home by Meg Fee

* Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

* Sandwich by Catherine Newman

* Under the Influence by Joyce Maynard

* The Shell Seekers by Rosamund Pilcher

We can’t wait for you to listen.

Please share with the people you love, let us know what you think, and - of course - what you are reading right now…

Toni (& Tanya)

xx

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ABOUT THE BIBLIOTHERAPISTS:

The Bibliotherapists, is a new podcast from Substackers and community builders Tanya Lynch (EASE Retreats) and Toni Jones (The Shelf Help Club) exploring the healing power of words.

(You can read all about how our story began in Episode #1 and Episode #2 - in which Tanya and I interview each other).

This podcast is a love letter to reading and writing and storytelling and this weekly digital retreat features conversations with some of our favourite Substack writers and authors, sharing about the the books that have shaped their lives and their relationships with themselves, the books they wish everyone would read, how they use reading and writing to support their mental health, and the books they are reading right now.

We’ve spent the last two months interviewing some incredible writers and creatives, including Beth Kempton, Claire Venus (she/her) ✨, Women Are Mad with Jen&Salima, Anne Boyd, Laura Pashby, Lucy Pearson, Tamu Thomas and Emma Gannon to close Series 1.

Thank you so much for the love so far, please keep listening and liking and sharing where it’s needed…

Our sixth episode of the pod is definitely one for our writers friends out here.

Whether you’re a published author or have just started posting on Substack, today’s guest, the writer, photographer, book seller and fog lover, Laura Pashby has SO MANY gems to inspire and support your writing.

Laura’s new book, Chasing Fog, is out now, and in this conversation she reveals how she manages her time between writing, researching, marketing and selling books, creating a hit Substack AND looking after herself and her family.

Honestly, we know it’s not, but she makes it sound easy.

And we love her tips on her favourite Apps to capture ideas fresh from a wild swim and the power of writer’s hours to stay organised and accountable.

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode Laura references and recommends many different books, including several (heavily underlined) writing guides;

* Handling the Truth: On the Writing of Memoir by Beth Kephart

* Bird by Bird: Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lammott

* The Situation and the Story: The Art of Personal Narrative by Vivian Gornick

* To Show and to Tell: The Craft of Literary Nonfiction (An Essential Guide for Writers) by Philip Lopate

* The Prophet by Khalil Gibran

* Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley

* Wellness by Nathan Hill

* Set Me On Fire: A Poem For Every Feeling by Ella Risbridger

We can’t wait for you to listen.

Please share with the people you love, let us know what you think, and - of course - what you are reading right now…

Toni (& Tanya)

xx

PS: Up next week, audacious woman Anne Boyd….

Our seventh episode of the podcast is actually the first one we recorded. And I (TJ) secretly think that scoring an interview with this guest was my co-host Tanya’s main motivation for embarking on this whole podcast journey.

Listen to the interview and you’ll hear her girlcrushing hard on the author, professor, and Substack’s poster girl for midlife adventures, Anne Boyd.

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode Anne references and recommends lots of books by inspiring female writers, including:

The Outrun by Amy Liptrot

My Favourite Mistake by Marian Keyes

The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron

The Second Sex by Simone De Beauvoir

Expectation Hangover: Free Yourself from Your Past, Change Your Present and Get What You Really Want by Christine Hassler

After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell

Big Magic: How to Live a Creative Life, and Let Go of Your Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

We can’t wait for you to listen.

Please share with the people you love, let us know what you think, and - of course - what you are reading right now…

Toni (& Tanya)

xx

PS: Up next week, toxic productivity expert and author, Tamu Thomas

Tamu Thomas, is a transformational and embodiment coach, workshop facilitator, podcaster and somatic movement practitioner. Tamu helps over-functioning, over-working, high-achieving women to establish boundaries, find their purpose AND make good money.

Toni interviewed Tamu about her first book, Women Who Work Too Much: Break Free from Toxic Productivity and Find Your Joy, in April last year, and we think Tamu’s book - and this conversation - is the perfect antidote for ‘new year new you’ overwhelm.

Tamu’s specialist subject is toxic productivity. She’s also an advocate for eschewing toxic positivity and in this conversation we discuss how to create a brilliant and joyous life without either.

“I want people to know it’s okay to pause, to rest, to live with ease and joy,” says Tamu.

Hell yeah to that as a manifesto for 2025!

IN THIS EPISODE:

* Prioritising joy and ease: Shifting the focus from hustle culture to living well.

* Books as tools for transformation: The significance of specific books in Tamu’s personal and professional growth and self-love.

* The joy of sharing words: And using Substack as a platform to authentically connect with others.

* Making peace with what is: Tamu opens up about the process of accepting - and embodying - her late diagnosis ADHD, and adapting to perimenopausal energy levels.

* Supporting women in midlife: Shifting the narrative around aging and productivity and wellbeing for women.

* Writing as therapy and connection: The process of writing a book as an emotional and self-expressive journey.

* Celebrating our 'flow' years: Emphasising the beauty of midlife as a time of reflection and self-discovery.

* The importance of alignment: Living in alignment with one's true self and values.

* Self-awareness and growth: The transformative power of observing emotions and patterns.

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode Tamu references and recommends so many great books, including several on somatic healing and embodiment:

* Women Who Work Too Much by Tamu Thomas

* Bodyfulness by Christine Cauldwell

* My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem

* The Somatic Psychotherapy Toolbox by Manuela Mischke-Reeds

* The Shadow Effect: Illuminating the Hidden Power of Your True Self by Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson and Debbie Ford

* A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson

* The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor

* The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief by Francis Weller

* The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield

* Life Visioning: A Transformative Process for Activating Your Unique Gifts and Highest Potential by Michael Bernard Beckwith

* Mind Magic: The Neuroscience of Manifestation and How It Changes Everything by James R Doty

* Women Living Deliciously by Florence Given

* Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins

* Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory by Deb Dana

We can’t wait for you to listen.

