Sunday, May 18, 2008

True Grit(s) and Community Psychology

What is community psychology?

Community psychology deals with the relationships of the individual to communities and the wider society. Community psychologists seek to understand the quality of life of individuals, communities, and society. Their aim is to enhance quality of life through collaborative research and action, and they seek to work with community members as partners. One of the goals of community psychology involves Empowerment of individuals and communities that have been marginalized by society.



“Empowerment is viewed as a process: the mechanism by which people, organizations, and communities gain mastery over their lives.”
- Julian Rappaport, PH.D.



Seven Core Values in Community Psychology:

Individual Wellness
Sense of Community
Social Justice
Citizen participation
Collaboration and community strengths
Respect for human diversity
Empirical Grounding





As an artist and ghetto savant with a M.A. in psychology, I was interested in applying the principles of community psychology to the art of filmmaking. So with this marriage of art and psychology, True Grit(s) was born. In June, the film and the psychology behind it will travel to Lisbon.

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