Teaching Theories of Couples Counseling: The Use of Popular Movies

Abstract

This article presents a model for using Hollywood films to teach theories of couples counseling. The authors first review the literature on using motion pictures as an instructional strategy in counselor education and psychology courses in general; advantages and disadvantages are highlighted. Next, they describe how they integrate movies into a typical one-semester course that emphasizes communications, systems, and psychodynamic models. The authors discuss the films they show, how each film illustrates constructs specific to the theory being taught, the exercises they use to enhance the learning experience, and student responses. They conclude by citing the advantages of using films to teach couples counseling if the instructor uses a variety of strategies to maximize student learning.