Cinematic Mirror for Psychology and Life Coaching (eBook)

Dr. Mary Gregerson, a psychologist with specialties in health, environment, and media psychology, has published and presented nationally an internationally on the subject of psychology and film.  In addition, Dr. Gregerson's critiques of films have been published in print and on the Internet.  She has also consulted with theater, television, and film in both the direct portrayals of psychology and psychologists as well as the more subtle integration of psychology into character, plot, and action elements.

Foreword 4
Contents 6
Contributors 8
Story Board: The Filmist Fall of the Cinematic Fourth Wall 10
The Filmist Fall of the Cinematic Fourth Wall 10
Reciprocal Relations 10
The Reach of Films 11
Filmists, and Others 11
Movie Magic 11
Happily Ever After, or Not 12
Beyond ''Happily Ever After'' 14
Science Forms the Field 15
Cinematherapy: State of the Art 16
Other Film Guides for the Clinician 17
Who the Readers Are 18
On Being a Filmist 19
Dramaturgy: The Art of Storytelling 20
Set a Blank Screen: A Tabula Rasa 21
Establish What Is Important 21
More for Your Investment 22
References 23
Act One: Introduction 26
My Life at the Movies 27
Marriage: The Mysteriously Fragile Institution 28
Romance and Suicide 29
The Hill of Beans 30
Marriage of Comfort 31
Families Surviving 32
The Discovery of Adolescence 33
The Rediscovery of Childhood 34
The Importance of Fathers 35
Searching for Models of Family Life 36
When Will Hollywood Get the Family Right? 37
The Media-Holding Environment Replaces the Family 38
Hollywood Rules and Reflects 38
Rebels Without Causes---or Fathers 40
The Fatherless, and Faithless, Microcosm Called Southern California 44
Divorce and the Media 46
So Why the Mayhem? 50
References 55
The Dawning of Desire Skewed Through a Media Lens and the Loss of American Adolescence: M I 4 U? 58
Introduction 58
Vitalization 59
Sexualization 61
Positive Spins Make Romance Veil Reality 64
Why Do We Watch Infamy? 64
Media vs. Culture 67
Media Images as Ideals and Stereotypes 68
Adolescence 69
Sexualization vs. Vitality, That Is, Healthy Sexuality 69
The Media, Sexuality, and Adolescence 70
Music Speaks 71
Films and Boys 72
Media Images of Adolescent Sexuality in Other Cultures 73
Merchandise Reflects Film Images 74
Print Media Reflects Film Images 75
Television Reflects Film Images 75
Who Is Responsible? 77
Positive Psychology and Today's Dawning of Desire 78
Conclusion 79
References 79
Lives Through Film: 49 UP and the UP Series as a Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Change 84
The UP Series and Psychology 85
Quantifying Impressions Using the California Q-Set 85
Three Lives in Progress 86
Neil 87
Jackie 89
Bruce 91
Some Lessons from the Participants 93
Final Remarks 94
References 95
Cinematherapy: Using Movie Metaphors to Explore Real Relationships in Counseling and Coaching 96
Introduction 96
Background 97
Uses of Cinematherapy 98
Study Directions 98
Value of Cinematherapy 99
The Process and Dynamics of Cinematherapy 99
Directions for Cinematherapy 100
Instructions 100
Film Selection 100
Assigning ''Homework'' 102
Case Example of Cinematherapy 102
Modeling Sexual Responses 103
Application to Real Relationship Problems 104
Fear of Commitment 104
Sex, Love, Commitment, and Marriage 105
Sustaining a Long-Term Relationship 107
Affairs 107
Betrayal from Affairs 108
Control and Power Struggles 109
Divorce 109
The Extreme of Love Addiction: The Case of Fatal Attraction 110
Special Populations 110
A New Specialized Population 110
Sexual Orientation 111
Gay Relationships 112
Positive Examples of Relationships 113
Specific Issues 114
Race and Class Differences 114
Age Gaps (the December/May Romance) 115
Open Marriage 115
Substance Abuse and Its Impact on Relationships 116
Abuse in Relationships 116
Discussion 119
General Issues 119
Fitting Cinematherapy into the Therapist's Orientation Style 120
Formats 121
Movie One-Liners 121
Issues of Transference and Countertransference in Films 121
Caution 122
Need for Evidence Base 123
The Client's Own Relationship Movie 124
Further Resources About Cinematherapy 124
Conclusions 125
References 126
International Cinema: An Abundant Mental Health Resource of Films for Education, Communication, and Transformation 130
Introduction 130
Using Movies for Education 132
Cinematherapy 133
Using International Films with International Clients 134
Portrayals of Mental Health (in International Films) 135
Positive Psychology: Virtues and Strengths 135
Friendship 150
Children and Mental Health 150
