interview: Emely Rumble, LCSW

I am so pleased to feature Emely Rumble, LCSW on the blog today. Emely is a distinguished licensed clinical social worker, school social worker, and seasoned biblio/psychotherapist with over 15 years of professional experience. She is committed to making mental health services more accessible. Emile specializes in the transformative practice of bibliotherapy.

Passionate about advocating for the integration of creative arts in psychotherapy, mental well-being, and self-improvement, Emely champions the social model of disability and embraces a neurodiversity-affirming therapeutic approach. Emely’s work has been featured in Parents Magazine, School Library Journal, CNN Health, The New York Times, DAZED Magazine, Women’s World Magazine, Publisher’s Weekly, BronxNet News, Success Magazine, and The Bronx Is Reading.

Emily’s most recent work, Bibliotherapy in the Bronx, offers readers an intimate glimpse into her journey as a psychotherapist in The Bronx where she has spent over 14 years using books to help clients navigate complex emotions, heal from trauma and find their voices.

With an undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College and social work degree from Smith College School for Social Work, Emely resides in Western MA with her husband, two children, and her psychiatric service dog,

Knowing how relevant bibliotherapy is, or can be, to many librarians, I reached out to Emily for the following interview. You’ll find more about the book as well as a links to connect with more of her work, and to pre-order the book there, too.

EC:  What does bibliotherapy mean to you?

ER: To me, bibliotherapy is a form of liberation. It’s a deeply relational, sacred practice that uses literature to support healing, support the development of self-understanding, and affirm one’s lived experience. It’s not just about assigning books to match symptoms. It’s about inviting people into stories that help them feel seen, soothed, challenged, and connected. Whether it’s through a novel, a poem, or journaling their own narratives, bibliotherapy holds space for emotional growth, resilience-building, and creative self-expression. For many of my clients — especially Black, Brown, and neurodivergent  — it’s also a radical act of reclamation.

EC: Our work definitely stands on the shoulders of our ancestors. Can you talk about some of the Black women who have informed/are informing your work?

ER: Absolutely. My work is profoundly shaped by the legacy of Black women writers, thinkers, and healers. Audre Lorde taught me that words can be both action and survival. bell hooks reminded me that love is a political force, and that healing cannot happen without care. Toni Morrison’s novels were the first places I saw the inner lives of Black women and girls treated with reverence and complexity. Lately, I’ve been deeply moved by the work of Dr. Jennifer Mullan, who speaks to decolonizing mental health, and Alishia McCullough, who uplifts Black liberation in therapy through a healing-centered, anti-diet, ancestral lens. And of course, the Black women in my own family — especially my aunt Melody, and my late grandmother, Lucille. The women I come from continue to inform everything I do. Their stories, struggles, and wisdom live in my work.

EC: When did you realize that your work was significant enough to write a book about?

ER: I don’t think I had a singular “aha” moment — it was more of a slow, persistent truth that kept nudging me. After years of working as a therapist and school social worker in the Bronx, I noticed that the moments of deepest connection with my clients often came through story. Whether I was reading a children’s book aloud during a school crisis, helping a teen analyze lyrics that mirrored their grief, or guiding an adult client through writing letters to their inner child — literature kept showing up as a bridge. Over time, colleagues and clients began to ask if I had written anything down. Eventually, I realized that my personal story and clinical reflections could serve as both a resource and a love letter — to readers, to therapists, and to the Bronx.

EC: Now, in these political times, many are turning to stories and poetry as a way to cope. How can we figure out what we ourselves need to read, or what we want to recommend to others, particularly children?

ER: That’s such an important question. I always encourage people to start with feeling rather than category. Ask: What’s stirring in me right now? What am I longing for? What am I avoiding? Sometimes you need a mirror, a book that reflects your experience. Other times you need a window — a story that expands your view. And sometimes you need a door — something that opens you up to possibility or imagination – this is in reference to Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s theory of books as mirror, windows and sliding doors. As the godmother of multicultural children’s literature, her work guides my own.

For children, let them lead with curiosity. Notice what books they return to, what characters they’re drawn to, what questions they’re asking. Don’t be afraid to offer books that feel “too big,” especially when they ask deep questions. Children are often more emotionally sophisticated than we give them credit for — and stories can offer them a safe, imaginative space to explore hard truths.

EC: When I, a librarian, read your book when it comes out in a few short weeks, what should I really pay attention to?

Notice how literature is used in everyday, imperfect, and deeply human ways — not just as a classroom resource or clinical tool, but as something that lives in relationships, families, communities. Pay attention to how stories help people regulate their nervous systems, explore identity, and make meaning of their pain. I hope you’ll also notice how librarians, educators, and caregivers appear throughout the book as quiet heroes — people who shape lives just by believing in a child, or by handing them the right book at the right moment.

EC: I am really looking forward to your book, am so glad I heard your interview [on the Flourishing in the Foreign podcast]. People who stand on the sidelines and let books be censored have no idea of the power of words or the influence of story. The work you’re doing is solid evidence of why all stories matter, how they can help us find our better selves, connect with the world around us, or simply feel like we matter. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you so much for your kind words. What I’d add is this: stories are not luxuries. For many of us, they are survival tools. They help us imagine beyond our circumstances, reconnect to our ancestors, and dream new worlds into being. When stories are banned, marginalized, or sanitized, we rob young people of access to the very tools that can help them heal. So let’s keep fighting for the freedom to read — not just as a policy issue, but as a human right.

And to all the librarians reading this: you are doing sacred work. Please keep showing up, even when it feels invisible. Our kids are watching. Our communities are grateful. And your efforts matter — more than you know.

Thank you!

Bibliotherapy in the Bronx; Row House Publishing, 29 April 2025 preorder

Rich with practical tips, reflective exercises, and book recommendations, Bibliotherapy in The Bronx is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the power of words to change lives. Whether you’re a therapist, educator, bibliophile, or simply someone seeking deeper understanding and growth, this book offers a compassionate, culturally affirming guide to the transformative potential of storytelling.

Rumble’s work is a testament to the enduring power of books to heal, empower, and liberate. In a time when the world feels increasingly divided, Bibliotherapy in The Bronx reminds us that the stories we tell—and the stories we read—can unite us in our shared humanity.

Emely shared the following links for you to connect with her:

My bio: https://sites.google.com/view/qcgslis/faculty/adjuncts/emely-rumble
Dazed Magazine Feature: https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/65849/1/bibliotherapy-can-reading-help-treat-your-depression-anxiety-mental-health
Success Magazine Feature: https://www.success.com/what-is-bibliotherapy-therapeutic-book-club/
My instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/literapy_nyc/?hl=en
My TIKTOK page: https://www.tiktok.com/@literapy_nyc?lang=en
My Threads page: https://www.threads.net/@literapy_nyc
My Bookclub on Fable: https://fable.co/club/women-who-run-with-the-wolves-with-literapynyc-134726459871
My Bookclub on Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/book_clubs/16a60c4a-e968-4d32-8592-4c06f69d913
My Community: https://literapynyc.podia.com/literapy-nyc-community

Filed under: Interviews, Professional Development, self care