Based on the original play and book written by Ntozake Shange (1989), For Colored Girls (2010) is a revealing drama-based film on the intricate sociocultural and interpersonal experiences of ten Black/African American females. Set in New York, For Colored Girls illustrates the interconnected nature of the women’s lives, involving diverse biopsychosocial and economic factors that bring the women together at differing points in the film. Each woman represents a complementary color (e.g., red, orange, yellow, blue, etc.), which parallels their distinctive phases of life. At the close of the film, the women foster support, empowerment, and a profound sense of spiritual self-awareness through their unifying experiences.

For Colored Girls portrays several themes on child abuse, gender-based violence, grief and loss, alcohol and substance use, PTSD, and personality conditions. Due to the multilayered depictions of varying emotional, behavioral, and mental health concerns, the film provides dynamic case study pieces for classroom discussion. Moreover, For Colored Girls highlights therapeutic strategies associated with substance use, complex trauma, case management, and group process counseling. Consequently, the film serves as an excellent educational tool for entry-level counseling skills training and development. Further, counseling students and practitioners can benefit from the film’s interdisciplinary perspective on mental health, including counseling, social work, psychology, public health, and related fields. It is important to note that the complex trauma content may be triggering for some individuals. Thus, precautionary notice is worth giving to counseling students before the film’s viewing and use in the classroom setting.