Film is introduced into therapy in primarily one of two ways. First, a person in treatment introduces a film they find meaningful, significant, and/or offering illumination about presenting concerns. I will honor their choice, even if I would not personally recommend the film.
In an introduction to a 2020 issue of The Journal of Clinical Psychology focused specifically on film and therapy, Geller states, “I welcome the times when patients lead us into discussions about remembrances of the films that have personal importance to them. I listen to their descriptions and explanations of a character’s actions as if he or she was a real person” (p. 1427). As mentioned in a previous post, I found The Whale (2022) contraindicated for mental health treatment. Still, if a patient stated this film has meaning for them, I would certainly invite exploration.
Consider the work of Bernie Wooder. a vanguard in applied movie therapy and the author of Movie Therapy: How It Changes Lives (2008). His book is a series of case studies in which films are used during the course of therapy with his patients, including Mac, an adult male suffering from complex trauma. Mac spontaneously introduced films into sessions without prompting by Wooder, including Star Wars (1977) and Watership Down (1978). Wooder wrote that these self-selected films were invaluable during treatment and catalysts for positive change.
The second method of introducing film into the therapy process is by invitation from the clinician. How, though, do we determine which films are suitable for recommendation? This blog series has already described three precepts:
Films should be accessible.
Films should not misinform, miseducate, or stigmatize mental health challenges and/or the treatment process.
Films should offer hope.
To continue building upon these guidelines, we need to consider what film can add to the therapy process. Note that watching films is not therapy and will likely never be. However, it can be an adjunct to the treatment process.
Foremost, there is general agreement that film can educate clients and families about mental health disorders, particularly early in the treatment process (Wedding & Niemiec, 2003). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the leading federal agency advancing the nation’s behavioral health, already promotes the use of film for educating the public about mental illness, de-stigmatizing mental health conditions, and motivating people to seek treatment. Wedding & Niemiec (2014) wrote a college-level text book describing suitable films for educating aspiring clinicians about many of the recognized mental health conditions; for example, Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), The Hours (2002), and Garden State (2004) were suggested for mood disorders.