We are the International Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy and welcome all those who seek to help others express/heal themselves through words. We feel enriched by our connection to different languages, countries, cultures, religions, genders, and colors and are excited to see how these contributions come together to shape an inclusive world! We are glad you found us. Whether it is a general interest or a call to heal with words, we are glad you are here to learn more about our work. It is an exciting time to enter the field of therapeutic language arts!

We help people across the globe harness the power of written and spoken words to transform lives. Ours is a “school without walls,” a community of Certified Mentors who guide trainees through the learning process of becoming credentialed professionals.

Perhaps you are a clinician who wants to hone your skills, loves words and seek a greater purpose through them, or an educator who wants to broaden your interventions, or you are just curious! All are welcome!

The Federation has set the standard for professional practice in biblio/poetry therapy by ensuring that our credentialed professionals adhere to the highest ethical guidelines for service with integrity, and that those who hold the CPT (Certified Poetry Therapist), PTR (Registered Poetry Therapist), or CAPF (Certified Applied Poetry Facilitator) credential understand the history, theory, and research-based practical applications of this powerful tool.

National Association for Poetry Therapy is our sister organization. Their annual conference offers additional rich opportunities to learn how we can utilize the healing power of therapeutic language arts to help those in need in a wide range of educational and therapeutic settings.

We hope you will look at what we have to offer: a robust, evidence-based learning methodology that can be tailored to fit your professional role and goals as well as the population you wish to serve. Feel free to download our IFBPT Guide to Training in Biblio/Poetry Therapy and learn more about the process and how to get started.

We would be happy to chat with you in person, via email at admin@ifbpt.org, or by video or phone.

We look forward to getting to know you and how we can work together!

Warmly,
Nancy Scherlong, LCSW, PTR, CJT, CM and IFBPT President