https://doi.org/10.1177/00221678211017342
Journal of Humanistic Psychology
1–9
© The Author(s) 2021
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DOI: 10.1177/00221678211017342
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Special Issue: Film as Cultural Therapeutics
Introduction to the
Special Issue on the
Cultural Therapeutics
of Film
Eric Greene
1
and Nisha Gupta
2
Abstract
This interdisciplinary special issue explores the synergy between
psychotherapy and filmmaking—particularly how film can serve as a
powerful healing function by bringing voice, representation, and light to
the all-too-often overlooked and shadowed aspects of psychological and
cultural life, similar to the work of psychotherapy. To understand the
culturally therapeutic aspects of filmmaking, this issue features psychological
and cinematic insights from two fields of experts and their crafts: scholars
and their writing and filmmakers and their films. The unique approach of
this special issue provides new possibilities for interdisciplinary collaboration
between psychologists and filmmakers to explore the therapeutic function
of film for society as well as avenues for film to address, heal, and transform
the pressing cultural issues of our times.
Keywords
film, psychoanalysis, liberation psychology, critical psychology, phenomenology
We are pleased to bring to you this special issue of the Journal of Humanistic
Psychology about the culturally therapeutic aspects of filmmaking. For this
project, we gathered contributions from scholars and filmmakers about how
1
Self, Los Angeles, LA, USA
2
University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, USA
Corresponding Author:
Eric Greene, Self, 2558 corralitas dr., Los Angeles, LA 90039, USA.
Email: ericmatthewgreene@gmail.com
1017342JHP XX X 10.1177/00221678211017342Journal of Humanistic PsychologyGreene and Gupta
research-article 2021