Empathizing With Harry Potter: The Use of Popular Literature in Counselor Education
Abstract
In this article, the popular children's book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (J. K. Rowling, 1997) is discussed as the basis for an activity in teaching and eliciting empathy from beginning‐level school counseling students. A description of the application of the book to this activity, the students' evaluations, and teaching recommendations and limitations are reported.
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High engagement in fictional stories, rather than literary quality, is important to foster readers' empathy.
“Collectively, this research suggests that high engagement in fi ctional stories, rather than literary quality, is important to foster readers ' empathy (Gibson, 2007; Mar et al., 2006; Oatley, 1999).”
From Reading and Empathy: Qualitative insights into adolescents' experiences with fiction books (2025) · cites this paper as Gibson, 2007
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Creative Interventions for Teaching Empathy in the Counseling Classroom
Bell, H. (2017) · Journal of Creativity in Mental Health · doi:10.1080/15401383.2017.1328295 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
“In another empathy building assignment, Gibson (2007) designed a semester-long course activity around reading the first book in the Harry Potter series and used guided reflections at the end of each assigned reading to lead the students to greater recognition of characters’ emotions and life…”
BackgroundMethodUsing Music Videos to Enhance Empathy in Counselors-in-Training
Ohrt, J., Foster, J. M., Hutchinson, T., & Ieva, K. P. (2009) · Journal of Creativity in Mental Health · doi:10.1080/15401380903372539 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Ethical Fairy Tales: Using Fairy Tales as Illustrative Ethical Dilemmas With Counseling Students
Henderson, K., & Malone, S. L. (2012) · doi:10.1080/15401383.2012.660128 · Cited by 18
“These include the use of popular literature (Gibson, 2007; Graham & Pehrsson, 2009; Schwitzer, Boyce, Cody, Holman, & Stein, 2005; Schwitzer, MacDonald, & Dickinson, 2008), film (Armstrong & Berg, 2005; Bonds-Raacke, 2008; Bradley, Whiting, Hendricks, Parr, & Jones, 2008; Koch & Dollarhide, 2000; Toman & Rak, 2000; Vi…”
Use of Autobiographies to Teach Concepts in Addiction: A Narrative Approach to Instruction
Harrawood, L. K., Mariska, M. A., & Hill, N. (2013) · doi:10.1080/15401383.2013.852445 · Cited by 13
“Gibson (2007) also addressed the development of empathy through the application of the Harry Potter book series (Rowling, 1997) in the counselor education classroom.”
BackgroundMethodDas, R. (2013) · doi:10.1177/0267323113483604 · Cited by 12
“…and parents can use Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone as a springboard into discussion of identity issues with adolescents, helping them to understand and successfully negotiate the challenges of this phase of life’ (Frank, 2003; see also Gibson, 2007 for a similar usage; also see Perry, 2003).”
MethodTribe, K. V., Papps, F. A., & Calvert, F. (2021) · The Arts in Psychotherapy · doi:10.1016/j.aip.2021.101802 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Imagination: An Essential Dimension of a Counselor's Empathy
Clark, A., & Simpson, T. M. (2013) · The Journal of Humanistic Counseling · doi:10.1002/j.2161-1939.2013.00040.x · Cited by 11 · see citing works
The "Novel" Approach: Using Fiction to Increase Empathy
Rowe, D. B. (2018) · Virginia Libraries · doi:10.21061/valib.v63i1.1474 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Nostalgia and Heroism: Theoretical Convergence of Memory, Motivation, and Function
Allison, S. T., & Green, J. D. (2020) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.577862 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
“A striking example can be found in the Harry Potter novels, which have been shown to help both children and adults face their anxieties, increase their empathy, and grow emotionally (Gibson, 2011; Stetka, 2014).”
BackgroundReading and Empathy: Qualitative insights into adolescents' experiences with fiction books
Santi, E., Cebula, K., & McGeown, S. (2025) · Literacy · doi:10.1111/lit.70006 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“Collectively, this research suggests that high engagement in fi ctional stories, rather than literary quality, is important to foster readers ’ empathy (Gibson, 2007; Mar et al., 2006; Oatley, 1999).”
Brief Counseling Scenarios from Fictional Characters for Counselors in Training.
Cook, K. (2018) · doi:10.26634/jpsy.11.3.13878 · Cited by 3
“Additionally, practicing with fictional clients provokes less anxiety than working with actual clients through practicum and internship (Gibson, 2007).”
BackgroundInfluentialYou and I plus AI: A qualitative exploration of replika in the context of human relationships
Rodger, K., & Field, E. F. (2025) · The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality · doi:10.3138/cjhs-2025-0011 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“Numerous studies have supported the development of empathy and theory of mind through reading fiction (Bal & Veltkamp, 2013; Davis, 2004; Gibson, 2007; Kidd & Castano, 2013; Nomura & Akai, 2012; Turner, 2013; Vezzali et al., 2015).”
Harry Potter and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual: Muggle Disorders in the Wizarding World
Freeman, L. M. (2015) · Study and Scrutiny Research on Young Adult Literature · doi:10.15763/issn.2376-5275.2015.1.1.156-214 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Uçar, S. (2025) · British Journal of Guidance and Counselling · doi:10.1080/03069885.2025.2518483
“Ethical Drama Scenes-The Sopranos The HBO series The Sopranos (Chase, 1999-2007) has been chosen as it is easily accessible online and has ethical and unethical short therapy scenes.”
Uçar, S., & Deri̇n, S. (2023) · Cukurova University Faculty of Education Journal · doi:10.14812/cuefd.1192891 · Cited by 1
THE DEVELOPMENT OF EMPATHY SKILLS FOR GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING TEACHER CANDIDATES
Iqlima, F. N., Budimann, N., Yustiana, Y., & Suryana, D. (2025) · EDUCATIONE · doi:10.59397/edu.v4i1.97
“The cognitive aspects of empathy generally include agreement with other people's conditions (Ang & Goh, 2010; Gibson, 2007; Morrison & Borgen, 2010; Moyers & Miller, 2013).”
Efektifitas Bimbingan Kelompok untuk Meningkatkan Kreativitas Peserta Didik: Meta Analysis
Irawan, T. M. I. A., Rusmana, N., Budiman, N., Hananto, I., & Yudha, E. S. (2022) · GUIDENA Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan Psikologi Bimbingan dan Konseling · doi:10.24127/gdn.v12i3.6300
Bisexuality in Bohemian Rhapsody: A Queer Study
Maylya, S., & Wedawati, M. (2022) · Surakarta English and Literature Journal · doi:10.52429/selju.v5i2.22
“Qualitative research is now recognized for adding a new dimension to interventional studies that measurement of variables alone cannot provide (GIBSON, 2007).”
Background
- Authors
- GIBSON, D. M.
- Affiliations
- University of South Carolina (US)
- Corresponding author
- GIBSON, DONNA M.
- ORCID
- GIBSON, DONNA M.
- Venue
- The Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2007-09
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 197-210
- ISSN
- 1931-0293 (ISSN-L)
- 2164-490X
- OpenAlex
- W1972434418
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.75
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Humanistic Counseling Education and Development (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Health Information Management › Film in Education and Therapy
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Counseling Practices and Supervision
- Social Sciences › Education › Educational Philosophies and Pedagogies
- Keywords
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, J. K. Rowling, popular literature, children's literature, empathy, counselor education
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