Horror Films as Therapy
Film therapy or cinema therapy is a growing area of psychotherapy. There are obvious benefits to using media products as therapeutic tools, as seeing our difficulties represented and responded to by external actors can help us to manage difficult feelings, make sense of our experiences, test out different ways of being, and 'expose' ourselves to challenging situations from a safer distance. Exploring TV, film and videogames can also help us foster social connections with others and reflect on our values and identities.
Due to my personal love of the horror genre, I often draw on horror film and TV in my therapeutic work with clients who share these interests. Films which scare us can be intensely cathartic; they can help us feel and master our fears and anxieties, our anger or losses, our shame and guilt in ways which are safe, controlled and contained. Horror can help us to make sense of traumatic experiences and reflect on the ways we have coped with and survived adversity. Like folklore and fairy tales, horror often utilises deep humanistic themes, which is why these media products tend to resonate with us long after we engage with them.
While this therapeutic approach is not for everyone, combining CBT and talking therapy with elements of media that are meaningful to you can be extremely helpful and healing.
If you are interested in learning more about the ways that horror therapy can be helpful, please get in touch. I also run workshops on 'Horror Films as Therapy' with more details on the Training and Workshops page.
Film therapy or cinema therapy is a growing area of psychotherapy. There are obvious benefits to using media products as therapeutic tools, as seeing our difficulties represented and responded to by external actors can help us to manage difficult feelings, make sense of our experiences, test out different ways of being, and 'expose' ourselves to challenging situations from a safer distance. Exploring TV, film and videogames can also help us foster social connections with others and reflect on our values and identities.
Due to my personal love of the horror genre, I often draw on horror film and TV in my therapeutic work with clients who share these interests. Films which scare us can be intensely cathartic; they can help us feel and master our fears and anxieties, our anger or losses, our shame and guilt in ways which are safe, controlled and contained. Horror can help us to make sense of traumatic experiences and reflect on the ways we have coped with and survived adversity. Like folklore and fairy tales, horror often utilises deep humanistic themes, which is why these media products tend to resonate with us long after we engage with them.
While this therapeutic approach is not for everyone, combining CBT and talking therapy with elements of media that are meaningful to you can be extremely helpful and healing.
If you are interested in learning more about the ways that horror therapy can be helpful, please get in touch. I also run workshops on 'Horror Films as Therapy' with more details on the Training and Workshops page.
Photo by Alexander Sinn on Unsplash
