Disney Films Used as Therapy to Strengthen Families

Everybody in the U.S. has heard of Disney.  Many have watched at least one of his movies.  Others have watched more.  Some have watched them all many, many times.  These animated movies are sources of entertainment for many people, so who would think they could be used for... therapy?

That's right! Disney movies can be used to assist in family therapy!  Therapists are looking to Disney movies for resources in their work to identify and solve issues within families. By viewing these movies over and over, parents can encourage their kids to learn the family values of Disney's sheltered franchise, just like the ones seen in The Lion King and Brave.

Elinor and Merida

First off, it is important to simply monitor what kind of media your child is seeing, and if that happens to mean playing family-friendly Disney movies, who's to complain?  Not you, and certainly not your child.  I mean, who wouldn't want to see talking animals in Africa or hear those cool Scottish accents in Brave?

Take an active role in controlling what your child does and does not see.  It is much better for your child to watch The Lion King, which teaches moral lessons about family and responsibility, than some generic cartoon show on TV.  You could choose the movies that have morals and beliefs that you want your kids to learn!

Therapists can use these movies to pinpoint exactly the type of situation your family is in and see if there is a movie that describes the same situation.  Luckily, Disney displays so many different types of families with so many different problems.  These problems may be far-fetched or extreme, as they are kids movies, but the ideas behind them can be broken down to something families can apply their own lives to.  Even Merida's problems with her mother are relatable, but maybe that is because Elinor turns into a bear.

Re-authoring the movie is another option.  Also known as narrative therapy, re-authoring involves telling the story of your life, and re-thinking it from a different angle in a positive light.  When the family re-authors the movie's story, they also subconsciously re-author their own family life!  Using this method may pin-point exactly what the problem is between family members.

Mufasa and Simba

What about a parent looking to get more involved?  A mother or father who has somewhat neglected their child may be looking for a way back in.  The therapist could ask the child "What did you like about the father in The Lion King?" and "How can your dad be just like that?"  The same can be asked of the parent.  "What about Elinor did you want in your mother?" They could imagine the character in the same situation.  "Hypothetically, if Elinor was gone for a long time, how could she merge back into Merida's life?"

The Lion King and Brave were both wonderful movies that the audience could take a lot out of, especially the relationships between Mufasa and Simba, as well as between Elinor and Merida.  Using these movies as a an example, you could try to improve your own family's relationship.  These animated films hold a special place in the hearts of many Americans, and I'm sure Disney will continue to represent these strong parent-child relationships in films to come.

A Strong Mother and Daughter Relationship: Brave

Disney is often known for its typical cookie-cutter princess movies.  However, the latest Disney movie, Brave, breaks that template.  There is no delicate princess waiting for her knight in shining armor, just a spirited Scottish princess warrior who wants nothing more than her freedom.

Rather than center around an unlikely love, the movie focuses on princess Merida’s relationship with her strict mother, Queen Elinor.  Like any mother and her rebellious teenage daughter, the two butt heads throughout the entire movie, but eventually come together in the end to form an even stronger bond.

Brave takes place in the kingdom of Dunbroch, where four clans are ruled by Merida’s parents, King Fergus and Queen Elinor.  Merida is forced by her mother to marry one of the clan's sons to avoid starting a war between them, so she seeks a spell from a witch to change her mother's decision.  The spell inadvertently turns Elinor into a bear, and Merida must find a way to save her mother and stop the war now spreading in the kingdom due to her actions.

We see at the beginning of the movie that Merida and Elinor’s relationship is already strained.  Many scenes pass in Merida’s perspective during which her mother harps on everything she does wrong and piles up expectations on her that she does not want.  Merida’s uninterested and annoyed reaction to everything her mother tries to teach her about being a proper princess drives her mother crazy too.

Always at odds with each other

As a typical teenage girl, Merida has trouble accepting any responsibility that involves sacrificing her freedom.  Merida knows very well that refusing to marry will cause unrest among the clansmen, and could even start a war! She sticks to her guns anyway and insists that her life be run her own way, not by her mother's--no matter what the cost.

Elinor's faults rest solely on the fact that she refuses to see her daughter's side of the story.  In the end, Elinor just wants to do what is best for her daughter, just like any mother would.

In this clip, Merida and Elinor are talking about what they would like to say to the other.  When separated, they are less intense than face to face, but they are still unyielding in their arguments. In a way, both of them are right and both of them are wrong, but they can't seem to find a way to compromise!  Yet...

As the two spend a lot of alone time searching for a way to reverse the spell, Merida and Elinor’s bond strengthens and the two start to fix their problems.  Merida chooses to take her mother’s place and tries to resolve the fighting of the clans maturely and apologizes for her selfishness.  Elinor then tells Merida that she should break tradition and have the children of the clan chose their own love when they are ready. In an emotional ending, from 0:58 to 2:08, Merida apologizes to her mother and says that she loves her, the spell is broken, and the two have fixed their problems.

