Our Ethos
Therapy | Consultation | Training | Public Speaking
Film In Mind advocates for better mental health in the film industry, providing bespoke therapeutic services for the filmmaking community. We evolved in direct response to an unspoken need in the industry to address our collective mental health and bring about positive change.
We bring a unique empathy to our therapeutic work, blending years of experience working in independent documentary with a tailored psychotherapeutic approach. We work with individual filmmakers, film teams & organisations to challenge unhealthy working patterns in the industry that may be preventing us or our projects from reaching their full potential. We work in a number of ways, remaining open-minded and flexible to your needs.
We see clients internationally, with the majority of our work taking place online.
We are evolving in direct response to the needs of the community as we Talk, Listen, Learn and Act.
Counselling & Psychotherapy
We provide personal therapy to help you through all sorts of things – difficult working relationships, challenging subject matter, major life-events, external forces affecting your work or traumatic and painful issues that may be holding you or the project back.
Therapy sessions are typically delivered as 50 minute sessions on a weekly or fortnightly basis, both short-term and long-term. All of our therapists have a deep understanding of the industry you work in.
Group Therapy: We are often asked if we provide group therapy. Many filmmakers want to be connected with their peers but still work in a therapeutic way and we can help facilitate group discussions. Each group is set up on a ‘demand basis’ with no more than 6 participants and takes place online. Please email us to register interest.
Film Supervision
“The unexamined life is not worth living” (Socrates)
Supervision is a reflective space for you, in any filmmaking role, to bring all of the professional issues that you are dealing with on a regular basis and work through them in a non-judgemental and impartial environment. Supervision is a structured but fully collaborative process that recognises the emotional labour involved in documentary making. It can work in the following ways to help us maintain quality and best practice:
- To explore your own process in the face of dealing with trauma, complex relationships and the demands of the industry.
- A space to think about sustaining motivation to tell your story, to step back when you need to and refocus.
- To consider and challenge your own values, creating a space to debate ethical issues within the storytelling.
Group Supervision: We are experienced in providing supportive supervision groups internationally. Each group is set up on a ‘demand basis’ by theme or kept ‘general’ with no more than 8 participants and takes place online. Please get in touch for details of the next group.
Public Speaking & Training
We speak regularly at festivals, labs and events about mental health and ethics in the film industry. We also run workshops with students, emerging and seasoned filmmakers that create dialogue around topics such as self-care, ethical challenges, how to work safely with vulnerable people and challenging subject matter.
Organisations we have worked with include Berlinae Film Festival, IDFA, Sheffield DocFest, Getting Real Documentary Conference (IDA), Women in Film & Television, The D-Word, Doc Society, Film Cymru & Glasgow Film Festival.
Project / Production Company Support
Perhaps you need to carry out a mental health risk assessment in the early stages of your project? Maybe there are tensions within your crew or with your contributors that you need help to resolve? Whatever your needs, we are available to listen, support and help you find solutions.
This can be provided at any stage of your project to individuals or teams, or on a regular basis throughout your work.
Get in touch
If you have any questions please email us at hello@filminmind.co.uk
