CinemaTherapy

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Therapist Reacts to STARDUST

What makes love lasting? How do you know if it's actually love?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright look at the different relationships in Stardust to contrast infatuation and love. Tristan's relationship with Victoria is all about one-sided infatuation, him trying to prove himself worthy of her affection while she looks down on him (simp culture!). But Tristan's relationship with Yvaine is all about both of them growing as individuals, getting to know and ca...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Villain Therapy: HARLEY QUINN and Histrionic Personality Disorder

Why is Harley Quinn often doing things to get attention?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright, along with editor, producer, and frequent guest Sophie Tellez, discuss the psychology behind Harley Quinn, why she acts the way she does, and why people love Margot Robbie's portrayal of this villain (anti-hero?). Jonathan discusses the codependency between Harley and the Joker, diagnoses her with Histrionic Personality Disorder, and dives into what that is and how s...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Movie Family Therapy: The Asgardians

Can Thor's family overcome all the betrayal, loss, lies, and hurt to have healthy family relationships?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are here to do a session of systemic family therapy for some of their favorite characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With Odin's intense expectations and pressure he puts on his kids, Loki discovering he was adopted, Frigga's death, Thor feeling betrayed by both his father and brother (and later his sister Hella,...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Therapist Reacts to DUNE

What happens when you try to control your child's path in life?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Dune and contrast Duke Leto's and Lady Jessica's approaches to parenting. Paul Atreides has some complicated relationships with his parents, dealing with intense expectations from his parents, control, some moments of positive and negative parenting, and a whole lot of sand. We talk about the importance of honorin...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Psychology of a Hero: Amazing Spider-Man with guest Omar Zaki

How do you move forward after loss? How do you get back up when facing grief?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker, filmmaker Alan Seawright, and professional stunt man Omar Zaki (who was actually a body double/stand-in for Andrew Garfield in No Way Home!!!) take a look at Andrew Garfield's portrayal of Peter Parker and what we can learn about dealing with grief and loss from The Amazing Spider-Man. Peter loses a lot of people in a very short time, and it gets hard for him to do the right...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Therapist Reacts to THE LITTLE MERMAID

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at Ariel's relationship with her dad King Triton, her developing romance with Eric, and her concerning amount of hoarding.

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Therapist Reacts to PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

Is Pride and Prejudice a better love story than Twilight? We definitely think so!

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker, filmmaker Alan Seawright, and Cinema Therapy writer/producer Megan Seawright take a look at why the classic Jane Austen enemies to lovers story actually works, why people still love it today, and whether or not Darcy and Elizabeth are actually a good match. They're talking about what it takes to actually change, to acknowledge when you're wrong, and to overcome your prid...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Villain Therapy: WENWU from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

What can help people actually change? And make lasting change?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to see what we can learn from the villain, Shang-Chi's dad, Wenwu (Tony Leung). As far as villains go, he's one of the best in a recent movie, and gives us a lot to think about with his relationships with his kids and his wife, his motivation to change, and then slipping back into old habits. We t...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: What TOY STORY Got Right About Friendship

How can you build friendships that last to infinity and beyond?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright talk about the characteristics of strong friendships as shown by the characters in Pixar's Toy Story franchise, especially Woody and Buzz. These characters show what it's like to maintain friendship even when you disagree or face hard times. It's about supporting each other (even when you're having an existential crisis when you realize you're a toy), being rea...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Relationship Therapist Ranks Disney Romances

Which Disney couples would be most (or least) likely to live happily ever after?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at these six iconic Disney couples to see which ones are quite unhealthy, and which ones might actually have the foundation for a lasting relationship: Aladdin and Jasmine, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Fix-it-Felix and Calhoun (Wreck-it-Ralph), Rapunzel and Eugene (Tangled), Simba and Nala (The Lion King), and Snow White and Prin...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Psychology of a Hero: MAX ROCKATANSKY (Mad Max) with guest Caleb Blood

How do you move forward from trauma and not let it define you?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are joined by composer Caleb Blood to take a journey on the Fury Road for a look at the character of Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) and his journey facing PTSD. What a lovely day! They talk about Max's symptoms of PTSD, how he learns to build trust and connection, the ways he displays healthy masculinity, and how George Miller created an incredible film. There's ad...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Therapist Reacts to TURNING RED

How can you pave your own path and honor the traditions of your family? How can you heal damaged relationships in your family?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are joined by filmmaker (and Cinema Therapy associate producer/editor) Sophie Telléz to take a look at the mother-daughter relationships in Pixar's Turning Red. They talk about the struggles of growing up and finding your path, the importance of friendship and relationships, the power of stories fo...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Psychology of a Hero: LEIA and Leadership with Guest Matt Schrader

What does it mean to be a leader? Our princess, our general, Leia Organa can teach us a lot about how to be a leader.

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker, filmmaker Alan Seawright, and guest filmmaker/podcaster Matt Schrader dive into the Star Wars universe to look at leadership skills, role models, relationships, and more. Leia embodies confidence, leading by example, and problem solving. And of course, Carrie Fisher's fabulous performance enhances all of this because she can command th...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Therapist Reacts to Bruno from ENCANTO

Why won't they talk about Bruno? We're going to, family rules be d*#$%d!

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are back with more of Disney's (we're not ashamed to say it, MASTERPIECE) ENCANTO, and they're breaking the rules by talking about Bruno, and why his family avoids talking about him.

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Therapists React to MAD MAX FURY ROAD with guest Dr. Imani Walker

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are joined by Dr. Imani Walker to discuss recovering from trauma through the characters of Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) and the brides, as depicted in director George Miller's absolutely brilliant and insane Mad Max Fury Road. They talk about Immortan Joe's narcissism, controlling and abusive behavior, and gaslighting. And they take a look at Furiosa's journey to find healing and redemption, and how helping rescue the brid...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Movie Couples Therapy: PETER PARKER and MJ from SPIDER-MAN

What does it take to make a relationship work? And can you have a healthy relationship after going through a rough patch?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at the relationship between Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) and Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) from director Sam Raimi’s original Spider-Man Trilogy, to see what struggles they had in their relationship, and what would have helped them work through them. It's couples therapy for Peter and MJ...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Psychology of a Hero: HULK and Anger Management

What do you do when you feel so angry you just want to smash something?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at Bruce Banner/the Hulk to see what we can learn about anger management. Hulk is a warning against unmanaged anger, but also a decent blueprint for dealing with anger in real life. They talk about how anger isn't an inherently bad thing, though being "always angry" maybe isn't the healthiest... finding healthy outlets for anger, and how the...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Therapist Reacts: BIG HERO SIX and Grief

How does Hiro find healing and move forward after losing his brother?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright talk about the stages of grief as seen in Big Hero 6 as Baymax and Hiro's friends help him through his grief and find healing and meaning after loss. They talk about the themes of choosing who we want to be and how Hiro's grief process helps him figure out who he wants to be, honoring the departed, the brother relationship between Hiro and Tadashi, and th...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Therapist Reacts to Movie Therapist: WHAT ABOUT BOB

Is What About Bob actually a horror film? It kind of is for therapists...

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at the therapist/client relationship in What About Bob, and how Bill Murray's character, while sometimes charming and hilarious, is way out of line, and Richard Dreyfuss (the therapist), while often arrogant and narcissistic, is actually right a lot of the time. They talk about the importance of boundaries, which therapeutic techniques in ...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Villain Therapy or Psychology of a Hero: SEVERUS SNAPE

Is Severus Snape a hero or a villain?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take an in-depth look at the character of Severus Snape -- what makes him heroic, what makes him villainous, and how love and bitterness shaped him. They talk about his bullying of Harry and other students, his relationship with Lily, his loyalty to Dumbledore, and how absolutely iconic Alan Rickman is in this role.

Are Snape's feelings for Lily actually love? Is he a hero, villai...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: TITANIC: Love Triangles and Compatibility

How do you know if you're compatible with someone?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at the love triangle in Titanic to see if Rose's love interests were actually a good fit for her. As you get to know someone in a relationship, they'll reveal their character to you, but how can you tell early on?  Rose DeWitt-Bukater only knew Jack Dawson for a few short days, and they came from very different backgrounds. Rose and Cal Hockley had known ea...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: FIGHT CLUB and Men's Mental Health and Toxic Masculinity with guest Gabe Kapler

What does it mean to be a man? This is the central question of Fight Club.

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are joined by guest Gabe Kapler, manager of the San Francisco Giants, to talk about men's mental health, healthy masculinity, and advocating for that in the sports world and in society. They talk about how Fight Club is an exploration of masculinity and the expectations of men, and how seeing masculinity as only tough, aggressive, and hyper-sexual is...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Villain Therapy: CRUELLA

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at Cruella's backstory -- how she blamed herself for her mother's death, how she struggled to make her way in a creative profession, how she has to prove she's better than the baroness. She felt weak and powerless as Estella, but the persona of Cruella allowed her to exert her power and express her creativity, and often manifests itself as a state of hypomania. They also talk about the phenomenal performances from Emm...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: MEGAMIND and Nice Guy™ Syndrome

What is the difference between niceness and goodness? Megamind is all about one guy who doesn't understand the difference, and another who learns the difference.

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright talk about Nice Guy Syndrome, especially as seen in the character of Hal/Tighten (Jonah Hill) and how he thinks he deserves or can earn Roxanne's affection. But also how Megamind (Will Ferrell) learns what it really means to be good, how Roxanne (Tina Fey) and Metr...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Therapist Reacts to RUNAWAY BRIDE

Is she scared of commitment? Lying to herself and others? Doesn't know who she is? What makes Maggie Carpenter (Julia Roberts) keep literally running from relationships? Why does Ike Graham (Richard Gere) fall in love with her? How does director Garry Marshall not screw it all up?

Relationship expert licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright talk about the classic rom-com Runaway Bride, from quirky characters to classic tropes, and what this one actually gets right...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Therapist Reacts to ENCANTO

What do you do when you're feeling pressure like a drip, drip, drip that'll never stop? How do you handle the pressure -- from yourself or other people in your life -- to be perfect or to live up to expectations?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at the theme of toxic perfectionism in Disney's Encanto. They talk about how to handle the pressure, how to heal family relationships, how to look past our assumptions about people, and how to accept yo...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Psychology of a Hero: BATMAN/THE DARK KNIGHT Trilogy

Can fear ever be a good thing? For Bruce Wayne, his fear and grief are motivators for the good he does.

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright discuss Christian Bale's portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman, and his journey to not be defined by his grief, fear, or failures, but to use them to do good and help others. Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy helps us explore how we can challenge our fears and anxieties, develop and maintain our morality in the face of di...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Therapist Reacts to TRAIN TO BUSAN

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are joined in this episode by Cinema Therapy's associate producer and editor, Sophie Téllez, to talk about how this Korean zombie movie is one of the most emotionally impactful movies they've all seen in recent years. Seriously, it's supposed to scare you, not make you cry your eyes out! (But it manages to do both spectacularly.) Train to Busan addresses family dynamics and relationships, especially father roles, and what we're ...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: 10 TROPES We Hate About Rom Coms

We see a lot of repeated tropes in romantic comedies, but do we see any of those same things in real life?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright walk through ten of their least favorite rom com tropes -- from things that would never happen in real life, to things that would be super creepy if they did, and some that actually happen a lot in real life and what we can learn from that. They break down some of the things that make these onscreen relationships unhea...

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Relationship Therapist vs. Hitch: Did HITCH have good dating advice?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker goes toe to toe with Alex Hitchins, the "Date Doctor," with filmmaker Alan Seawright to break down some of the love advice in this movie to see what's good dating and relationship advice and what isn't. They share some of their own dating stories, how Will Smith's character actually learns and grows into understanding relationships more throughout the movie, and the importance of listening, honesty, and being yourself in a relationship.