Practice in the Service of Theory

Marta Stańczyk

Abstract

In a review of the book by Małgorzata Kozubek Filmoterapia. Teoria i praktyka [Film Therapy: Theory and Practice] (2016). Stańczyk describes the first monograph on film therapy in Poland and the possibilities of cooperation between film experts and psychologists. The reviewer reads the book through the prism of its pro-social goals, recognizing that Filmotherapy does not fulfil the promises made at the outset. Kozubek’s book is divided into three parts: Theory, Between theory and practice and Practice. In the first part of the book Kozubek describes theoretical foundations (especially the projection-identification mechanism) and the socio-cultural context (post-modernity and therapeutic culture), in the second she reflects on the key to selecting films, placing emphasis on genre formulas as a modern form of myths. Superficial and inconsistent findings weaken the value of these two parts, and at the same time the language used is too hermetic for practitioners involved in film therapy. At the same time, they reduce the potential of the third, practical part of the book, showing Kozubek as an engaged humanist.