I was really pleased to come across Recovery Movie Meet Ups concept recently. When I was in treatment many years ago, we used to watch a movie once a week and it felt like a cheap way of keeping a few clucking addicts quiet, amused or comatose for a couple of hours. That said I got a lot from the films, and from that experience went on using film (both features and documentary in treatment settings, and with individual clients).
I also took a course put together by Birgit Wolz, author of E-Movie Magic – A movie lovers guide to healing and transforming to enhance that work. Birgit proposes Cinema Therapy in a variety of therapeutic scenario. She believes Cinema therapy offers more perspective on life, prompts the viewer to step back from his or her problems and feel less insecure, worried, or discontented. Using films for self-awareness and personal development allows a shift in perspective. When viewed with conscious awareness movies connect us to a long-standing connection between storytelling and self-reflection.
Recovery Movie Meetups is the brainchild of Ted Perkins, who has put an immense amount of work into developing a workbook and program he describes as “a plug-and-play mutual support meeting format”. Screening a curated series of popular films guided by a peer-reviewed workbook with post-film group discussion sessions to generate powerful, transformative moments that can lead to lasting change for individuals in recovery.
Having started hosting a Recovery Movie Meetup Group, the first in the UK, I am already getting attendee feedback that validates that experience. Although the workbook is ideally suited to treatment settings and groups in treatment can be incredibly effective It is also an opportunity to engage with others in recovery away from mutual aid meetings or clinic after cares in a more social environment.
I took a deeper dive reading Ted’s book, Addicted In Film, which goes into a deeper analysis of the films in the workbook through the lens of Ted’s own recovery story and movie business background. Highly recommended.
For more details go to Recovery Movie Meetups
