Meaghann Weaver is a pediatric palliative care physician, ethicist, and researcher. She appreciates caring for children with health needs and their families. Dr. Weaver most enjoys spending time outdoors with her daughter and their goats, chickens, and rabbits.
Lori Wiener
Lori Wiener is a clinical social worker and behavioral scientist. She has dedicated her career to caring for children, teens and young adults and their family members. Dr. Wiener enjoys spending her free time with her family, dogs, cat and camera – capturing the wonder of birds and other wildlife.
Welcome!
As pediatric care providers, we have witnessed the power of words to soothe, connect, and heal. Bibliotherapy—the intentional use of literature for therapeutic purposes—is not simply about reading books; it is about creating bridges between lived experiences and the narratives that help us make sense of them. In our work and in our lives, we recognize how stories can become lifelines, offering comfort when medicine cannot, and extending meaning.
Our storybooks operate on a simple yet profound principle: stories matter. When a child or sibling faces serious illness, or a family navigates the uncertainty of prognosis, the clinical language of charts and scans often feels cold and distant. Literature, however, speaks in a language of humanity. Through characters and plots, readers find reflections of their own struggles and glimpses of resilience. A child who feels isolated in their illness may discover companionship in a fictional hero who faces adversity with courage. A parent overwhelmed by grief may find solace in a poem that articulates what they cannot yet say aloud.
The therapeutic value of sharing storybooks lies in a book’s ability to normalize emotions and foster empathy. Reading allows children and those who love them to step outside their immediate reality while simultaneously deepening their understanding of it. In pediatric care, we often recommend age-appropriate books that address themes of hope, loss, and perseverance. These stories do not erase suffering, but they frame it within a narrative arc that offers perspective and possibility. Our storybooks are not confined to the patient alone; they extend to families and clinicians. For caregivers, literature can provide language for conversations that feel impossible. For healthcare teams, stories remind us of the person behind the diagnosis, rekindling compassion in the midst of clinical routines.
In a time dominated by technology and rapid interventions, storybooks invite us to slow down and listen—to words, to stories, and to each other. Storybooks are gentle yet powerful tools that affirm the truth we hold dear: healing is not only about curing disease; it is about nurturing the soul.
We hope each picture and each page offers comfort and connection.
Meaghann and Lori
Allow your heart to fill, and allow your mind to still. You are so worthy, as you will learn on this special journey!
