CEU Cinema - Watch and Learn for CEUS
View Movies and read texts for CE credit in three easy steps
About Us
Sheira Kahn, MFT, (Founder and President) was trained at CIIS as an Expressive Arts Therapist, where she learned about right- and left-brain modes of thinking. As a continuing education provider, she realized that a curriculum activating both sides of the brain would supply knowledge and produce empathy - the key to effective work with the public. (Click here to read an article by Professor Sanjen Miedzinski on the two modes of thinking).
The mission of CEU Cinema isto uplift the human spirit
and vitalize the practice of therapy – one therapist, one client, and one class
at a time.
The goal of CEU Cinema is to provide pertinent and challenging online continuing education courses that engage both the intellect and the emotions.
Criteria for courses at CEU Cinema
Movies are selected for:
Factual Content
The movie must have facts about the issue being explored – causes, characteristics, symptoms, and case information.
Psychological Content
The movie explores a psychological or clinical issue in depth. The exploration must promote not only facts and symptoms, but also a deeper understanding of that issue. It must consider a variety of aspects – cause, course, diagnosis, treatment/solutions, and what life is like for the person with that problem. Psychological content differs from factual content in that it presents a sense of the whole issue and the whole person who has it, not just the characteristics of the issue.
Metaphoric Content
By “metaphoric”, we mean that the movie must have both emotional impact and artistic resonance. It must elicit an emotional response in the viewer. In addition, a movie that meets our criteria will see a character through a personal transformation. Personal transformation is often best captured through metaphor, so the films we choose often contain metaphors or other forms of artistry, including meaningful dialogue or music that brings out the emotional impact of a scene.
Artistic Value
We choose movies that are well-written, well-acted, and compelling. The metaphors work well together, and there are story lines, well-crafted dialogue, and character arcs. Films that have prejudicial, 2-dimensional characters or are sensationalized and lack depth do not make it into our classes.
Web Sites are chosen for:
Hard Data
Statistics and research are included in our courses from the recent studies and analyses available on the Internet.
Additional Facts
Websites are used to fill in information critical to the diagnosis and treatment of certain disorders.
Resource Info
Updated frequently, websites provide links to support organizations, local services, and information on the web.
Videos are selected for:
Background Knowledge
In order provide a complete presentation, videos are selected for their ability to provide additional information about the causes, formation and clinical presentation of problems.
Instructional content
We choose videos that provide statistics, lists, rules (in the case of law and ethics), diagnostic criteria, and treatment goals that are useful to practitioners.
Treatment information
Videos provide recommendations for treatment interventions that may not be covered in the movies.
Educational Commentaries
The educational commentaries tee up the student for the learning experience. Having reviewed the movies and additional materials thoroughly, Sheira and Suraya point out on how the information works together to advance the learning. They also describe what to focus on in each film so as to promote an understanding of the clinical issue.
Sheira Kahn, MFT, (Founder and President) was trained at CIIS as an Expressive Arts Therapist, where she learned about right- and left-brain modes of thinking. As a continuing education provider, she realized that a curriculum activating both sides of the brain would supply knowledge and produce empathy - the key to effective work with the public. (Click here to read an article by Professor Sanjen Miedzinski on the two modes of thinking).
The mission of CEU Cinema is
The goal of CEU Cinema is to provide pertinent and challenging online continuing education courses that engage both the intellect and the emotions.
| Sheira Kahn, MFT, Founder and President (M.A., California Institute of Integral Studies, 1999) - Sheira practices psychotherapy in San Rafael, California (see www.sheirakahn.com), curates classes for CEU Cinema locally and at film festivals, coaches artists on creativity, and presents seminars on eating disorders. Once a member of an all-girl band, her involvement in CEU Cinema blends Sheira’s love of the Arts and Psychology. “Did you know that the Greek word “psyche” is associated with the butterfly, which is a symbol of change? Is there a movie about that?” |  |
| Suraya Susana Keating, MFT, Co-Founder (M.A., California Institute of Integral Studies, 1999),
is a Registered Drama Therapist and a Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga
Instructor. Suraya teaches classes in theatre, dance and yoga, directs
Shakespeare plays at San Quentin State Prison, and leads groups in the
creation of original theatre performance in jails, prisons and schools.
