Movies are seen as a form of escapism for many. Our lives are complicated and stressful, and a good piece of entertainment lets us escape from that for just a little while. From watching the Terminator say “I’ll be back” to watching Batman fight crime, movies are an escape from the real world, for the most part.
Because we all know that some movies hit a little close to home. Serious movies that deal with death may remind you of death in your own family. Characters who struggle to find love can remind you of yourself and how unlucky you are in the dating scene. Movies can not only be an escape from your life, but sometimes, it can be the confrontation you need.
That’s why cinema or movie therapy is popular. If you need some therapy, entertainment can be the self-help guide you need.
What is Movie Therapy?
Movie therapy, or cinema therapy, involves watching movies for therapeutic reasons. Usually, this is directed by a therapist. Some people may watch films they know can be therapeutic, but if you’re seeking help from a therapist, they may show you or lend you a movie that is relevant to your situation.
Movies can be powerful. Their stories, imagery, and emotion they show can relate to us. You may relate to a character in a movie and you might see a side of yourself you never thought about before. If you’re poor at communicating, movie dialogue may help with your communication skills.
Where Did This Idea Come From?
Movies have been around for over a century, but the idea of them being a valid form of therapy hasn’t been around too long in the grand scheme of things. Its origins go back to 1990, when therapists R. Baruch, L. Berg-Cross, and P. Jennings first used the term “cinema therapy.” Since then, it’s more of an accepted idea in the therapy world.
Think about it. How many people have said a film (or other type of media) “changed their life” or influenced how they behave?
How Does it Work?
When you want to do a cinema therapy session, you begin by talking about your problems to the therapist, and then your therapist will discuss which films to watch, and how to watch mindfully.
What’s watching mindfully? Being mindful while watching a film is focusing on the present and paying attention to details you may not notice during a casual viewing. Notice all the details in a character’s room. Look at every camera angle and wonder why it was shot that way. See all the metaphors and symbolism. Pay attention to character motivations.
After viewing, you may react to the movie in another session. In this session, you may discuss with your therapist about how the movie connects with your life.
How a Movie Can Help
Fiction is much different from reality, but some aspects of fiction can definitely influence your world. Here are some ways a movie helps.
By giving you life solutions. If you’re struggling with depression, and a character overcomes depression in their own way, you may try that technique as long as it’s realistic.
Movies can help you express your emotions. If you have a difficult time expressing your thoughts and feelings, a movie can help you open up. If you and the therapist like a movie, that’s common ground, and discussing the characters can lead to you discussing your own problems.
Helping you realize there is abuse in your life. If you’re in an abusive relationship, especially a more subtle emotionally abusive relationship, seeing a character struggle may make you realize that you’re being abused. Sometimes, you can’t see bad events happening to you, but you can put two and two together if a character is experiencing those events.
It does help people bond. Watching a film with a friend or family member can help you, especially if you and the family member have had difficulties keeping your relationship.
If you and someone else have a disagreement, you may be able to look to two characters having a similar disagreement and figure out a solution similar to how those two characters did.
Film may help with relationships. Couples who watched more movies together may end up being better communicators. Miscommunications and the lack of communication in general can end up damaging a relationship, and movie therapy may help to reverse those effects.
The beauty of movie therapy is that it can be done by a professional, or through self-help. A therapist may give you movies to watch, and many therapists have some form of cinema therapy in their arsenal of therapy techniques. However, if you don’t want to go to therapy, or don’t have a therapist who provides cinema therapy, you can always watch movies on your own. Asking for recommendations, be it from your friends or on an online forum, can help you find the movies that are best for you.
The Concerns
Watching movies isn’t going to have any negative health effects, unless you find yourself up all night watching them, but there are some concerns. These concerns include:
Possible triggering content. For example, Saving Private Ryan may not be good for some people who have been in war, since it may trigger their PTSD. However, there are some people who may want to face content that triggers. Usually, a therapist will choose the movies carefully.
Some people have a hard time watching a movie mindfully and analyzing everything. While you don’t need to be a film aficionado to get the benefits of movie therapy, you should at least have some mindful viewing.
Its benefits aren’t fully known yet. However, being movies, there should be no harm in watching them as long as you’re watching something that’s not upsetting or triggering.
So if you like movies, and need therapy, why not try both? See if you can find a movie therapist in your area.
