Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

International Cinema: An Abundant Mental Health Resource of Films for Education, Communication, and Transformation

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Cinematic Mirror for Psychology and Life Coaching

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to consider what films from various countries say about mental health, strengths, and values; mental illness and psychopathology; and the portrayal of psychologists and psychotherapy. My hope is this will widen the reader’s perspective of what international cinema offers and begin the assembly of a non-exhaustive resource of potential films to be considered for personal use, for education, and for client interaction.

The language of film is universal.

-Common expression

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alexander, M. (1995). Cinemeducation: An innovative approach to teaching multicultural diversity in medicine. Annals of Behavioral Sciences and Medical Education, 2(1), 23–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alexander, M., Hall, M., & Pettice, Y. (1994). Cinemeducation: An innovative approach to teaching psychosocial medical care. Family Medicine, 26, 430–433.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alexander, M., Lenahan, P., & Pavlov, A. (2005). Cinemeducation: A comprehensive guide to using film in medical education. Oxford: Radcliffe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alexander, M., & Waxman, D. (2000). Cinemeducation: Teaching family systems through the movies. Families, Systems, & Health, 18(4), 455–466.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barrett, D. (2006). Hypnosis in film and television. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 49(1), 13–30.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Berg-Cross, L., Jennings, P., & Baruch, R. (1990). Cinematherapy: Theory and application. Psychotherapy in Private Practice, 8, 135–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brabender, V. (2006). How Hollywood’s myths about group psychotherapy can benefit beginning group therapists. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 56(3), 383–388.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Engstrom, F. (2004). Movie clips for creative mental health education. Plainview, N.Y.: Wellness Reproductions and Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleming, M., Piedmont, R., & Hiam, C. (1990). Images of madness: Feature films in teaching psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 17(3), 185–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gabbard, G., & Gabbard, K. (1992). Cinematic stereotypes contributing to the stigmatization of psychiatrists. In P. J. Fink & A. Tasman (Eds.) Stigma and mental illness (pp. 113–126). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gabbard, G., & Gabbard, K. (1999). Psychiatry and the cinema (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregg, V. (1995). Using feature films to promote active learning in the college classroom. In: Teaching of psychology. Proceedings of the 9th annual conference on undergraduate teaching of psychology. Ellenville, OH, March 22–25, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hesley, J. W., & Hesley, J. G. (1998). Rent two films and let’s talk in the morning: Using popular movies in psychotherapy. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, J., & Dermer, S. (2001). The use of film in marriage and family counselor education. Counselor Education & Supervision, 40, 182–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hudock, A., & Warden, S. (2001). Using movies to teach family systems concepts. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 9(2), 116–121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joseph, S., & Linley, A. (2006). Positive therapy: A meta-theory for positive psychological practice. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karlinsky, H. (2003, February). Doc Hollywood north: Part I. The educational applications of movies in psychiatry. CPA Bulletin, 35(1), 9–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, B. (2006). Psychiatry in contemporary Irish cinema: A qualitative study. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 23(2), 74–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lampropoulos, G., Kazantzis, N., & Dean, F. (2004). Psychologists’ use of motion pictures in clinical practice. Professional Psychology: Research & Practice, 35(5), 535–541.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu, S. (2002). Zhang Yimou. In Y. Tasker (Ed.), Fifty contemporary filmmakers (pp. 412–418). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacHaffie, S. (2002). Health promotion information: Sources and significance for those with serious and persistent mental illness. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 16(6), 263–274.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McDonald, A., & Walter, G. (2001). The portrayal of ECT in American movies. The Journal of ECT, 17(4), 264–274.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, F. (1999). Using the movie ordinary people to teach psychodynamic psychotherapy with adolescents. Academic Psychiatry, 23(3), 174–179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, E. (2002). Using film to teach psychology: A resource of film study guides. Retrieved from http://www.lemoyne.edu/OTRP/otrpresources/filmresource.pdf on December 1, 2006.

