75 Top-Rated Self-Help Films

Adapted with special permission from: Norcross, J. C., Campbell, L. M., Grohol, J. M., Santrock, J. W., Selagea, F., & Sommer, R. (2013). Self-help that works: Evidence-based resources for the public and professionals (fourth ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.

1. Temple Grandin (Autism and Asperger’s)
2. Iris (dementia/Alzheimer’s)
3. Milk (gay, lesbian, bisexual issues)
4. Ordinary People (suicide/death & grieving)
5. I Never Sang for My Father (men’s issues)
6. On Golden Pond (aging)
7. Billy Elliot (men’s issues)
8. Away from Her (dementia/Alzheimer’s)
9. The Joy Luck Club (families & stepfamilies)
10. The Squid and the Whale (divorce)
11. The Trip to the Bountiful (adult development)
12. The Soloist (schizophrenia)
13. In the Valley of Elah (post-traumatic stress disorder)
14. The Lost Weekend (addictive disorders)
15. Days of Wine and Roses (addictive disorders)
16. Angels in America (gay, lesbian, bisexual issues)
17. The Notebook (dementia/Alzheimer’s)
18. Stand by Me (teenagers & parenting)
19. Life as a House (families & step families)
20. Requiem for a Dream (substance abuse)
21. Corrina, Corrina (death & grieving)
22. October Sky (men’s issues)
23. A Beautiful Mind (schizophrenia)
24. The Doctor (adult development)
25. Children of a Lesser God (communication & people skills)
26. The Karen Carpenter Story (eating disorders)
27. The Fighter (substance abuse)
28. Kramer vs. Kramer (divorce)
29. The Color Purple (abuse)
30. Family Man (families & step families)
31. A Woman Under the Influence (addictive disorders)
32. Dead Poets Society (teenagers & parenting)
33. Brokeback Mountain (gay, lesbian, bisexual issues)
34. The Great Santini (narcissistic personality disorder)
35. It’s a Wonderful Life (adult development)
36. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? (Autism and Asperger’s)
37. Torch Song Trilogy (sexuality)
38. My Name is Bill W. (substance abuse)
39. The Bucket List (death and grieving)
40. Sunset Boulevard (borderline and narcissistic personality disorders)
41. The Accused (post traumatic stress disorder)
42. Terms of Endearment (families and step families)
43. Fried Green Tomatoes (women’s issues)
44. Searching for Bobby Fischer (child development and parenting)
45. Best Little Girl in the World (eating disorder)
46. Clean and Sober (substance abuse)
47. The Kids Are All Right (marriage)
48. A League of Their Own (women’s issues)
49. Bird (schizophrenia)
50. Steel Magnolias (death and grieving)
51. A Bronx Tale (teenagers and parenting)
52. House of Sand and Fog (suicide)
53. Rachel Getting Married (substance abuse)
54. Juno (pregnancy)
55. As Good as It Gets (obsessive compulsive disorder)
56. The Breakfast Club (teenagers and parenting)
57. The Turning Point (women’s issues)
58. Rain Man (families and step families)
59. In the Bedroom (death and grieving)
60. A River Runs Through It (death and grieving)
61. Fly Away Home (families and step families)
62. Shine (schizophrenia)
63. Mr. Holland’s Opus (adult development)
64. This Boy’s Life (abuse)
65. Thirteen (teenagers and parenting)
66. Mystic River (abuse)
67. Bowling for Columbine (violent youth)
68. Field of Dreams (men’s issues)
69. Circle of Friends (teenagers and parenting)
70. Little Women (teenagers and parenting)
71. ‘Night, Mother (suicide)
72. Girl, Interrupted (borderline and narcissistic personality disorder)
73. The Hours (depression)
74. Up in the Air (men’s issues)
75. Revolutionary Road (marriage)