VISTAS Online VISTAS Online is an innovative publication produced for the American Counseling Association by Dr. Garry R. Walz and Dr. Jeanne C. Bleuer of Counseling Outfitters, LLC. Its purpose is to provide a means of capturing the ideas, information and experiences generated by the annual ACA Conference and selected ACA Division Conferences. Papers on a program or practice that has been validated through research or experience may also be submitted. This digital collection of peer-reviewed articles is authored by counselors, for counselors. VISTAS Online contains the full text of over 500 proprietary counseling articles published from 2004 to present. VISTAS articles and ACA Digests are located in the ACA Online Library. To access the ACA Online Library, go to http://www.counseling.org/ and scroll down to the LIBRARY tab on the left of the homepage. n Under the Start Your Search Now box, you may search by author, title and key words. n The ACA Online Library is a member’s only benefit. You can join today via the web: counseling.org and via the phone: 800-347-6647 x222. Vistas™ is commissioned by and is property of the American Counseling Association, 5999 Stevenson Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22304. No part of Vistas™ may be reproduced without express permission of the American Counseling Association. All rights reserved. Join ACA at: http://www.counseling.org/ Article 38 DSM at the Movies: Use of Media in Clinical or Educational Settings Janice J. Caron Feeling anxious about the future? Struggling with Humor in films helps to decrease the impact of irrational growing pains? On the verge of yet another major life thought or behaviors (Hesley & Hesley, 1998). change? Or just hungry to make a difference? Utilizing The emotional impact of film generally films is a new counseling intervention based on the encourages lively interaction and provokes honest and principals of bibliotherapy and the capacity to use thoughtful discussions. Viewing films related to cultural technology-supported videos or DVDs. Bibliotherapy and ethnic diversity issues provides students with a feel uses literature to bring about a therapeutic interaction for the difficult challenges and struggles that immigrants between client and therapist (Hynes & Hynes-Berry, encounter during the acculturation process. Watching 1986). As therapists and educators, the use of media as the various characters’ roles in films enables students a therapeutic approach for facilitating therapeutic or to relate to and understand the lives and beliefs of educational processes is an additional strategy in characters with whom they have little in common attaining therapeutic objectives. (Anderson 1992; Fleming, Piedmont, & Hiam 1990). Films describe political beliefs and struggles, Furthermore, minority students may find that they hopes and fears for the human race and they have an can relate to the narratives found in feature films. Plots impact on human behavior. Films can also provide us may center on their daily challenges and concerns (e.g., with alternatives for dealing with our life experiences; AIDS and/or community violence) and are more likely be they positive or negative. Through the use of films, to include characters from diverse ethnic and individuals can identify with the key characters in the sociocultural backgrounds (e.g, Boyz in the Hood; film, and gain an increased understanding of how these Philadelphia). For students who have lived sheltered individuals resolve their problems. In watching films, lives or who have not been exposed to different cultures, individuals can identify characters and themes similar the films may provide an opportunity to begin to their own. In addition, films enable individuals to desensitization in a safe environment. Instructors need watch for successes and failures and also learn new to inform the audience about any violence and profanity approaches to solving problems – a process called prior viewing films. When integrated into a curriculum, modeling (Hesley & Hesley, 1998). appropriate films may offer opportunities to encourage Film is both an accessible art form and cultural critical thinking skills. More important, by engaging a experience, so viewing and discussing films “becomes wide range of students, films can stimulate critical a way of pulling clients in, engaging them in a relevant thinking in those who feel alienated from traditional subject in a gripping way. And if the therapist watches teaching. with the clients, it becomes a shared experience that’s more immediate than if, for example, they read the same Use of Films in Clinical and Educational Contexts book” (Walker, 2003). Due to the anxiety associated with certain Benefits of Using Films therapeutic issues such as suicide, divorce, domestic violence, or sexual abuse, Guerin (1976) discussed the There are numerous benefits to viewing films in use of movies as a displacement technique. clinical and educational settings. It validates a client’s Displacement is a technique that allows one to become experience when they view