Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Web Secret #149: Critical Past

CriticalPast.com - relevance to mental health and other professionals.

Discuss.

OK, I'll admit that I am not exactly sure (yet) how this website is relevant to your career. But it's so darn cool, I figure knowing about it is part of being Internet literate in 2011.

I'll let my friends at Critical Past explain:
"View more than 57,000 historic videos and 7 million photos for FREE in one of the world's largest collections of royalty-free archival stock footage. Offering immediate downloads in more than 10 SD and HD formats, including screeners in all formats."
The collection begins in 1890 and goes up to the 1990s. You can browse the entire archive. Or you can use specific search terms and target a decade or a specific year.

As an example, I decided to enter "psychotherapy" and search the 1940s. I found a number of films. One of the most interesting I watched was:

"A group of patients is given group psychotherapy at Mason General Hospital in Brentwood, New York" - a clip from 1948.

Each film is summarized:

Casualties of World War II receive medical aid in Brentwood, New York. A group of patients is given group psychotherapy at Mason General Hospital. A psychiatrist discusses various issues with the patients.

In addition, the following is provided:

Location: e.g. United States (but there are films from all over the world)
Duration
Sound: Yes or No
Color: black and white versus color
Language: English

You can view the clip, share the clip, buy the clip or discuss the clip.

It was utterly fascinating to think about the post traumatic disorders of Iraqi veterans and compare them and modern treatment to the soldiers of World War II. It was interesting to note the similarities and differences between the two groups, separated by 60 years.

Bottom line - relive it, study it, compare it.

Learn from it.


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