Post-Traumatic Growth and Film/Video-Based Therapy: Cultivating Resilience Through Storytelling and Media Psychology (Advances in Mental Health Research)

This book examines the transformative potential of film and video as tools for fostering posttraumatic growth and emotional healing. It features a foreword by Albert “Skip” Rizzo, PhD, a pioneering VR psychologist and global authority on trauma care.

Building on the framework introduced in the landmark text Film/Video-Based Therapy and Trauma, this book moves survivors beyond symptom relief toward genuine growth. It demonstrates how the visual language of film can be utilized therapeutically to confront trauma, cultivate resilience, and reimagine personal identity through the dynamic interplay of collaborative story-making, human-driven AI story engines, and immersive virtual reality scenes. It further expands the scope of inquiry to explore film and video-based therapy and storytelling in expressive arts therapies, including drama, dance, music, painting, drawing, and other forms of art. With an emphasis on personal narrative and cultural sensitivity, each contribution demonstrates how visual media can serve as both a mirror and a guide, reflecting inner struggles while revealing new paths toward recovery.

Grounded in interdisciplinary theory and practice-oriented insights, this book is an essential resource for mental health professionals, educators, media practitioners, and trauma researchers seeking innovative and inclusive practices. Supplementary clips, lesson plans, and interactive VR demos are available for free at filmandvideobasedtherapy.com.

Joshua L. Cohen is clinically trained as a researcher from Pacifica Graduate Institute and Walden University and is the founder and CEO of Your Digital Storytelling Project in Los Angeles, CA, USA.