Proceedings of the 35th International Academic Conference, Barcelona

FILM EDUCATION IN THE THERAPEUTIC PROCESS. FILMMAKING WORKSHOPS FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER PATIENTS

MAŁGORZATA JAKUBOWSKA

Abstract:

It goes without saying that any cancer experience may result in a psychological trauma and become an emotional challenge for both the patient and her/his family. It may be argued that it is even more traumatic when it affects children. In my presentation I will focus on a relatively new idea of using film education as an element of psychiatric therapy of pediatric cancer patients. Although filmmaking arose from cinema therapy, which uses film projections during psychotherapy sessions, it has evolved into a form requiring the active involvement of patients in filmmaking. As a form of artistic expression it creates an opportunity for the patient to vent their fears and stress in a creative way (well-known art therapy profits) but it also constitute key elements of achieving resilience. I would like to have a closer look at the basic meaning, conceptualization as well as the goals of resilience theory. By emphasizing the importance of positive factors and mechanisms, resilience theory explains the phenomenon of children’s, adolescents’ or adults’ positive adaptation despite adverse life conditions, traumatic events and hostile environments. The filmmaking workshops for pediatric cancer patients of the Foundation for Children with Cancer Diseases – Blood Cell (Fundacja dla Dzieci z Chorobami Nowotworowymi – Krwinka) organized in 2015, 2016 and in 2017 (in cooperation with a psychotherapist working with children and their families) became for me an opportunity to implement my theoretical research, confronting theory with practice as well as for my further studies in this field.

Keywords: film education, filmmaking, art therapy, resilience

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2018.935.021

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