specific films that portray emotionally involved in a situation but yet allows one dilemmas similar to his or her own. Knowing that to maintain distance and remain objective. Educators someone else has been through the same experiences can use movies in the same way with counseling and emotions may have a profound effect on the client’s students. Although movies do not permit mutual journey of change. Furthermore, a difference in interaction between counselor and clients, they do afford interpretation between therapist and client may enable beginning counselors the opportunity to experience them to generate a variety of productive insights. complex therapeutic situations. This method provides 179 the opportunity to reflect inner struggles, dilemmas, and allowed the client to see his behavior clearly. It is as problem resolutions through the use of visual media. though his behavior was mirrored in the film’s story. It To effectively use film in the psychotherapeutic appears that it is easier for clients to focus on a close- process, Berg-Cross (Berg-Cross, Jennings, & Baruch, to-home story in which the same things viewed on film 1990) created a four-step technique. First, the client are happening in the client’s life. should have a specific issue that he or she is working Because it is often assumed that film watching is on. Second, the therapist must work in a systematic a passive form of entertainment, it is necessary to manner in order to promote the best therapeutic psychologically prepare client(s) before introducing technique possible to advocate change. Third, the movies into therapy. Preparation includes letting therapist must prepare the client and set the stage for individual or group clients know the rationale for the film. Fourth, it is critical to process and discuss the choosing a particular film and providing stimulus film with the client soon after it has been viewed. These questions prior to viewing. Holding a discussion about steps provide optimum benefit in a therapeutic setting. the benefits of watching the movie and how this activity In utilizing cognitive behavioral perspective, films can be helpful follows. Further preparation includes can serve as an intervention method to help clients asking the client, couple, or group a key previewing understand maladaptive core beliefs. In addition, question: “What can this film teach me?” It is with this clinicians can utilize cognitive restructuring and cognitive set that the film is then viewed. At the same appropriate behavior modification to implement time, this preparation also moves the film viewing changes. Clients can become motivated to copy the activity out of the realm of entertainment and into the behavior of film characters who demonstrate courage therapeutic process. in the face of a challenge. Recent theories of learning and creativity suggest that there are seven intelligences: How Films Work in the Classroom the logical (plot), the linguistic (dialogue), the visual- spatial (pictures, colors, symbols), the musical (music The use of films as a counselor education tool and sounds), the interpersonal (storytelling), the creates a rich opportunity for promoting insight into kinesthetic (movement), and the intrapsychic (inner the dynamics of human behavior, for studying guidance). The more of these intelligences clients psychopathology, and for identifying particular access, the faster they learn—and film allows us to counseling interventions that might have been useful access all seven of them (Wolz, 2003). in the situations portrayed in film. A number of A client’s readiness to view a film is assessed by applications of films are as follows. the therapist using the same criteria used when assigning In using The Great Santini film as a teaching tool, intense homework. When clinicians are in doubt about students can be asked to identify each family member’s the emotional strength of the client to deal with the film, role in the family system and to address both strengths it is best to choose a less threatening film or just not and weaknesses of each family member as well as use one at all (Hesley & Hesley, 1998). Keep in mind strengths of the family as a unit. Viewing highly intense that not all clients enjoy viewing films, and not all films can elicit reactions in students who may project clients will benefit from viewing films. Clients who their personal reactions to clients and hence interfere have been diagnosed with major psychiatric disorders with their ability to sustain an objective systems would not be candidates for viewing films. This is due perspective (Higgins & Dermer, 2001). to the fact that it can be difficult to deal with issues that Other techniques that facilitate class discussion arise while viewing the film in their own homes. Films and debate about counseling ethics include use of film are also not recommended for clients who might have clips that are viewed during or before class. These film recently experienced a trauma or loss similar to the clips then provide a common ground or context for protagonist in the film.