Introduction to Cinematherapy

Thank you for visiting this web site. This site is dedicated to furthering the practical and theoretical use of Cinematherapy in school counseling, private practice, and counselor education. We will be presenting commentary from professionals in the field of Cinematherapy by providing examples of therapeutic application, furnishing synopses of research in the literature, updating our Cinemaography section, recommend applicable readings, and providing links to pertinent sites.

Cinematherapy is a therapeutic intervention allowing clients to visually assess a film's characters interaction with others, their environment, and personal issues, thereby developing a bridge from which positive therapeutic movement may be accomplished. The use of movies as a tool in traditional therapy, diagnostic assistance in counselor training, and classroom guidance/small group counseling in schools has increased in popularity. Watching a movie or a scene unfold is a participatory process for a client. The client is, at some level, emotionally, physically, and cognitively involved in what is being viewed and heard (Tyson, Foster, and Jones, 2000).

This sudden interest in the use of film in therapy, school counseling, and counselor education has sincere ramifications. As with any new theory, qualitative and quantitative research is lacking in the field. Some see film as an unscientific tool with little research to account for its therapeutic value, believing it to be too simplistic (Tyson, Foster, and Jones, 2000).However there is little debate relative to the increasing interest in using film to enhance therapy with clients, to promote discussion in school counseling classroom guidance and small group counseling, and in counselor education to identify issues relating to diagnosis, ethics, and fallacies in counseling relationships.

It is our hope this site will be used as a clearinghouse for cinematherapy related information. You will find suggested readings, guest commentary from leaders in the field, activities, links to related sources, and an continually updated Cinemaography as well as direct communication to the owners of this site: Lawrence E. Tyson,Ph.D., Linda H. Foster, Ph.D.,, and Cindy Jones. For comments, suggestions, and constructive criticisms, contact the owners at their respective email addresses. Thank you for visiting.

Tyson, L., Foster, L., & Jones, C. (2000). The process of cinematherapy as a therapeutic intervention. Alabama Counseling Association Journal,26(1), 35-41