Character strengths cinematherapy: Using movies to inspire change, meaning, and cinematic elevation

Good movies have the potential to capture a trifecta of meaning: they can be enjoyable, engaging, and empowering. In other words, we experience pleasure, focused attention and concentration, and are inspired toward the good or reach new insights into ourselves, others, or the human condition. Drawing on the rapidly emerging science in character strengths, areas of integration with cinematherapy are outlined and explored. A therapeutic change model for character strengths cinematherapy is discussed, with emphasis on the roles of cinematic elevation and cinematic admiration. Practical suggestions to help therapists match client goals, well-being areas, signature strengths, lower strengths, and psychopathology or problem areas are framed. While integration into large scale projects to impact social change is possible with character strengths cinematherapy, the starting point is helping therapists to use this approach with the client in front of them to promote that change one person at a time.