Movies can solve your relationship problems, according to a study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

Watching romantic comedies had the same benefits as counselling that focussed on acceptance and compassion and one that focussed on active listening in the research. How can watching movies be as beneficial as therapy?

“It’s using movies to start a new conversation, to help couples reprioritise-that’s where the magic lies,” says lead study author Ronald Rogge, PhD, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Rochester in New York. And when you do watch a romantic movie, don’t just go for ones where the guy gets the girl.

The ideal movie features a couple that’s been together for a while and struggles with the day-to-day, says Rogge. When you realise a character behaves in a way you do, it opens a non-threatening floor for discussion, for you to own up to things you’ve been doing well-or not so well- as a partner, he says.