Therapist Reacts to SOUL

What do you do when you either don't know your purpose or feel like you can't live up to it? Joe Gardner and 22 seem to be opposites - one fears life, and the other fears death - but they really struggle with the same fear: failure. Something a lot of us can relate to.

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright discuss Pixar's SOUL, a movie Alan very much relates to (and therefore many tears are shed). They talk about living a fulfilling life, family relationships, and the beautiful design and music in this film.

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Cinema Therapy is:
Written by: Megan Seawright, Jonathan Decker and Alan Seawright
Produced by: Jonathan Decker, Megan Seawright & Alan Seawright
Edited by: Alan Seawright
Director of Photography: Bradley Olsen
English Transcription by: Anna Preis

[Ari_Dupree]

The thing someone should have told you is that we don't need more Steven Spielbergs. We have one already. We need YOUR movies. Your contribution, that only you can make. Same goes for everyone. Make your movies. Paint your pictures. Write your books. The world needs the thing that only you can make.

[PaperMario]

I think the barbershop scene was so important! 22 was so free in Joe’s body that she didn’t feel constrained at all. Joe put himself into a box and he put others into boxes too. He didn’t talk to his barber about anything else. He missed out on other relationships and impactful conversations he could’ve had.

[betsycortis]

I just realized it's another layer that Joe is a great teacher is that he ends up being the only mentor to ever teach 22 about life in a way that connects with her.

[kellyl]

When my sister told my parents she wanted to be an actress, my dad sat her down and told her this: we will support whatever you want to do, but instead of defining success as being a famous actress, which, no matter how talented you are, requires a good amount of luck, your goal should be getting to do what you love for a living, such as working with a local theater. I think that may be a way to say what your mom meant without insulting your talent. My sister started her nonprofit theater when she was 23-years-old, and it's still doing well after 13 years despite the hiatus during COVID.

[storymaster]

This movie is brilliant in its message, because it’s a very non-Disney approach. Disney tends to give the message of “follow your dreams” and “don’t give up on them”. This movie, however, tells you that perusing a dreams is cool and all, but there’s more to life than endlessly chasing a dream. Enjoying a piece of pie or pizza, talking to people, or just simply sitting down, taking in a breath of fresh air, and appreciating the world around you...that’s living.

[DoubleL]

One thing I think was overlooked in the movie was that 22's Mentors were all these great, larger than life people who's achievements were very valued on Earth. But the person who really got through to her was just an ordinary guy who already did what she feared most, and that was to fail.

[jasonrieder]

"The meaning of life is to live it." I cannot believe this is the first time I heard that from someone else. Its so true. Thank you

[SeldomPathic]

This movie came out right around the time I was on the edge of suicide. The scene where Joe just takes a moment to reflect on the little things in life sparked an emotional break down I won't soon forget. I almost lost it all but this movie gave me such a huge reminder that even though I feel lost and worthless, sometimes just being alive is enough.

[Lthe]

I've always loved the quote by Albert Einstein "everyone's a genius, but if you judge a fish by it's ability to climb a tree it'll live it's while life believing it's an idiot." It's always reminded me to not compare myself to others and to focus on what I love and what I'm good at

[chopperhead]

I was hoping that Alan's mom responded to him by saying:

"You can't. There's a million people trying to be Spielberg and only 1 Spielberg. Instead of trying to make movies like someone else, go make movies like Alan Seawright."

But hey now I know what to say to my hypothetical kid if they come to me saying "I wanna do this thing like this person"

[antoinebugleboy]

"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."

[ninjabagel]

The reason I stuck around watching these when I first was introduced to the channel, was that you would cry at many of the same parts as I do so I immediately felt a connection "this guy feels movies and emotions just like I do and isn't ashamed about it, I want to keep hearing his thoughts about them"

[KinxArts]

I have grown up surrounded by men who never cried, never expressed how they felt and the pains and woes of their feelings. Getting to see a man express himself, and cry, and talk about pains that he'd felt in ways I that I have expressed myself was honestly so validating and nice. This really hit home for me, thank you for your vulnerability, thank you for showing me your heart and your past.

[deeptidevgan]

Alan,
As someone who is extremely burnout and crying everyday just to get through the last stretch of her university semester, I want to say thank you for sharing with us your story. We cried together and seeing where you are today makes me feel better about the future. :)

[twistedineveryway]

Overlooked one major part of the movie of when the little girl who plays the trombone comes to quit playing and fully just talks herself out of it, is such a beautiful part of the movie

[sarahmoller]

"You don't have to be a public roaring success to feel fulfilled" was beautiful and healing to hear.
Lately I've always wondered if it can be enough to just BE. What if I don't have the aspiration to do something 'great' with my life? What if my personal 'great' is drinking a cup of hot chocolate in front of my window while it snows? A beautiful sunrise when I go to work very early in the morning? Looking at the full moon, taking walks in the nearby forest, reading my Harry Potter books for the 10000th time and still laugh, cry and get excited at the same old moments in the pages I already know by heart?
A simple life can also be successful and wonderful too.

[LadyDrosselmeyer]

"When I was 12 years old... "

I need to hug this man.

[keshonafletcher]

As someone who actively needs therapy but can't afford it, who also struggles with being vulnerable in the first place, this channel has quickly grown to be very important to me. I really appreciate you guys making a genuine, non-judgmental space on the internet for the feels in such a short amount of time.

[angeliquejoy]

If you give your kids what you needed from your mom and didn’t get... You have made all the difference in the world.

[vans_corner]

I just have to say... this is my favorite corner of YouTube. The raw emotion and honesty both Alan and Jono bring to the channel is honestly incredible. I'm still an actual child as of now, but I really want to do what you guys do. Seeing Jono truly empathize and listen to Alan, help him as both a friend and supporter, is what I want to contribute to the world. That's what therapy, psychiatry, is really all about. Helping people through their struggles. Giving them a shoulder to cry on. Wow, I'm crying now. What an amazing channel. In the off-chance that you guys see this, you guys are seriously making a difference. Hope you have a great day :)