The first European Bibliotherapy Conference in Budapest (2024) emphasized the significant role of literary studies in the development of bibliotherapy. Bibliotherapy is generally divided into clinical and developmental types; some researchers also advance the concept of literary bibliotherapy, which is based on reading literary fiction with the aim of personal transformation. Reading literary texts fosters both cognitive and affective empathy through the simulation of social situations. This article highlights the complexity of the neurocognitive processes involved in reading and the role of emotions in literary interpretation. Using Cankar’s short story »Mladost« (Youth) as an example, it demonstrates how the analysis of emotional conceptual metaphors makes possible a deeper therapeutic and interpretive understanding of the literary text.
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