Recognizing the need to engage hospitalized teens and overwhelmed families in psychiatric treatment, this Workshop describes a unique exercise that uses movies to facilitate family engagement. The family movie night prescription relies on three elements to overcome resistance to treatment. First, the movie provides a common ground to capture the mutual attention of even the most distant families. Second, the movie is a communication catalyst, allowing families to open up about high stress topics through the movie themes. These are often topics that are too stressful for families to discuss more directly. Finally, the movie can model an inspiring story, encouraging families to consider each others’ strengths as well as their problems and conflicts.

Sponsored by the AACAP Arts Committee