Can Superhero Therapy Treat Depression, Anxiety, and PTSD?

Find a TherapistReady to get started?Ready toget started?Add your email to continueEmailGet startedBy submitting your email, you agree to receive reminders and marketing communications.

Mental Health Conditions

Ready to get started?Ready toget started?Add your email to continueEmailGet startedBy submitting your email, you agree to receive reminders and marketing communications.

Ready to get started?

Ready toget started?

Add your email to continue

Get started

By submitting your email, you agree to receive reminders and marketing communications.

Mental Health HomepageConditions LibraryConditions CategoryConditions CategoryCan Superhero Therapy Treat Depression, Anxiety, and PTSD?

Table of Contents:Overview

Read Time: 5 Minutes

Published On: June 1, 2015

Reviewed On: June 1, 2015

Updated On: November 2, 2023

Overview

Superhero Therapyrefers to therapy that incorporates Superheroes and other characters into treatment in order to assist clients struggling with a variety of mental health disorders.

These can include depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain, eating disorders, substance use disorders, and others.

In Superhero Therapy, the therapist’s job is to become the client’s sidekick (the Robin to their Batman), while the client’s job is to complete their Superhero mission (like helping their friends) as they learn how to properly manage the obstacles that stand in their way.

Although research on Superhero Therapy is limited, there is some (indirect) scientific evidence to suggest that connecting with characters may be helpful in improving people’s mental and physical health. For example, last year a group ofItalian researchersdemonstrated that after readingHarry Potter, high school kids were more accepting toward members of stigmatized groups. In addition, people who read engaging fiction, and connected with one or more of the characters appeared tofeel empathy toward these characters. Exercising empathy and compassion toward other people, as well asself-compassion(compassion toward ourselves) has beenshown to improve our mentalandphysical health.

Anyone can become the hero they’ve always wanted to be with Superhero Therapy.

Dr. Janina Scarlet has been featured inHuffPo Live,The Telegraph,Friday Magazine,andPsychology Today. Her book,Superhero Therapy,is expected to be released in July 2016.

Liz Kelly, LCSWLiz Kelly, LICSW, is a licensed clinical social worker in Washington, DC and Virginia. She has spent much of her professional career specializing in the area of grief and loss. She previously worked at the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing, a bereavement counseling center in Washington, DC. During her time at the Wendt Center, she served as a grief counselor to adolescents and adults, provided crisis grief counseling services at the DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, co-facilitated three-day bereavement camps for children ages 6–17, and led support groups and community trainings on grief. Ms. Kelly is passionate about making mental health more accessible and approachable.

Liz Kelly, LICSW, is a licensed clinical social worker in Washington, DC and Virginia. She has spent much of her professional career specializing in the area of grief and loss. She previously worked at the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing, a bereavement counseling center in Washington, DC. During her time at the Wendt Center, she served as a grief counselor to adolescents and adults, provided crisis grief counseling services at the DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, co-facilitated three-day bereavement camps for children ages 6–17, and led support groups and community trainings on grief. Ms. Kelly is passionate about making mental health more accessible and approachable.