upworthy
Health

A therapist and a filmmaker merge mental health with movie analysis in 'Cinema Therapy'

A therapist and a filmmaker merge mental health with movie analysis in 'Cinema Therapy'

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright discuss psychology in movies.

"Have you ever heard of Cinema Therapy?" my college-aged daughter asked me one day. I had not. She proceeded to tell me all about this YouTube channel she's hooked on, in which a licensed therapist and a professional filmmaker—who also happen to be best friends—analyze movies together through each of their expert lenses. I was intrigued, so I checked it out.

Each Cinema Therapy video focuses on some psychological aspect of a film and runs approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Filmmaker Alan Seawright talks about the cinematics that lend themselves to emotional storytelling while licensed therapist Jonathan Decker talks about the mental health elements. With video titles like "MEGAMIND and Nice Guy Syndrome," "Ranking the Relationships in LOVE ACTUALLY" and "Psychology of a Hero: HULK and Anger Management," it's easy to see the appeal. Most people who love movies enjoy analyzing the heck out of the characters in them, and having people who actually know what they're talking about do so is too good to pass up.

Seawright and Decker met as roommates in college in 2005 and bonded over their love of cinema. More than a decade later, when Decker pitched the idea of creating Cinema Therapy (Decker describes that initial pitch as "a 'Siskel and Ebert' meets 'Mr. Rogers' kind of thing"), Seawright instantly envisioned what it would look like and why it would work. They were confident they would find an audience for it because of how seamlessly their two fields blend.

"Filmmaking is all about psychology," says Seawright. "Storytelling in general only connects with an audience when you’re able to help people feel something, and how and why people feel things is all about psychology."


Decker agrees. "There's a lot of psychology that goes into screenwriting, or good screenwriting at least," he says. "Creating worthwhile characters requires a knowledge of human thinking, feeling, and motivations."

Decker points out that people have always been drawn to stories, whether written or on stage or on screen, to learn lessons about their own lives. We live vicariously through characters, connecting with them emotionally and investing in their journeys.

"But since their stories are not our stories, we have enough distance for objective insight compared to when we're in the thick of our own problems," Decker says. "I see movies as a tremendous teaching tool for mental health, emotional wellness, and relationship skills."

Seawright and Decker have taken on toxic perfectionism in "Encanto," men's mental health and masculinity in "Fight Club," love versus obsession with Severus Snape's character in "Harry Potter" and more. In one of their more popular videos, they tackled the concept of gaslighting by showing examples of it in Disney's "Tangled."

Seawright and Decker analyze heroes and villains as well as romantic, platonic and familial relationships. And they frequently use characters to talk about mental illnesses and personality disorders, which is brilliant. By exploring real psychological and emotional realities through fictional characters, they can talk about individuals we're all familiar with without breaching anyone's privacy or personal boundaries. Judging by the thousands of comments their videos receive and the discussions that ensue, people love it.

That's not to say the channel hasn't received any hate. People can be fairly fanatical about films and characters they love, and people can also misunderstand or misinterpret things. Plus, let's face it, when you talk about certain emotional or psychological topics, some self-loathing fellow somewhere is going to react negatively.

Seawright gave their "ARAGORN vs. Toxic Masculinity" episode as an example of when some comments got ugly, but also brushed it off as an anomaly. "Unsurprising, but a pretty decent number of dudes calling us soy-boy cucks or some-such," he says. "Pretty funny, honestly."

Both Seawright and Decker say that their fan base overall is incredibly supportive.

"To put yourself out there on the internet is to be criticized and attacked, but it's a very small percentage," says Decker. "Most people are kind and appreciative, disagreeing respectfully when disagreements happen."

"I had no idea that our audience would be as supportive and wonderful as they are," says Seawright. "Not just to us, but to each other! Seriously, our comments section is one of the kindest places you can find on the internet. There are some trolls in there, but it's overwhelmingly loving."

"It’s weird," he jokes. We've all seen what a cesspool the comment section can be, so it's great to see a space where people are nice to one another.

Seawright and Decker have high hopes for what their viewers will take away from their Cinema Therapy experience.

"I want them to get tools to have healthy relationships, to healthily balance self-acceptance with self-improvement, and to know that getting help is a good thing," says Decker. "I also would love for them to gain a new appreciation for film, which is such a layered, stunning art form."

"I hope people will get hope out of it," says Seawright. "The film education I can provide is pretty meager, and isn’t going to be life-changing in any case. But feeling things with me, and learning about why/how you’re feeling things with Jono is a pretty lofty goal, and I think we’re doing an OK job with it."

After creating more than 100 episodes, the duo has no plans of stopping. They're having too much fun and people are enjoying their content. There's also no shortage of movies for them to talk about, and with mental health being such a hot topic, the therapeutic element of what they do adds value to people's lives.

"We exist to counter the negativity out there, to unify, uplift and entertain," says Decker. "We're sharing skills that change lives, and want people to have so much fun that it hardly feels like learning."

Check out one of their biggest hits—and most natural fits—as they examine the psychology, relationships, family dynamics and more in Disney's "Inside Out":

You can follow Cinema Therapy on YouTube and check out the website as well.

via Canva

A young couple can't handle high prices and their dad says to save money.

One of the big talking points in the great American millennials versus baby boomers debate is whether the younger generation has knee-capped itself by its lavish spending habits that have prevented them from owning homes. If millennials stopped buying $14 avocado toast and $1,000 iPhones, would they be able to save enough for a down payment on a modest home?

Freddie Smith, 36, of Orlando, Florida, recently went viral on TikTok for a video in which he challenged the boomer argument with statistics from the Bureau of Labor, Federal Reserve, and the U.S. Census Bureau. Smith believes that the older generations misunderstand millennial finances because their concept of luxury is based on 1980s economics. Smith says that for baby boomers, essentials such as rent and child care were much more affordable, but items considered luxuries (TVs, CD players, computers) were much more expensive.

How is the economy different for millennials than it was for baby boomers?

"The main shift is that core essentials—housing, education, healthcare, and even food—have become more expensive," Smith said. "Housing and rent, for instance, now outpace wage growth, making homeownership feel unattainable for many. The cost of childcare has also skyrocketed, and food prices have increased.”

"As a result, I think older generations have a different perspective on luxury versus necessity,” Smith continued. “They grew up in a time when hard work typically led to financial stability, whereas today, even with hard work, many people struggle with the high costs of housing, rent and medical expenses. Basic survival used to be far more affordable, allowing people more financial room to build a stable life."

Smith’s numbers don’t lie. For a person in the '80s to own three TVs, a CD player, a cellphone, a microwave, and a computer, it would cost them 3.5 years of rent or a 20% downpayment on the average home. So, it was irresponsible for someone in that period to purchase all of what was known then as luxuries. However, these days, for a Millennial to have the average apartment and the equivalent amount of "luxuries" would only cost a little over one month's rent.

1980s, boomers, millennialsA 1980s computer and television. via Canva

"But if you skip that daily $6 Starbucks drink, you’ll have enough for the downpayment in 29.22 years," Yokahana joked in the comments. "I hate that housing and transportation have become luxuries," Molly added. "Imagine spending 3x your rent on a microwave," Donutdisaster wrote.

Why are luxury goods more affordable now than they were in the '80s?

The price of manufactured goods has steadily fallen over the last few decades due to technological improvements and trade policies that have allowed the U.S. to import goods from places where labor costs are cheaper. "International, global competition lowers prices directly from lower-cost imported goods, and indirectly by forcing U.S. manufacturers to behave more competitively, with lower prices, higher quality, better service, et cetera," Sociologist Joseph Cohen of Queens University said, according to Providence Journal.

Why are housing prices so high?

Housing prices in the US have soared due to the low inventory caused by the Great Recession, mortgage rates, and zoning laws that make building more challenging. Rents have increased considerably since the pandemic due to low inventory, inflation, barriers to home ownership, and the fact that more people want to live alone than with a roommate or romantic partner.

Smith’s breakdown of the economic changes over the past two generations makes a strong case for the idea that millennial financial troubles have more to do with systemic problems than spending habits. The boomers got a bad deal regarding luxury items, and the millennials with necessities. Wouldn’t living in a world where both were affordable in the same era be great?

The true forgotten history of the Underground Railroad to Mexico

Most of us learn about the Underground Railroad at some point in elementary school. There's not much detail that goes into the brief section on the secret pathway to freedom escaped enslaved people embarked on but we do learn it was dangerous. Enslaved people would plot their escape and find designated stops at the homes and churches of abolitionists where they could eat, drink water and get some rest.

The route also included other safe spaces along the way like certain marked trees, body's of water or other landmarks but we mainly hear about the path to norther states. That wasn't the only direction enslaved people were fleeing, many enslaved people fled further south. Mexico first abolished slavery in 1829, a process that started as soon as they gained their independence from Spain after their 11 year battle ended in 1821. But colonists in Texas utilized slave labor and refused to stop though they were a Mexican territory.

This initially resulted in the Mexican president Vicente Guerrero providing Texas with an exemption but citizens of Mexico were not on board with this. They wanted slavery abolished in all Mexican states and eventually the Mexican Congress outlawed it in all states in 1837 after Texas fought for independence in an effort to keep their slaves.

File:Vicente Guerrero (1865).png - Wikipediaen.m.wikipedia.org

When Mexico first abolished slavery, people in Texas that used slave labor started making their enslaved workers sign contracts saying they were "servants" who agreed to work for them until they died. They even had children as young as three years old "sign" contracts seemingly finding a loophole to the new law. Given that enslaved people were not allowed to lean how to read, it's highly unlikely they knew what they were signing. It didn't take long for those sorts of documents to not be accepted by the Mexican government.

But after Texas seceded from Mexico, enslaved people realized that if they could make the short trip to the Rio Grande, they'd be a quick boat ride away from freedom so many of them took the opportunity to flee. Mexico adjusted its laws to accommodate the influx of fugitive slaves by declaring any enslaved person who step foot on Mexican soil were considered Mexican citizens. This granted countless enslaved Black people freedom in Mexico.

Mexico was not unfamiliar with Black Mexican citizens as there was already a population of enslaved people brought to the country with Spain invaded. In fact, it was Afro-Mexicans that helped lead the Mexican rebellion against their Spanish colonizer leading to the independence of the country. Given the history between the two groups of people, it's unsurprising that the then newly formed Mexican government would work to abolish slavery and secure a plan for freedom for escaped slaves.

Most of the enslaved people that fled to Mexico were from plantations in Texas but there were also some that escaped from Louisiana to seek refuge in the southern country. There are still towns in Mexico that have large populations of Afro-Mexicans, including one started by escaped slaves from plantations run by Spanish captors before Mexico gained its independence.

Auction of enslaved people at Richmond, Virginia | Original … | Flickrwww.flickr.com

The documentary "Just a Ferry Ride to Freedom" documents this history of allyship between enslaved people and Mexicans in great detail. People can watch the documentary for free on YouTube to learn more about the Underground Railroad south.

@callmebelly/TikTok

An excellent reminder to show kindness and patience.

Listening to a baby cry during a flight might be aggravating, but it’s nothing compared to the moans, groans, and eyerolls that the baby's parents must endure from other passengers when it happens. No matter what tips and tricks are used to try to soothe a little one’s temperament while 30,000 miles in the air, crying is almost inevitable. So, while having to ease their own child’s anxiety, moms and dads also must suffer being the pariah of the trip. What a nightmare.

Recently, one mom was apparently trying so hard to avoid upsetting her fellow flight members that she went above and beyond to essentially apologize ahead of time if her baby began to cry on its first flight. It was a gesture that, while thoughtful, had folks really feeling for how stressed that poor mom must be.

In a clip posted to his TikTok, one of the passengers—Elliot—explained that the mom handed out small care packages to those nearby.

“She’s already so busy and took the time to make these bags for everyone,” Elliot said, before panning the camera to reveal a Ziplock bag full of candy, along with a note that made him “want to cry.”

The note read: “It’s my first flight. I made a deal to be on my best behaviour—but I can’t make any guarantees. I might cry if I get scared or if my ears start to hurt. Here are some treats to make your flight enjoyable. Thank you for being patient with us. Have a great flight.”

Like Elliot, those who watched the video felt some ambivalence at the well intentioned act. Many felt remorse that she would feel the need to appease people in this way.

“This is so sweet but also … kind of breaks my heart that we live in a world in which parents feel the need to do that.”

“Because jerk people have shamed parents into believing that they need to apologize for their kids' absolutely normal behavior. What a gem of a mom.”

“You know that sweet mom worried about this trip so much.”

“That poor mom probably spent nights awake … nervous about that flight, thinking of ways to keep strangers happy.”

"That's a mom trying so hard."

Many rallied behind the mom, arguing that making others feel more comfortable with her child being on board was in no way her responsibility.

“No mom should be apologizing. Adults can control their emotions … babies not …. Hugging this mom from a distance.”

“Dear new parents: no you don’t have to do this. Your babies have the right to exist. We all know babies cry. We know you try your best.”

Luckily, there are just as many stories of fellow passengers being completely compassionate towards parents with small children—from simply choosing to throw on their headphones during a tantrum (instead of throwing one themselves) to going out of their way to comfort a baby (and taking the load of a parent in the process). These little acts of kindness make more of an impact than we probably realize. Perhaps if we incorporated more of this “it takes a village” mindset, flying could be a little bit more pleasant for everyone involved.

Women's Health

Medical student shares how ‘absolutely wild’ her first c-section was to help empower moms

“Nothing could ever prepare you for absolutely how insane the entire thing is.”

@henneliehawes/TikTok

It’s well known how common it is for mothers who end up having a cesarean delivery to feel negative emotions, like guilt, disappointment, and even have symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Beyond the physical shock, many women share similar feelings of missing out on the important aspects of childbirth—from having their partner in the operating room to cradling their newborn in their arms immediately after bringing them into the world.

And that’s why videos like the ones posted by Hennelie Hawes, a medical student who recently shared her first experience of seeing a c-section for the first time, are so important. It offers a different perspective that might help women who’ve been through one to remember how badass they really are.

As Hawes shared in a TikTok video, c-sections are considered a specialized field that’s hard to match into, plus she had been told the first time seeing one would feel "absolutely wild.” All this to say—she was very"excited" and had high hopes she might even get to assist with the delivery.

Cut to after her first day, and judging by the look on her face, Hawes got everything she wished for.


“Literally my first day on OB-Gyn and I just got thrown into a surgery right away. I had heard that c-sections are a wild experience, but nothing could ever prepare you for absolutely how insane the entire thing is,” she recalled. “I was shocked. Jaw was on the ground the entire time. And then to see a living human emerge from the abdomen?! WHAT?! Literally what?! That is crazy! And the patient is awake. The mom is awake the entire time! It has got to be one of the craziest surgeries to ever witness.”

“Safe to say I had an amazing first day,” she concluded, still visibly in awe. “And I think it will be a really, really good rotation.”

Hawes’ utter enthusiasm was certainly contagious, as her video quickly went viral and inspired so many viewers—particularly other medical professionals—to share how they too marvel at those who have undergone c-sections.

“There’s not enough respect for what the woman goes through,” one person wrote. Meanwhile, another said, "When I rotated as a PA student I was also SHOOK seeing my first c-section! Mom and dad are just chillin on the other side unaware that they are literally ripping her abdomen open.”

Photo credit: Canva

Still another told Hawes, “OBGYN attending here. I still remember the first CS I saw as a medical student. I had the same reaction as you!"

And of course, several moms entered the chat to talk about their own experiences. Quite a few recounted leaving a med student with their jaw on the floor as well.

“I was someone’s very first delivery and I think she cried as much as I did. I’ve had 4 children and personally having students is a fun addition to the experience.”

“Believe me, being AWAKE while they hack into you and then your hear a whole human but everyone sees it first…that’s wild.”

“My recent birth — my third — I had a nurse who just finished school and was training. She was so nervous! I was like ‘girl do what you gotta do take your time.’ She literally said ‘thanks for being nice to me.’”

“I had a c-section personally before I saw one (and have been in hundreds since) and I am so thankful for our OBs and also that I didn’t see it first.”

While c-section are likely to stir up some conflicting emotions no matter what, hopefully hearing other folks share their amazement can help mothers quiet down some of the more negative thoughts going on. At the end of the day, women are metal as hell for being able to bring life into the world, no matter how they do it.

People listed everything from kitchen quirks to mind boggling sleep habits.

No relationship remains unchanged after moving in together. This is the chapter where you learn about your significant other’s truest self, in many ways—their habits, ticks, how they manage chores and money, their sleep patterns, their level of tidiness, their communication style, how they handle conflict, etc. The good, the bad, and yes, the ugly.

And while having these revelations can end a relationship, it’s also a milestone that helps endear our partners to us, and helps both partners connect on a deeper level. Some initial anxiety can lead to wholehearted commitment…with maybe even a few laughs along the way.

Recently, folks online decided to open up about their own personal discoveries they made about their other half after moving in together, and boy are these stories entertaining, not to mention relatable. Read along for a good chuckle, and to remind yourself that if you live with a sweetheart (and their peculiarities) you are not alone.

“He will occasionally (usually when I'm not around to be appalled) eat dry tortellini straight out of the bag when he's reading in bed. Dry. Tortellini.”

“We were fixing to watch a movie and he wanted popcorn. He said ‘too bad we don’t have any lettuce.’ I asked if he wanted a salad, he said ‘No, I want popcorn and lettuce.’ He said he never said anything at the movie theater because he always knows they never have lettuce. The man eats bites of lettuce and popcorn together. His whole family does.”

“She doesn't fully close cabinets or lids. She'll leave out a jar of anything (jelly, peanut butter, etc) and give the lid a quarter turn then call it a day.”

“In the middle of the night I will wake up to him having both of his arms straight in the air like a damn zombie. If I lay too close to him when he does this I get a surprise mammogram when he inevitably drops his arms down.”

“He set tons of alarms, but none actually wake him up.”

media1.giphy.com

“While I'm cooking, he insists on opening the goddamn oven MULTIPLE TIMES to check if it's ready. Makes me homicidal.”

“My partner secretly freaks out whenever I'm cooking and the stove is set any higher than medium-low. if i walk away for more than one second, he would turn it down and not say anything.”

“My boyfriend sleep talks, yells, sings, and laughs. I’ve woken up in a panic thinking someone was breaking in because he had yelled at the top of his lungs “WTF ARE YOU DOING HERE” just to look over seconds later and see him with his eyes closed and mouth wide open 💀”

“How every single cup of coffee is left 1/4 full around the apartment.”

“He sleeps like a vampire; sleeping on his back, with his arms straight by his sides or folded on his chest. Every. Single. Night. Some nights he doesn’t even change his position at all. I was seriously concerned during the first couple of nights we slept in the same bed.”

media1.giphy.com

“He completely undresses before going to the bathroom to poop.”

“Evidently there is a right way and a wrong way to fold towels.”

“I always thought that when movies or TV shows feature someone talking in their sleep, and they just spout random, silly nonsense, that it was mostly for comedic effect and wasn’t really a reflection of real life. Nope. My partner talks in his sleep and it’s always just absolute random, silly nonsense. The most recent one was, in a tone of dismay; ‘There’s ice cream all over the stairs…’ followed by a drawn out ‘broooooooo.’ He also just periodically giggles in his sleep, which, frankly, is one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen from another human.

“He wanted to put all the cutlery just straight into a drawer without any divides between knives, forks and spoons. Just... All in there in a mess.”

“My ex slept with his eyes slightly open. The first night I thought he died. The second night I almost performed an exorcism.”

“She is capable of reversing her sleep schedule as needed. I've had the same sleep schedule for decades and she just... makes up new ones when needed.”

“He wakes up every night to find something to eat from the fridge while half asleep.. And drops food all the way from the fridge back to bed. And sometimes leaves cutlery in the fridge.”

“She eats Oreos by taking a tall glass and filling it about three quarters full of the cookies then she fills the glass with milk. She then waits about 5-10 minutes, stirs it all into a slurry and eats it like soup.”

“She doesn’t talk in her sleep but she hums. Sometimes I can make out the tune. Last night it was Pink Pony Club.”

“Socks. All over the place.”

media0.giphy.com

“She rarely wears clothes, she's the naked neighbor, and now so am I.”

And then, sometimes it’s about being surprised by the sense of peace our partners bring us. This can be especially true for those that come from traumatic living situations. It can be just as much of an adjustment to simply have a drama-free home.

“How unbelievably, and almost uniquely, normal she is.She has no drama. No family issues. No trauma induced fetishes. She likes Superman and loves people for who they are. She’s mild mannered and kind. Loves animals. Like she has ZERO crazy. We’ve never raised our voices to one another in 9 years together.Coming from 30 years of chaotic relationships, it’s still a little unsettling to me sometimes. Like we’ve been married 7 years now and I still wait for the crazy to pop up, but there very well may just not be any. She’s the definition of a breath of fresh air. Every day.”