28 11, 2017

How to Use Pixar’s Coco to Teach about Death [Cinematherapy Guide]

By |2019-11-18T14:30:31-08:00November 28th, 2017|Categories: Blog, Grief/Loss|Tags: , , , , , , |0 Comments

“The word death is not pronounced in New York, in Paris, in London, because it burns the lips. The Mexican, in contrast, is familiar with death… jokes about it, caresses it, sleeps with it, celebrates it. It is one of his favorite toys and his most steadfast love.” -Octavio Paz

Disney Pixar Coco Cinematherapy Guide

About Coco

Disney/Pixar’s latest movie, “Coco” delivers a beautiful animated tale, centered around the Mexican holiday, the Day of the Dead (El Dia de los Muertos). I’ve tried not to include any spoilers or reveal too much about the plot.

If you have seen my “Inside Out” Study Guides for teaching teens and children about emotions, you will know I am a fan of cinematherapy. In my psychotherapy practice in […]

25 07, 2015

4 Ways to Help Kids Understand Emotions with “Inside Out” (Disney/Pixar)

By |2019-11-18T14:30:38-08:00July 25th, 2015|Categories: Blog, Giveaways/Free Resources, Mental Wellness, Parenting|Tags: , , , , , , , |3 Comments

My recent “Inside Out” Study Guide for helping teens and adults understand emotions has been getting positive feedback on Pinterest. Today I’m sharing some ideas for helping younger kids and tweens (grades K-8) use the Disney/Pixar movie to better understand their feelings.

Helping Kids Understand Emotions with Inside Out

1. An emotion pie chart

To be honest, I can’t take full credit. One of my young clients* came up with this idea on his own. He had the brilliant idea of turning his face into a pie chart and using the five colored emotions from Disney/Pixar’s “Inside Out” to represent the mix of his feelings. He then drew a key identifying the significance of each color.

You can use this idea […]

8 07, 2015

An “Inside Out” (Disney/Pixar) Study Guide: Understanding Emotions

By |2020-10-11T07:06:26-07:00July 8th, 2015|Categories: Blog, Giveaways/Free Resources, Mental Wellness|Tags: , , , , |5 Comments

UPDATE: Activities, art therapy, and questions for helping children (K-8) understand emotions with “Inside Out” is now available (click here.)

Inside Out” by Disney/Pixar is in theaters now. As a therapist, I loved seeing emotions brought to life. I loved seeing concepts such as personality, memory and depression illustrated. I especially appreciated the message that all feelings have value. The movie inspired me to write up a list of questions for understanding emotions better. I was thinking primarily of the teens and young adults I see in therapy, but I think anyone can benefit from them. Please download a free printable copy of my Inside Out Study Guide: Understanding Emotions.*

Inside Out Study Guide for Teens: Understanding Emotions

Spoiler Alert: These questions […]

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