Log Me In       
Zur Institute, LLC, Innovative Online Resources and Continuing Education, Director Ofer Zur, Ph.D.
HomeArticles For TherapistsOnline Courses for CE CreditPrivate Practice Catalog
Zur InstituteOnline CE CoursesForensic and Expert WitnessConsultations For TherapistsLive SeminarsFree ArticlesInvite Dr. Zur to PresentGeneral Public ResourcesAbout Zur InstituteSite MapContact Us
.

Receive Our
Clinical Updates


 

 

Therapeutic Themes and Relevant Movies:
Addendums to Movie Therapy, Reel Therapy or Cinema Therapy
(Incomplete list)

By Ofer Zur, Ph.D.

For a Cinema Therapy online course by Birgit Wolz, Ph.D. for CE credits for psychologists, social workers, MFTs and counselors, click here.

Movies affect many of us powerfully because the combined impact of images, music, dialogue, lighting, sound and special effects can elicit deep feelings and help us reflect on our lives. They can help us to better understand our own lives, the lives of those around us and even how our society and culture operate. They can shed light on political and spiritual matters too and can provide catharsis and perspective and may open our eyes to new ways of thinking, feeling and pursuing our lives. There are many ways to harness the power of movies to heal, grow and change. Movies have been used as an adjunct to psychotherapy and counseling as well as by themselves.

In Cinema Therapy, or what has also been called Reel Therapy or Movie Therapy, clients learn to watch movies consciously and reflectively and to pay attention to the story and to themselves. They then learn to understand themselves and others more objectively in the big "movie" of their lives. Following is an incomplete list of movies that may help some people deal with some life situations.


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abuse
Addiction
Aging
Agoraphobia
Anger
Aspiration
Authentic Self
Bipolar Disorder
Body Image
Childhood Trauma
Communication
Consumerism
Couples
Courage
Death
Depression
Determination
Disabilities
Dissociative Disorders
Divorce
Dreams
Domestic Violence
Eating Disorders
Family Issues
Family Relationships
Forgiveness
Germ-Phobia
Grief
Human Spirit
Inner Guidance
Inspiration
Intuition
Loss
Love
Mental Disorders
Mental Illness
Mental Retardation
OCD
Pace of Life
Phobias
Prejudice
Rape
Relationships
Religion
Retirement
Risk
Sacrifice
Schizophrenia
Self-Esteem
Separation
Sexual Abuse
Sexuality
Spiritual Awareness
Spirituality
Social Justice
Transformation
Vocational Issues
War
Willpower

 

Abuse and Childhood Trauma:
A Thousand Acres
Cider House Rules
Closet Land
Drugstore Cowboy
Good Will Hunting
I Know My First Name is Steven
Nuts
Prince of Tides, The
Radio Flyer
Rounders
Sleepers
Something about Amelia
Sybil
Three Faces of Eve
Ulee's Gold
Ultimate Betrayal

Addictions:
28 Days
A Thousand Acres
Bar Fly
Boost, The
Clean and Sober
Days of Wine and Roses
Drugstore Cowboy
Ironweed
Lady Sings the Blues
Leaving Las Vegas
Morning After, The
My Name is Bill W.
Not My Kid
Panic in Needle Park
Postcards from the Edge
Requiem for a Dream
Sara T.: Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic
Under the Influence
When a Man Loves a Woman

Aging:
About Schmidt
Dad
On Golden Pond
Something's Gotta Give
Space Cowboys

Anger and Foregiveness:
An Unfinished Life
Anger Management
Changing Lanes
Dolores Clairborne
Gandhi
Straight Story, The
Upside of Anger, The

Aspiration:
Billy Elliot
Gandhi
Pay It Forward
Whale Rider

Authentic Self:
Harold and Maude
My Life
Nell

Bipolar Disorder:
Mr. Jones
Vincent and Theo

Body Image:
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Real Women Have Curves
Shallow Hal

Communication:
See Relationships

Consumerism:
Far From Heaven
Pleasantville
Supersize Me
What's Love Got to Do With It?

Courage & Determination:
Little Buddha
Million Dollar Baby
Rocky

Death:
See Grief, Loss, Death & Transformation

Depression:
About Schmidt
Blue Sky
Frida
Ordinary People

Disability:
http://www.disabilityfilms.co.uk
This site presents a detailed list of 2,500 feature films that involve various disabilities. It is directed towards teachers, students and anyone who has an interest in how disability is represented in films. The films are listed in 15 categories and recommended films. Each category is split into Major and Minor films. Each film is either reviewed or includes a summary.

