图书医疗法（Bibliotherapy）一词源自希腊语Biblion（即图书）与Oepatteid（即治疗、复原）之组合。系指使用图书及相关数据于病患之治疗。它是一种选择性活动。在专业人员的指导下，采用计划、指导、控制的阅读方式，借由读者与文献的交互，以减轻其心理或其他方面的问题。

最早使用书籍作为医疗辅助的纪录出现于13世纪，当时已有医院聘请回教神职人员为病人诵读古兰经。早期宗教的力量是图书医疗法的主流，而圣经亦被证实是最具效力者之一。至19世纪图书医疗法被广泛地实施，使用的书籍不再局限于宗教类，且有医师以开列书单的方式，为精神失常者治病。

Bibliotherapy is an expressive therapy that involves the reading of specific texts with the purpose of healing. It uses an individual's relationship to the content of books and poetry and other written words as therapy. Bibliotherapy is often combined with writing therapy. It has been shown to be effective in the treatment of depression. These results have been shown to be long-lasting.