When not working, she can be found dancing the Five Rhythms,
adventuring down a mountain on her snowboard, or exploring the fine
world of dark chocolate. |  |
| Lori Schwanbeck, MA, MFT, Managing Partner, has extensive experience in the the fields of psychotherapy and education. In addition to her clinical practice, she is a recognized speaker and trainer on the topics of experiential, skills-based therapy and mindfulness. She has taught therapists internationally in graduate programs, professional conferences, and counseling agencies. She recently worked as a program host and interviewer for an on-line CEU provider. As Managing Partner with CEU Cinema, she focuses on ways to make the learning experience clinically relevant as well as emotionally and creatively engaging. She works in business development by emphasizing the reach of the internet as a learning platform, as well as the potential for film to engage and teach. Lori is co-founder of Mindfulness Therapy Associates and practices psychotherapy in the San Francisco Bay area. Prior to becoming a psychotherapist and teacher, Lori worked in the marketing and communications fields. |  |
| Caroline Libresco, Film Curator/Consultant has, since 1994, programmed and curated documentaries and feature films for the country's most important film festivals and for public television. On the filmmaking side, among multiple credits, she produced the award-winning documentary, Sunset Story, and co-wrote and produced the gritty indie feature, Fanci's Persuasion. Caroline serves as consultant to Harvard’s Kennedy School, as Zurich Film Festival's U.S. Delegate, and on the board of directors of Women Make Movies (www.wmm.com). She holds a B.A. from Oberlin College, an M.A. in Religious Studies from Harvard University, and an M.F.A. from UCLA Film School, and has appeared widely on film panels and juries internationally. |  |
| Lila Kahn, Director of Marketing, brings a background as an entrepreneur and marketing professional to CEU Cinema. Since earning her Master of Management Hospitality degree from the Cornell Hotel School in 2002, Lila has positioned both established and start-up companies to the public by creating comprehensive, integrated marketing programs. Once a restaurant owner, her entrepreneurial side kicked in when she was asked to advise CEU Cinema on everything from naming the company to designing the website. An avid movie lover, Lila combines her knowledge of film with a degree in Human Development (B.S., Cornell University) to make recommendations for the CEU Cinema catalog. |  |
Criteria for courses at CEU Cinema
Movies are selected for:
- Factual content
- Psychological content
- Metaphoric content
- Artistic value
Factual Content
The movie must have facts about the issue being explored – causes, characteristics, symptoms, and case information.
Psychological Content
The movie explores a psychological or clinical issue in depth. The exploration must promote not only facts and symptoms, but also a deeper understanding of that issue. It must consider a variety of aspects – cause, course, diagnosis, treatment/solutions, and what life is like for the person with that problem. Psychological content differs from factual content in that it presents a sense of the whole issue and the whole person who has it, not just the characteristics of the issue.
Metaphoric Content
By “metaphoric”, we mean that the movie must have both emotional impact and artistic resonance. It must elicit an emotional response in the viewer. In addition, a movie that meets our criteria will see a character through a personal transformation. Personal transformation is often best captured through metaphor, so the films we choose often contain metaphors or other forms of artistry, including meaningful dialogue or music that brings out the emotional impact of a scene.
Artistic Value
We choose movies that are well-written, well-acted, and compelling. The metaphors work well together, and there are story lines, well-crafted dialogue, and character arcs. Films that have prejudicial, 2-dimensional characters or are sensationalized and lack depth do not make it into our classes.
Web Sites are chosen for:
- Hard data
- Additional facts
- Resource information
Hard Data
Statistics and research are included in our courses from the recent studies and analyses available on the Internet.
Additional Facts
Websites are used to fill in information critical to the diagnosis and treatment of certain disorders.
Resource Info
Updated frequently, websites provide links to support organizations, local services, and information on the web.
Videos are selected for:
- Background knowledge
- Instructional content
- Treatment and interventions
Background Knowledge
In order provide a complete presentation, videos are selected for their ability to provide additional information about the causes, formation and clinical presentation of problems.
Instructional content
We choose videos that provide statistics, lists, rules (in the case of law and ethics), diagnostic criteria, and treatment goals that are useful to practitioners.
Treatment information
Videos provide recommendations for treatment interventions that may not be covered in the movies.
Educational Commentaries
The educational commentaries tee up the student for the learning experience. Having reviewed the movies and additional materials thoroughly, Sheira and Suraya point out on how the information works together to advance the learning. They also describe what to focus on in each film so as to promote an understanding of the clinical issue.