Dissociative Disorders:
Sybil
Three Faces Of Eve
Zelig

Domestic Violence and Rape:
Accused, The
Burning Bed, The
Closet Land
Cry for Help: The Tracey Thurman Story
Extremities
Frankie and Johnnie
Men Don't Tell
Once Were Warriors
Rape and Marriage: The Rideout Case
Rape of Richard Beck, The
She Said No
Sleeping with the Enemy
Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story
Thelma and Louise

Eating Disorders:
Eating
For the Love of Nancy
Fried Green Tomatoes
Karen Carpenter Story, The
Kate's Secret
What's Eating Gilbert Grape

Family Relationships:
See Relationships & Love

Grief, Loss, Death & Transformation:
Adam
Beaches
Dad
Dying Young
Enchantment
Frida
Ghost
In America
Mr. Holland's Opus
Shadowlands
Six Weeks
Sleepless in Seattle
SLC Punk
Sophie's Choice
Stranger in the Family
Steel Magnolias
Terms of Endearment

Human Spirit and Inspiration:
Dead Poets Society
Gandhi
Lord of the Rings
Million Dollar Baby
Piano, The
Schiendler's List

Inner Guidance, Dreams, Intuition:
Constant Gardner
Field of Dreams
Motorcycle Diaries
Piano, The
Places in the Heart
Star Wars

Mental Disorders (misc.):
Fatal Attraction
Hours, The
House of Cards

Mental Illness:
Don Juan De Marco
King of Hearts
One flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Mental Retardation:
Other Sister, The
Rain Man
What's Eating Gilbert Grape

OCD:
As Good as it Gets
Breaking the Waves
Matchstick Man

Pace of Life:
Groundhog Day
Multiplicity
Thirteen Conversations About One Thing

Phobias:
Agoraphobia: Copy Cat
Germ-Phobia: As Good as it Gets

Prejudice (coping with):
Color Purple, The
Get on the Bus
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
In the Heat of the Night
Jungle Fever
Mississippi's Burning
Philadelphia
Ryan White Story, The
To Kill a Mockingbird

Relationships and Love:
A Walk on the Moon
Accidental Tourist, The
As Good as it Gets
Closer
Crimes of the Heart
Father of the Bride
Frankie and Johnnie
Gathering, The
Good Mother, The
Great Santini, The
High Fidelity
Hot Spells
Joy Luck Club
Memories of Me
Moonstruck
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Ordinary People
Parenthood
Philadelphia
Postcards From the Edge
Pretty Woman
Safe Passage
Sideways
Singles
Stanley and Iris
Story of Us, The
Soul Food
Steel Magnolias
Two Family House
Way We Were, The
War of the Roses
When Harry Met Sally

Retirement:
See Aging

Risk:
Apollo 13
Erin Brockovich
Full Monty, The
Sliding Doors

Sacrifice:
It's a Wonderful Life
Lord of the Rings
Sophie's Choice

Schizophrenia:
A Beautiful Mind
Clean Shaven
King of Hearts
Proof
Shine

Self-Esteem:
Gattaca
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Other Sister, The

Separation & Divorce:
Kramer vs. Kramer
Story of Us, The
Under the Tuscan Sun

Sexual Abuse:
A Thousand Acres
Cider House Rules
Dolores Clairborne
Mystic River
Sleepers

Sexuality:
Bliss
Kinsey
Working Girl

Spirituality and Religion:
Apostle, The
Contact
Resurrection

Spirituality and Spiritual Awareness:
City of Angels
It's a Wonderful Life
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Powder

Social Justice:
Angela's Ashes
Constant Gardner
Erin Brockovich
Hotel Rwanda
Motorcycle Diaries

Trauma:
See Abuse, War

Vocational Issues:
Erin Brockovich
Full Monty, The
Jerry Maguire
Patch Adams

War (Horrors of and Aftermath):
A Very Long Engagement
Black Hawk Down
Cold Mountain
Full Metal Jacket
Gone with the Wind
Pianist, The
Platoon
Saving Private Ryan

Willpower:
Cast Away
Horse Whisperer, The
Million Dollar Baby
Piano, The
Princess Bride, The


To receive clinical and practice updates, add your name to our confidential e-mail list.
CLICK HERE


Online Courses
Live Workshops  -  Forensic & Expert Witness Services -  Consultations for Therapists
Private Practice Handbook  -  HIPAA Compliance Kit  -  Clinical Forms  -  Home Study Courses  -  CE Info
Online Catalog -  Free Articles  -  Boundaries & Dual Relationships  -  General Public Resources  -  Articles For General Public
Home -  Contact Us  -  About Us  -  FAQ  -  Privacy, Disclaimer - Terms of Use  -  ADA Policy & Grievance -  CV -  Site Map



ZUR INSTITUTE, LLC
Ofer Zur, Ph.D., Director
Sonoma Medical Plaza, 181 Andrieux Street, Suite 212, Sonoma, CA 95476
Phone: 707-935-0655, Fax: 707-935-3918, E-mail: info@zurinstitute.com
 
© 1997-2008 Zur Institute, LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement, Disclaimer & Terms of Use Site design/maintenance by R&D Web

 

 

hr