PsychologyAugust 24, 2026
cinematherapy
sin-uh-muh-THER-uh-pee
Definition
A therapeutic approach that uses movies, film, and other visual narratives to help clients explore, understand, and process their own emotions and life experiences.
Etymology
The word is a portmanteau combining 'cinema,' derived from the Greek 'kinema' meaning motion, and 'therapy,' from the Greek 'therapeia' meaning healing or service.
In the news
The article cites Niemiec’s 2020 work on cinematherapy to validate the practice of using films to facilitate healing and provide therapeutic breakthroughs for clients.
How Art Can Help Rewrite the Plot
Read the full article ↗Psychology Today