What does horror have to do with healing?
Horror movie reviews with a transformative twist.
Welcome, grieflings and frightlings! I am your mistress of the macabre, your siren of support, your enchantress of transformation, I bring a thrilling twist to movie reviews.
I am Margaret Bell, SEP(Somatic Experiencing Practitioner), CT (Certified Thanatologist), and LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor). I guide you to discover, release, and harness your inner final person. Beyond the usual critique, I weave in psychoeducation and present engaging activities for personal growth. Get ready for a cinematic journey that entertains and sparks self-discovery!
Why Horror?
Like trauma and grief, horror is frequently misunderstood, minimized, and underrated.
In our society, which craves instant gratification, the subtle nuances of the bumps in the night, the monsters under the bed, or in the closet often go unnoticed. Alternatively, we find ourselves overwhelmed, bound, and gagged, force-fed by the dominating culture's narrative. Powerless and unable to avert our gaze, we become victims to the slasher’s machete, left to bleed out while those around us either ignore or vehemently refuse to acknowledge reality, consumed with mind-numbing distractions.
I have embarked on my own journey using horror for healing. I have always been a horror fan, and after years of seeing horror as just entertainment, I started to see it as a means for healing, I saw the themes of grief, trauma, the reflections of collective wounds, cultural scars, and societal afflictions.
Through the lens of horror, I witnessed despair, glimpses of hope, and triumphant messages of transformation.
Embracing Fear: Healing through Horror is a series of hair-raising movie reviews that plunge deep into the heart of the horror genre, curated by me, a trauma and grief specialist and a licensed counselor. This series transcends the mere realms of entertainment, unraveling the films, and occasionally television shows and books, into a powerful conduit for personal growth, healing, and enhanced awareness.
By examining horror films through a therapeutic lens, I aim to uncover the genre's potential to serve as a unique vehicle for discussing and integrating complex themes that affect everyday existence.
At its core, Embracing Fear embarks on a profound exploration of grief, trauma, loss, and the intricacies of human emotion. By examining horror films through a therapeutic lens, I aim to uncover the genre's potential to serve as a unique vehicle for discussing and integrating complex themes that affect everyday existence, encompassing elements like trauma, grief, feminism, the representation of women, and gender roles. I highlight the nuanced layers of grief and trauma as they are depicted in horror movies, offering viewers a critique of cinematic art and a guide to understanding and processing their own experiences of fear, trauma, loss, and healing.
Embracing Fear invites audiences to see beyond the surface scares, recognizing horror films as reflective mirrors of society. Each review is crafted to raise awareness of the spirits of grief, the monsters of trauma, and the detrimental aspects of human existence. Whether you're a fan of horror seeking deeper meaning in your favorite films or a person navigating the complexities of grief and trauma, this series promises to illuminate the darkness with insights that resonate and inspire.
Embracing Fear: Healing through Horror fearlessly ventures into attics, basements, and dark spaces, facing not only the demons and monsters on the screen but also those around us and within us. Through this series, I aim to reshape our perception of horror movies, lifting them beyond entertainment to become catalysts for emotional and psychological growth.
Want more?
Check out my podcast The Femme Fatalities: The Femme Fatalities Podcast, Youtube, TikTok, Instagram: @thefemmefatalities
Connect with me on Instagram: @forwardkindheart or check out my website
Disclaimer: The exercises provided on Substack promote self-awareness and growth in a fun and engaging way, but they're not a substitute for therapy. While helpful, they don't offer the full support of a therapist. If you're dealing with serious emotional or mental health issues, prioritize seeking professional help. If you feel triggered during these exercises, pause and seek immediate support. Your mental health should always come first, and consulting a qualified therapist is strongly advised.
I agree 100% on how watching horror movies can give a person a certain amount of strength and hope in dealing with whatever life is throwing at them in the moment or in the past. I actually wrote an article about my own personal experience with a couple movies from 1988 that i had watched back when I was a teenager.
Oooh! I'm so glad you started following me, Margaret. At least someone who talks about Horror as a tool for awareness and growth here. There aren't many of us! 😉