  • Niemiec, R. M., & Wedding, D. (2008). Positive psychology at the movies: Using films to build virtues and character strengths. Gottingen, Germany: Hogrefe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Niemiec, R. M., & Wedding, D. (2006). The role of the psychotherapist in movies. Advances in Medical Psychotherapy and Psychodiagnosis, 12, 73–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paddock, J., Terranova, S., & Giles, L. (2001). SASB goes Hollywood: Teaching personality theories through movies. Teaching of Psychology, 28(2), 117–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. New York: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pirkis, J., Blood, R., Francis, C., & McCallum, K. (2006). On-screen portrayals of mental illness: Extent, nature, and impacts. Journal of Health Communication, 11, 523–541.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Raingruber, B. (2003). Integrating aesthetics into advanced practice mental health nursing: Commercial film as a suggested modality. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 24, 467–495.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, A., Walter, G., Politis, T., & Shortland, M. (1997). From shunned to shining: Doctors, madness and psychiatry in Australian and New Zealand cinema. Medical Journal of Australia, 167, 640–644.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schill, T., Harsch, J., & Ritter, K. (1990). Countertransference in the movies: Effects on beliefs about psychiatric treatment. Psychological Reports, 67, 399–402.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, I. (1977). Images of the mind: Psychiatry in the commercial film. American Journal of Psychiatry, 134 (6), 613–620.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schulenberg, S. (2003). Psychotherapy and movies: On using films in clinical practice. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 33, 35–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P. (1999). The president’s address. American Psychologist, 54, 559–562.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P. (2003). Authentic happiness: Using the new positive psychology to realize your potential for lasting fulfillment. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharp, C., Smith, J. V., & Cole, A. (2002). Cinematherapy: Metaphorically promoting therapeutic change. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 15(3), 269–276.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, C., & Lopez, S. (Eds.) (2002). Handbook of positive psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, C., & Lopez, S. (2007). Positive psychology: The scientific and practical explorations of human strengths. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stringer, J. (2002). Wong Kar-Wai. In Y. Tasker (Ed.), Fifty contemporary filmmakers (pp. 395–403). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swift, W., & Wonderlich, S. (1993). House of games: A cinematic study of countertransference. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 47(1), 38–57.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Toman, S., & Rak, C. (2000). The use of cinema in the counselor education curriculum: Strategies and outcome. Counselor Education and Supervision, 40, 105–114.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyler, J., & Reynolds, T. (1998). Using feature films to teach group counseling. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 23(1), 7–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valentine, D. & Freeman, M. (2002). Film portrayals of social workers doing child welfare work. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 19(6), 455–471.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walter, G. (1998). Portrayal of ECT in movies from Australia and New Zealand. Journal of ECT, 14, 56–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walter, G., McDonald, A., Rey, J., & Rosen, A. (2002). Medical student knowledge and attitudes regarding ECT prior to and after viewing ECT scenes from movies. Journal of ECT, 18(1), 43–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wedding, D., Boyd, M., & Niemiec, R. M. (2005). Movies and mental illness: Using films to understand psychopathology. Gottingen, Germany: Hogrefe & Hubor.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wedding, D., & Niemiec, R. M. (2003). The clinical use of films in psychotherapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 59(2), 207–216.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wilt, D., Evans, G., Muenchen, R., & Guegold, G. (1995). Teaching with entertainment films: An empathetic focus. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 33(6), 5–14.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. VIA Institute on Character and Hummingbird Coaching Services, Cincinnati, OH, 45202, USA

    Ryan M. Niemiec

Authors
  1. Ryan M. Niemiec
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ryan M. Niemiec .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. South Esplanade 1116, Leavenworth, 66048-3522, U.S.A.

    Mary Banks Gregerson

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Niemiec, R.M. (2010). International Cinema: An Abundant Mental Health Resource of Films for Education, Communication, and Transformation. In: Gregerson, M. (eds) The Cinematic Mirror for Psychology and Life Coaching. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1114-8_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation