Cinema Therapy - Season 7

Is Abuela toxic… or not? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright react to Abuela from Encanto and question whether her actions are toxic or not. In this series, they investigate if movie relationships claimed to be toxic really are and what "toxic" actually means. And they discuss the internet's comparison of Abuela and Dolores Umbridge.

How do you gain autonomy after being controlled? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright react to Eleven's hero journey from Stranger Things. They talk about El's abusive upbringing and how she learns to develop healthy connections. And they discuss what happens in the end… what do you think?

How do very different people develop healthy partnerships? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker, filmmaker Alan Seawright, and special guest Amanda Gorman react to Zootopia 2. They discuss how Nick and Judy work through their differences and thrive in their partnership. Amanda tells the story of her involvement in the film and shares so many insights that Alan offers her the co-host seat!

How does Gaston display masculinity in unhealthy ways? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at Gaston's masculinity from Beauty and the Beast. We've talked about healthy masculinity, but now it's time for an example of unhealthy masculinity. They discuss all the negative ways in which Gaston uses his masculinity and how he could change.

What happens when you lack empathy and compassion? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright react to a bunch of Disney villains and diagnose them. Reminder: mental illness does not correlate to villainy! They discuss what the villains struggle with and what we can learn and apply in our lives. The Disney villains: Captain Hook from Peter Pan, Evil Queen from Snow White, Jafar from Aladdin, and Ursula from The Little Mermaid.

Does Mary Poppins give good advice? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at Mary Poppins, and Alan makes Jono fight her! As in, can Jono offer better advice to the Banks family than Mary Poppins? Find out who comes out on top!

Can altruism heal selfishness? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are fixing men… which really means, they're taking a look at masculinity in The Emperor's New Groove. They react to Kuzco and Pacha and discuss how they model masculinity differently. Don't forget about Kronk!

Which couples stand the test of time and which fall short? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are ranking Dreamworks romances from least to most healthy. The contending couples are Shrek and Fiona from Shrek, Moses and Zipporah from The Prince of Egypt, Hiccup and Astrid from How to Train Your Dragon, Poppy and Branch from Trolls, and Megamind and Roxanne from Megamind.

All you need is love… right? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright rank the relationships from Stranger Things from least to most healthy. The contenders are Nancy and Steve, Nancy and Jonathan, Karen and Billy, Max and Lucas, Joyce and Hopper, and Eleven and Mike. Jonathan may change his mind mid-episode! How would you rank these relationships?

How do you build relationships with people with different beliefs? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at Wake Up Dead Man and the psychology of belief. They discuss how we practice our beliefs in healthy and unhealthy ways and what happens when we get stuck in being right rather than doing right. 

What if you do the right thing but you screw up anyway? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright celebrate Star Wars Day by reacting to Obi-Wan Kenobi's hero journey throughout the Star Wars saga. They discuss how Obi-Wan has perfect integrity but imperfect judgement, and they wonder if he suffers the most out of any Star Wars character. May the 4th be with you!

Do you need to fail to grow? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are reacting to A Bug's Life. They talk about Flik's immaturity and all the messes he has to fix because of it. And they reveal Pixar's secret sauce!

What is a narcissist's moral code? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright do a villain therapy for Lex Luthor from Superman and dig into narcissism. They talk about why Lex has to be better than everyone else, especially Superman, and they share what they like about this version of Lex Luthor.

What kind of monsters are these parents?? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at The Parent Trap and offer family therapy to this very dysfunctional family (that we somehow all adore). They talk about what kept the family apart and what they can do to stay together going forward. Strap in for Alan AND Jono rants!

How do you channel anger into positive action? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright visit Pixar and react to Hoppers with producer Nicole Grindle and director Daniel Chong! They talk about how Mabel's anger changes when she becomes part of something big. And we get tons of filmmaking insights from Nicole and Daniel!

Is there always a bright side? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are taking a look at Trolls and toxic(?) positivity. They talk about constant positivity and when that goes too far, and they compare it to constant cynicism. And they jam out to the awesome music!

Is Lilly a toxic person or just a bad friend? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright react to Lilly from The Princess Diaries and question whether her friendship with Mia is toxic or not. In this series, they investigate if movie relationships claimed to be toxic really are and what "toxic" actually means. Strap in for some ranting!

What's your favorite Robin Williams movie? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright react to some of their favorite and most impactful Robin Williams movies. It's a tribute to Robin Williams, in which they discuss the life lessons from his films and how he shaped a generation, perhaps multiple!

How do you get through to someone who lacks empathy and self-reflection? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright react to a bunch of Dreamworks villains and diagnose them. Reminder: mental illness does not correlate to villainy! They discuss what the villains struggle with and what we can learn and apply in our lives. The villains: Lord Farquaad from Shrek, Rameses from The Prince of Egypt, Lord Shen from Kung Fu Panda 2, and Tighten from Megamind.

What do you do when you're struggling to connect with others? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright visit Pixar and react to Toy Story 5 with the filmmakers! Andrew Stanton and Kenna Harris share their love for Jessie, discuss the journey from loneliness to finding friendship, and they react to the new antagonist... technology!

What is the cost of jealousy? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright react to Aaron Burr's character journey in Hamilton and discuss the psychology of jealousy. The talk about his obsession with being on the "winning" side above all else. And they cry over Leslie Odom Jr.'s transcendent performance and voice.

Can you truly heal from infidelity? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright discuss healing from infidelity through Hamilton and Eliza from Hamilton. They talk about Hamilton's legacy as his biggest strength and weakness, the gift of extending forgiveness after infidelity, and the extraordinary talent of Broadway stars.

What happens when parents push their dreams on their children? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright offer family therapy to the Fire Nation family from Avatar: The Last Airbender. They discuss the family dynamics with Ozai, Ursa, Azula, Zuko, and Iroh and the many unhealthy aspects of their family culture. Are they even ready for therapy? And because it's ATLA…#CryingwithAlan!

What happens when someone in power thinks they're better than everyone? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright react to the villainous Scar from The Lion King and discuss narcissistic and antisocial personality disorders. They talk about Scar's entitlement and why he'll never find meaning and happiness in life.

What are your favorite scenes from bad movies? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are discussing good lessons from bad movies. They take a look at movies that are considered bad but have great scenes and lessons to learn from. They react to scenes from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Patch Adams, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

How do you overcome imposter syndrome? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take a look at Ryland Grace's hero journey from Project Hail Mary. They talk about imposter syndrome and why Dr. Grace isn't a hero… until he is!

How can you use your strengths to help others? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are taking a look at healthy masculinity with Disney's Robin Hood. They talk about how Robin uses his masculinity for good and how good men (foxes?) are sexy too.

Do the characters make better decisions in The Kissing Booth 2? (doubtful) Do we have good things to say? (also doubtful) Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright haven't suffered in a while… so they're reacting to The Kissing Booth 2. Last time, they had so much complaining and advice to give that they split in into two episodes. Not this time! Suffer with them for over an hour, as they get increasingly frustrated over poor decisions, communication, and filmmaking.

What's your favorite and least favorite movie love triangles? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are talking about why love triangles are stupid… and why Pearl Harbor is actually great? They cite six reasons why love triangle are stupid using many movie examples… except for Pearl Harbor, which is perfect??

How do you love someone the way they need to be loved? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright react to Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. They talk about the father/son dynamic and how they bridge the gap of connecting with each other. And they laugh over the comedic genius of director duo Lord and Miller!