Have you seen Inside Out & Inside Out 2?!
Image source: Disney Plus
I can’t say enough wonderful things about these movies, Inside out and Inside Out 2. I know, I know…I’m a therapist…of course I am going to get excited for cartoon movies about feelings!
In the first movie, Inside Out, we’re introduced to 5 major emotions and how they interact. We follow the story of a young girl learning how to manage these feelings. The creators of the movie do a great job of depicting these emotions and how our feelings inform our internal dialogue and how our internal dialogue informs our feelings.
The sequel, Inside Out 2, follows the same young girl as she grows into adolescence and faces new social and emotional situations. In turn, we’re introduced to new emotions that tend to play a larger role as we enter out teenage years.
The movies are funny, relatable and brilliantly psychologically sound! Here are my main take-away’s from Inside Out and Inside Out 2. (I might be writing this while curled up under my Inside Out 2 blanket. Yes, therapist through and through)
Psychology 101 from Inside Out 2:
We are not just one thing. We have multiple facets to our personality. Just like Riley, the young girl in the movies) has multiple personality islands,” so do each one of us. (ex: Family Island, Friend Island, Work Island, Hobbies Island, etc.) These are different parts of who we are and things we enjoy.
Our memories create beliefs. The experience of our memories become beliefs we carry about ourselves: “I’m a really good friend.” or “I am a failure.” I’m selfish.” “I’m kind.” “I need help sometimes.”
Beliefs blend together to make our “sense of self” - a mix of our memories, experiences and beliefs.
Emotions are not “good” or “bad” and they can work together! Every emotion is good for us. They have a purpose. Emotions (specifically anxiety as introduced in Inside Out 2) aren’t bad. While uncomfortable, anxiety can be a good thing. It can motivate us to practice more, be disciplined. When it becomes extreme or more severe that it is negatively impacting our daily living, we can learn coping skills to manage and reduce anxiety. Including changing our self-talk. Anger can be channeled into motivation, fear can help keep us protected, disgust can keep us safe. Anxiety needs joy to help regulate the anxiety-heavy beliefs.
Everyone has emotions. The movie depicted emotions and emotional responses in the parents too.
We need to embrace out emotions, new one too. The movie shows the struggle of Joy (kind of the Lead Emotion in the movie) to “keep the best, toss the rest” as if she can create a penalty box for hard emotions. But this causes more distress and trouble for our girl, Riley. We need to face our emotions, listen to what they are telling us, and learn how to manage them.
Things change over our lifetime - teenage years, etc. We need to move with the changes and seasons in life. We can adjust with new chapters and challenges.
Social pressure to fit in verses what it means to belong. Fitting in requires us to change something about yourself to “match”, or to be more like, the others we want to be like ot be accepted by. Riley didn’t correct her idol hockey player about where she was from because she didn’t want to challenge her. Belonging allows you to be who you are, all of you, without changing and being accepted for you. All of you. When Riley allowed herself to be trust to herself and honest with others, she was able to be her whole self, her sense of self was saved and strengthened.
This movie is also a great door-opener for parents to talk to their children about emotions. This can be a conversation starter to connect with your kids. You can talk about times your kids have felt emotions like Riley, along with your own experiences with these emotions- much like when we get a peek into Riley’s parents heads to see their emotions. This movie can educate and normalize for kids (and let’s be honest, adults too)!
Reactions from other’s on our team:
I love that its message is that defining some emotions as "bad" and others as "good" and sometimes subsequently shutting out those that can be perceived as "bad" is super unsustainable. Reminding the viewer that all emotions are essential and necessary to healthily process our feelings, as well as the world around us, is so important! - Annie Clouse, Operations Lead
I love how they show us that our experiences and memories play a huge role in how we develop our sense of self...and how those change based on our current emotions. Like when Sadness keeps turning the core memories blue. - Jessica Brady, LPC, Therapist
