Self-Injury in Film: "PERFECTION" the Movie, with Actor & Director Christina Beck

The Psychology of Self-Injury: Exploring Self-Harm & Mental Health

Every screenwriter and film director is different and each has their own intentions and motivations, but what goes into the writing of characters who engage in self-injury and self-harm? How are such films inspired, and how do writers and directors choose to frame self-injury content? In this episode, screenwriter, director, and actress Christina Beck discusses her independent feature film "PERFECTION" and what inspired the characters and content of the film. This episode was recorded as a live virtual session held during the 17th annual ISSS Conference on June 24, 2022.

To watch PERFECTION (for free), visit perfectionthemovie.wordpress.com and click on "Watch PERFECTION NOW!" Download the movie's free companion workbook here. Please note that some content in the film could be upsetting or triggering, including depictions of self-injury, substance use, and brief flashbacks that allude to sexual abuse.

Christina is also a film professor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. You can follow her on Twitter at @xtinabeck and Facebook at www.facebook.com/perfectionfilm.

To review the Media Guidelines for the Responsible Reporting and Depicting of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, click here. You can also visit www.itriples.org/media-guidelines to read the original ISSS white paper and its accompanied infographic.

Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS).

The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated #5 by Feedspot in their "Best 20 Clinical Psychology Podcasts" and by Welp Magazine in their "20 Best Injury Podcasts."