Adolescents and Mental Health 151
Mental Health and Recovery 152
Portrayals of Mental Illness (in International Cinema) 152
Anxiety Disorders 153
Mood Disorders 153
Psychosis 153
Alcohol and Drug Abuse 154
Personality Disorders 154
Adjustment Disorders 155
Portrayal of Treatment 155
Role of the Psychologist/Psychiatrist 155
Theoretical Orientation 157
Interventions 157
International Cinema Resources 158
References 158
Trauma and the Media: How Movies can Create and Relieve Trauma 161
Introduction 161
What Is Trauma? 162
Clinical Symptoms of Trauma 162
Historic or Generational Transmission of Traumas 163
How People React to/Cope with Trauma 164
Media Depictions of Trauma and the Impact on Survivors 165
Using Film to Treat Trauma 170
Films to Consider 170
Groundhog Day (Ramis, 1993 Negative Behaviour Patterns, Depression)
Born on the 4th of July (Stone, 1989 PTSD, War, Death, Loss of Independence)
Coming Home (Ashby, 1978 PTSD, War, Infidelity, Loss of Independence/War Injury)
Life as a House (Winkler, 2001 Chronic Illness, Death, Self Destructive Adolescent, Divorce, Negative Behaviour Patterns)
Good Will Hunting (van Sant, 1997 Abuse, Insecurity, Death)
Steel Magnolias (Ross, 1989 Family Conflict, Death, Grieving, Friendship, Healing)
Ordinary People (Redford, 1980 Death, Family Conflict, Suicide)
Truly, Madly, Deeply (Minghella, 1990 death, grieving)
The Son0s Room (Moretti, 2001 death, grieving process, family conflicts)
Three Colors: Blue (Kiewslowski, 1993 Death, Betrayal)
Hotel Rwanda (George, 2004 Genocide):
Summary and Conclusions 173
References 174
The Myth of Mental Illness in the Movies and Its Impact on Forensic Psychology 176
Introduction 176
What Do Insane People Really Look Like? 177
Theoretical Implications 177
Exposure 177
Ideology Formation 179
Theories of Attitude 179
Formulating Public Perception 180
Media Consumption 180
Media Portrayal and Public Perception 180
Violent Portrayals 181
Effects and Consequences in the Courtroom 182
A Successful Insanity Defense Means Everyone Will Escape Responsibility, Right? 182
Media Depictions of Mentally Ill Defendants 183
Dispelling the Myths 184
The Insanity Defense 184
Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity 186
How Media Portrayals Effect the Courtroom 187
Faking Insanity and Multicultural Issues 187
The Effect of Media on Public Perceptions 188
Insanity and Malingering 189
A Closer Look at Media Influence 190
Media as an Agent of Discrimination via Myths Dispersal about Mental Illness 192
The Role of the Psychologist in Extinguishing the Myths Surrounding Mental Illness 192
Advocacy to the Public 192
Normalizing Mental Health 193
Advocacy 194
Endorsing Accurate Portrayals 195
References 196
Looking at Disability Through a Different Lens: Reinterpreting Disability Images in Line with Positive Psychology 198
Positive Psychology and Film 200
Blindness and Visual Impairment 201
Deafness and Hard of Hearing 201
Orthopedic Disability/Mobility Impairment 202
Using Positive Psychology Films in Clinical Settings 204
References 204
Cinema as Alchemy for Healing and Transformation: Using the Power of Films in Psychotherapy and Coaching 206
Introduction 206
The Inner Landscape Fertile for Cinema Alchemy 207
Roots of Cinema Alchemy 207
How the Effect of the Movie Experience in the Context of Psychotherapy and Coaching can be Explained 207
The Power of Projection 209
Disassociation 210
Projection of Disowned Parts of Self 210
Inquiry into Transference or Projection 210
Acknowledgement of Disowned Parts 210
The Alchemy Process 211
Four Ways of Cinema Alchemy 211
Watching Movies with Conscious Awareness 213
Doubting Voices 215
Alchemy and the Psychotherapist or Couch 216
Ways Films Aid the Therapeutic and the Coaching Process 216
Self-discovery, Healing, and Growth Through Work with Matrices 218
Ways to Integrate Movies in the Therapeutic and the Coaching Process 220
When Transformation Works ! and Not! 226
Guidelines and Limitations 226
References 229
Deconstructing: Perspectives on Perspective-Making 231
Critic as Artist 231
Fresh Eyes for Readers 232
Critic as Scientist/Engineer 233
Critic as Dramaturgist 235
Critic as Television Consultant 235
The Real(ity) Effects of the Media 237
Distal Does Not Mean Distant 238
Values as Mental Models 239
Literally Save the Children 240
Morality Tales for Teens 244
Portrayals Deconstruct Real Values 246
Conclusion 247
Mindful Media 248
Media Mythmaking 249
The Final Curtain: Movies as Models 251
References 254
Film Reference List -- Compiled by Mary Banks Gregerson 255
Subject Index 280