Watching a movie can be more than just entertainment—it can be therapeutic. Cinematherapy, developed in the 1970s as a form of art therapy, involves using films to help people navigate difficult emotions and life eventspsychologytoday.compsychologytoday.com. The idea is simple: by identifying with characters and stories on screen, individuals find a safe space to explore their own feelings. For example, a teenager grieving a parent’s death might watch a film where a character faces the same loss, helping them feel less alone and more understoodpsychologytoday.compsychologytoday.com. Psychologists note that movies act as powerful metaphors for life—combining visuals, music, and narrative to evoke emotions and insightsenglish.elpais.com.
Watching a film can evoke strong emotions, making it a powerful therapeutic tool for processing griefenglish.elpais.com.
From a clinical perspective, cinematherapy leverages the emotional impact of movies as a catalyst for healingpositivepsychology.compositivepsychology.com. Therapists may assign a specific film that mirrors a client’s experience; the client then watches it and later discusses thoughts and feelings it brought up. This process can facilitate catharsis—a healthy emotional release—and new perspectives. Research has outlined four stages that often occur during cinematherapypositivepsychology.compositivepsychology.com:
Identification: The viewer connects with a character’s experiences and emotions.
Catharsis: The film triggers the release of pent-up feelings (tears, laughter) that mirror the viewer’s own grief.
Insight: By seeing the character cope and grow, the viewer gains personal insight into their situation.
Universalization: Realizing that loss and grief are universal experiences, the viewer feels less isolated in their painpositivepsychology.com.
Early research and practice in this field found that “cinema therapy has been gaining traction since the 70s as a way that grief can be processed”psychologytoday.com. In therapy sessions, movies like Manchester by the Sea or Ordinary People are often suggested for those mourning a loved one, because these films portray raw grief and coping strategiesenglish.elpais.com. By reflecting on a character’s journey, clients can talk about their own loss “in the third person,” discussing the movie as a buffer to examine their feelings without feeling too exposedenglish.elpais.comenglish.elpais.com. This indirect approach can be especially helpful for teens or individuals who struggle to open up – it’s sometimes easier to say “I felt sad when the character did X” than to immediately discuss one’s own sorrowpsychologytoday.compsychologytoday.com.
Academic reviews are finding empirical support for cinematherapy’s benefits. A 2022 scoping review in Frontiers in Psychology concluded that, when applied appropriately, movies can improve well-being and help people cope with life challengesenglish.elpais.com. Identifying with a movie character can inspire hope and reduce feelings of loneliness in the grieving personenglish.elpais.comenglish.elpais.com. For instance, seeing how a character memorializes a lost loved one might encourage a grieving viewer to find their own positive outlet, such as starting a charity or creative project in memory of the deceasedpsychologytoday.com. In group settings, watching and discussing a film can prompt even reticent participants to share their thoughts and emotions, as the story gives them a language for their griefenglish.elpais.com.
It’s important to note, however, that cinematherapy is not a one-size-fits-all cure. Limitations exist: many studies so far are qualitative, and the approach lacks standardizationenglish.elpais.com. Not everyone will resonate with a given movie; cultural differences matter, too – therapists are advised to choose films that reflect the client’s own background and valuespositivepsychology.com. Some individuals might use movies purely as escapism and avoid any deeper reflectionenglish.elpais.com. As one expert put it, “I don’t think there is anything that works for everyone”english.elpais.com. Cinematherapy works best as a complementary tool in the therapist’s toolkit, rather than a standalone treatment. When used thoughtfully, though, the healing power of movies is remarkable. Films can validate a mourner’s feelings, model coping strategies, and ultimately help people process grief in a gentle but profound way – all from the comfort of a couch and a screenpsychologytoday.comenglish.elpais.com.