Please share with the people you love, let us know what you think, and - of course - what you are reading right now.

And follow us on Substack for more author interviews, book recommendations and general word nerdiness:

https://shelfhelpclub.substack.com/

https://tanyalynch.substack.com/

This week’s podcast episode is a brilliant double date, with Tanya and Toni joined by Salima Saxton and Jennifer Cox aka the founders of the feminist mental health platform, Women Are Mad.

Salima and Jen have been best friends since they met at Cambridge University, bonding over both being state school kids who didn’t quite fit. Today, Salima is a relationship dynamics coach and Jen is a Kleinian psychotherapist, and through Women Are Mad (WAM) they are on a mission to make feelings fashionable.

They say: “WAM is on a mission to help women recognise, articulate and communicate the best toolkit they have: their emotions.” (womenaremad.org)

This is a feisty and fabulous conversation featuring two friends with very different book shelves and reading histories, but a mutual love of stories and words as healing tools.

Psychotherapist Jen is also the author of ‘the best self-help book of 2024’ (The Times/The Sunday Times), Women are Angry 👏👏👏 (are we sensing a theme here?!), and it was great to talk bibliotherapy with a real life therapist.

Interestingly, for a bookish podcast, there is quite a lot of chat about not reading, and swapping around our reading habits for other things as our mental and emotional health requires it.

Both women are dealing with pretty raw nervous systems right now, Jen after birthing her book baby, and Salima currently grieving the death of a father with whom she had a sad and complicated relationship.

And the big takeaway from this conversation for us is that life IS complicated.

And sometimes hard. And heartbreaking. But also gorgeous. And hilarious.

And that the right books at the right time can absolutely help with all of it, but that we also need to know how to read ourselves.

IN THIS EPISODE:

* The profound role stories play in healing - how we can learn so much about ourselves AND find comfort in other people’s journeys.

* The connection between words and emotions, and the unfurling of self-discovery through literature.

* The importance of finding humour in the imperfections of family life.

* Why we're angrier than we think and how to let it out (death to the ‘good girl’ archetype!).

* How all genres of books can have healing properties from Jilly Cooper to Margaret Atwood.

* Why we should all stop using the word ‘but’.

* The importance of sitting with feelings and learning to process them, whether through retreats, journaling, or personal reflection.

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode Salima and Jen reference a super eclectix mix of books and writers, from Sigmund Freud to William Shakespeare. Ready your Wish List… !

* A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

* The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

* Happy Go Lucky by David Sedaris

* I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy

* The White Hotel by D M Thomas

* Love Me! by Marianne Power

* Dream Story by Arthur Schnitzler

* Women are Angry by Jennifer Cox

* Anne of Greengables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

* The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

Please share with the people you love, let us know what you think, and - of course - what you are reading right now…

Toni (& Tanya)

💛

PS: Next up - our 10th and final episode of this season featuring best-selling author and Substack queen, Emma Gannon .

shelfhelpclub.substack.com/

tanyalynch.substack.com/

womenaremad.org

Welcome to our 10th and final episode of season one of The Bibliotherapists, a podcast hosted on and celebrating the people of Substack.

And we are closing out in style 🥳🥳🥳 with a conversation with one of the platform’s big success stories and biggest evangelists, Emma Gannon.

Emma, 35, is a bestselling and award-winning author of seven books: including The Multi-Hyphen Method, The Success Myth, and A Year of Nothing.

On Substack she publishes the super successful The Hyphen by Emma Gannon and her new novel, TABLE FOR ONE, will be published this April.

Joining us hot from hosting a creative retreat with our very own Tanya Lynch, in this conversation Emma provides a candid glimpse into the vulnerabilities, challenges and wins of a life as a professional writer.

Her reflections on creativity, storytelling, and the power of books will inspire aspiring writers, Substackers and readers out there.

Emma also shares insights into her creative process, particularly the challenges of her second novel, Table for One, a heartfelt exploration of independence and self-discovery that she’s super proud of, but took her to some dark places in the writing.

IN THIS EPISODE:

* Why Emma loves the fresh page vibe of a new year.

* Navigating the pressures of success, and the internal struggle of fulfilling a two-book deal ("The first book was for me. The second one came with the pressure of owing someone something, which I hated.").

* The power (and complexity) of solitude.

* The power of intergenerational friendship and learning from our elders.

* Books as sanctuary and emotional anchors (and reading to reduce our stress levels).

* How self-help got her through burnout.

* The importance of aunties.

* he story of her new novel, Table for One (Emma describes it as an exploration of intergenerational friendship and the beauty of learning to be solo as a woman).

* Why she’ll never loan you a book.

SHOW NOTES:

In this episode Emma references a brilliant mix of fiction and non, including several books she used to support her recovery from burnout (and several featuring dogs)…

The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan

Pause, Rest, Be: Stillness Practices for Courage in Times of Change by Octavia F. Raheem >

Lost Dog by Kate Spicer

Reasons to be Hopeful by the School of Life

The Art of Rest: How to Find Respite in the Modern Age by Claudia Hammond

Left on Tenth by Delia Ephron

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn

Table for One by Emma Gannon

Please share with the people you love, let us know what you think, and - of course - what you are reading right now…

Toni (& Tanya)

💛

PS We'll be back with a SECOND series of this podcast in summer 2025

shelfhelpclub.substack.com/

tanyalynch.substack.com/