Can movies be healing?

Movies can be used as a self-help tool, to provoke discussion and identification of client issues, or even as a tool in patient diagnosis. Throughout my own life, I have been impressed by the tremendous potential of films, more than any other media, to affect my emotions and thought processes. In this paper, I am discussing the development and scope of cinematherapy and describe heuristically the emotional impact of several specific movies on myself and the implications for the therapeutic use of these movies.