Inspirational Films

January of 2008, I started working as a mentor at a residential treatment center in Orem called Telos.  I've worked on several different shifts there and, fortunately, I've been able to continue working there after leaving for 4 months during the Fall of 2008 when I did the Romania Internship.  It is by far the the best job I've ever had and will be the hardest thing for me to leave when my wife and I move out of Utah at the end of May.  

One thing I've always been impressed with about Telos is how media is used.  The CEO understands the negative influences of media and has restricted movie-watching to one pre-approved leisure movie per week.  We spend the rest of our time training for triathlons and doing other activities.  

However, therapists will often use inspiring films in therapy and in therapeutic groups.  Yesterday during recreational therapy, the rec therapist had us watch White Squall.   
 

I was impressed how she was able to use the story from the film to get the boys to identify their own issues that they were struggling with and help them see positive and negative ways of dealing with those issues.  
 
We also saw Invictus a few weeks ago at the dollar theater and had a similar discussion afterward. 

These are just a couple of examples of inspiring films that are based-on true events.  Other movies we've watched at Telos in therapeutic settings include The Legend of Bagger Vance, Antwone Fisher, Dead Poets' Society, Cinderella Man, Martian Child, Remember the Titans, and more.  

I'm really grateful for the opportunities I have had to watch these movies and verbally process and learn from each of them.