We can go to other worlds and experience new things by watching movies. Watching a movie may leave a deep impression on our feelings and thoughts. In film therapy, this effect is used to treat mental and emotional problems; Patients watch a film in which they see a reflection of their conditions and situations and connect with the characters in the story. In the following, we will learn more about film therapy and explain its benefits.
What is film therapy?
In ancient Greece, the theater was used for catharsis or spiritual cleansing of the audience. They believed that when the audience shares the actors’ emotions, they experience peace and liberation. Catharsis, or the purification of emotions, could be created through empathy, and the audience would leave the theater feeling cleansed and cleansed.
Freud re-introduced the concept of catharsis with the theory that revealing and releasing repressed emotions can lead to relief and happiness. In more recent times, therapists similarly used bibliotherapy. In this method, the therapist suggests the patient read a book whose characters go through a similar experience. The patient reads the book and talks about it with the therapist, and uses the book’s story to understand his choices and thoughts. Film therapy is a branch of book therapy in which the patient watches a movie instead of watching a theater or reading a book.
How does film therapy affect us?
The therapist advises the patient to watch a film that reflects one of his behavior’s central and essential aspects. The patient watches the film and expresses his opinion in the next therapy session. This method can be used for couples and families.
Birgitte Wells is a psychotherapist who writes about video therapy and facilitates video therapy groups. He has suggested five criteria for choosing the correct film for the patient, and we will examine each one below.
1. Using laughter as medicine
Watching a movie may be a way to laugh and escape the problem that is bothering the patient and occupying his mind. Instead of running away from the problem, the film can be used to gain a new perspective.
2. Crying for emotional catharsis
Sometimes it is difficult to entirely understand emotions and feelings during mourning and sadness. In this situation, watching a movie can give us the emotional release we need.
3. Gain hope and encouragement
The film can provide a hopeful and uplifting solution to the problem and inspire and inspire the patient. Valuable movies are not enough to gain motivation and hope.
4. Reducing negative beliefs and rediscovering abilities
By following the film’s main character as he goes through ups and downs, the patient can feel less alone and realize that he, too, has powers similar to those that the character in the story discovers.
5. Improve communication
Usually, the characters in the film show where the contact may break down. Watching movies with your spouse, friend, or family members can provide an opportunity to improve communication.
Four stages of film therapy
After choosing the movie and recommending it to the patient, he enters the viewing stage. At this stage, he is encouraged to oversee the film and pay attention to his feelings and thoughts while watching the movie. According to the researchers, a person goes through 4 main stages during the film therapy process, each of which we have introduced below.
1. Identification
Due to expected behavior and goals, the patient sees himself as the film’s main character and pays attention to his feelings and emotions.
2. Catharsis
The patient realizes that he can learn from the main character’s experiences in the film.
3. Insight
The patient internalizes the experience of the film’s main character and communicates with him through his shared experience.
4. Universalization
The patient no longer feels alone because he sees his experience reflected in the film.
The issue of culture should also be considered. Physicians should choose films where patients can see their culture and identity.
Three advantages of using film therapy
Although watching a movie does not make a significant difference, clinical evidence shows that watching and participating in a therapy session has positive outcomes. These outcomes are improved when the clinician carefully considers the patient’s preferences, goals, interests, and ability to understand.
The main benefits of video therapy are insight, catharsis, and reduced feelings of loneliness. Patients relate to the characters in the film, understand themselves differently, and feel that they are not alone in the problem they are going through, similar to the experience of creating a connection in a therapy group.
Is video therapy helpful in dealing with depression?
Based on case studies, film therapy can be a valuable tool to increase optimism and reduce hopelessness in depressed patients. Film therapy has made patients more aware of the causes of their depression and helped them start making changes.
In addition, video therapy has the potential to help people discover and enhance their abilities. The therapist can ask the patient to participate in a strengths survey to identify their capabilities. Then he can choose a movie whose main character represents this ability or is growing and strengthening it in himself.
Using video therapy for couples and families
Research on film therapy has mainly relied on case studies and is primarily descriptive, as films must be selected that match the patient’s needs exclusively. Although many couples and families seeking treatment have similar problems, they are so diverse that large-scale research is complex.
In a small research in which six couples participated, several films examined problem-solving abilities, managing stressful situations, not recognizing the partner’s point of view, not having skills in recognizing or expressing thoughts and feelings, and a general tendency towards negative traits. The researchers found that the participants went through the stages of assimilation and catharsis, but not all achieved insight. However, the films helped facilitate discussion and create an opportunity to relate to problems in a new way.
Another small study used video therapy to help understand the emotions of children whose parents were going through a divorce. In this research, the use of the film and the sessions after watching it made the children better recognize and express their feelings, experience the catharsis of anger and sadness, develop coping skills to face their parents’ divorce, and feel Reduced loneliness.
Effect of film therapy on anger management
In research, film therapy was used in a girls’ treatment center. The researchers used a series of monthly video therapy group sessions. The films were related to mother-child relationships, absent fathers, friendship, and peer recognition.
The researchers found that during the sessions after watching the film, the girls were able to identify and cope with some of their problems and were more comfortable expressing their feelings about their family and social relationships compared to individual therapy sessions.
Suitable films for film therapy
Dr. Wells has an extensive collection of hundreds of recommended movies on his website, which are also hand-rated. In the following, you will see a short list of films usually prescribed for film therapy.
1. Addiction and recovery from it
- 28 days (2000);
- When a man loves a Woman (1994);
- Leaving Las Vegas (1995);
- A Star Is Born (2018).
2. child abuse
- Will Hunting the Genius (1997);
- Mysterious River (2003).
3. Relationships
- War of the Days (1989);
- Marriage Story (2019);
- Groundhog Day (1993).
4. mental illnesses
- It doesn’t get any better than this (1997);
- Hopeful Notebook (2012);
- Girl, Broken (1999);
- Antoine Fisher (2002).
Examples of suitable questions for the meeting after watching the movie
Watching movies along with a therapy session has the best results. Asking deep and thought-provoking questions can help patients identify their insights and connections with the characters. Wells suggested these questions:
- Do you remember your emotions, or did your breathing change while watching the movie?
- What did you like and dislike or even hate about this movie?
- Did you identify with one or more movie characters?
- Did one of the characters develop special abilities that you would like to develop in yourself?
- Did one or more characters do something in certain parts of the movie that you would like to emulate?
- Have these characters developed abilities or capacities that you would like to develop in yourself?
When you watch the movie, imagine yourself in the place of one of these characters; Visualize yourself with the evolved or wise side of the movie character.
- What would your life be like if you had the characteristics or capacities of the movie character?
- Imagine yourself using these qualities or capacities in your life.
- Which parts of the movie affected you the most?
final word
Video therapy is a new tool that therapists are using to help foster insight and spark change in patients. This method can help break the patient’s resistance and facilitate the conversation. Video therapy can be done in individual, group, couple, or family sessions. Video therapy helps help to build rapport and remove barriers to intimacy. Understanding significant changes such as immigration or divorce can benefit families, and couples can benefit from video therapy to resolve relationship issues.
you say
Film therapy is an excellent way to understand better our feelings and problems that can affect our attitude and mentality. Have you ever seen a movie that changed your perspective or helped you solve a problem?
Warning! This article is only for educational purposes; it is necessary to consult a doctor or specialist.