Brave’s portrayal of the mother and daughter relationship is one of the most accurately portrayed of any Disney movie.  It is not sugarcoated at all and many families can relate to the issues between Elinor and Merida.  Most mothers may not have the ability to turn into a bear to fix their problems with their children, but they can see that time spent together and trying to understand the other’s side will help "mend" their bond.

Brave is a movie that shows how to work towards a better relationship.  It is no surprise that these Disney movies can be used to help families work towards a better relationship as well.

A Strong Father and Son Relationship: The Lion King

If one Disney movie can be called the best and most recognizable, many would say it would be The Lion King.  When watching it, everybody starts singing/yelling noises to the opening sunrise scene, “The Circle of Life,” and at least a fifth of my class’ senior quotes were “Hakuna Matata.”  However, one of the most memorable and devastating moments for the viewer, as well as the protagonist Simba, was Mufasa’s death, because he and his father had such a powerful relationship.

The Lion King is a story about Simba’s coming of age and his journey into adulthood.  Simba, who “Just Can’t Wait to be King,” loses his father at the hand of his evil uncle, Scar, who chases him away from the Pride Lands.  Simba must then make a choice between the carefree lifestyle that he had adopted and the life his father wished for him.  He returns to defeat Scar and take his father’s place as King of Pride Rock.

Simba's relationship with Mufasa is one of the strongest relationships in any Disney movie.  Simba completely idolizes his father, Mufasa, and wants nothing more than to be a great king just like him.  Many children, especially sons, look up to their fathers in the same way.

Humorously, Simba’s childhood notions of leadership are completely backwards.  Mufasa spends most of his screen time trying to teach his son the true responsibilities of being king while Simba runs amok, just as any father figure would guide and his son to being a better person.

In this scene, Mufasa scolds Simba for disobeying his orders and putting himself and others in danger.  We see how Simba compares himself to his father at 0:09, with his paw print, and at 0:40, saying "I was just trying to be brave like you." Mufasa responds with another valuable two cents for Simba about bravery and then assures his son that he will always be there to watch over him.

Many viewers think the scenes between Simba and Mufasa are some of the most precious moments in the movie.  Simba clearly looks up to his dad and depends on him in every way.  Any father and son can relate to these moments.  Mufasa obviously adores his son, wants him to become the best king he can be, and would even die for him.

Simba distraught over his father's death

The heart wrenching scene of Simba finding Mufasa dead hits the audience, who has started relating Mufasa to their own father, just as hard as it hits Simba.  This is when we see just how important Mufasa is.  Simba casts away his desire to be king because of his mistaken guilt for his father's death.

Mufasa gives Simba the strength
to return home and take his place in
the "Circle of Life"

Later in the movie, Simba must choose either the "no worries" lifestyle of "Hakuna Matata" or going back to accept the responsibility that his father left him.  Simba finally has some sense knocked into him when his father's spirit appears before him, encourages him to go back and stops him from running away from his past.

Mufasa and Simba are an example of an extremely strong parent and child relationship.  Throughout the plot of the movie, many of Simba’s actions are taken based on his father’s lessons.   They spend a great deal of time together and obviously care for each other very much.  When that connection is taken away, Simba becomes depressed, but eventually rises to his father’s expectations.

Simba and Mufasa's relationship is strong from the get-go, but others may have to work a little harder and be a little bit braver to get to achieve that same bond.

Strong Family Relationships of Disney Movies: The Lion King and Brave and their Effect on American Families

When you watch a Walt Disney Studios motion picture, you usually know what to expect.  Most of its animated films follow the same formula.  An innocent young girl and an adventurous boy who come from different backgrounds meet; there is a disagreement within the family of the protagonists; a conflict arises between the characters involving some sinisterly drawn, almost comically evil villain; followed by lots of G-rated action, clean comedy, and a lot of spontaneous singing.  

Despite these repeated themes, Disney's films are both extremely popular and iconic.  I know all of you can remember your favorite scenes from your favorite Disney movies, and singing along to every song as a child. Not only are these movies influential, the influences they have are very beneficial to families.

The strong family in The Lion King

The strong family in Brave

Just look at the way Disney portrays families!  Family is addressed in every Disney movie, and is almost always a key part of a movie’s plot.  Disney leaves no stone unturned, for many different family types are portrayed, including traditional and alternative.  The family members in these movies always interact with each other and show their ability to solve problems through communication and commitment.  Disney usually chooses to show this through a relationship between a parent and their child.

There is a lot to learn from Disney's example, and with so many people having problems with their own families today, these movies may be the perfect source to help them out.  This is especially helpful for mother, fathers, and kids because Disney movies emphasize so many strong bonds between parents and their children.

That’s a heavy statement, but after looking at the plot of some of these movies, it has to be true.  For example, in the classic 1994 film The Lion King and the most recent Disney Pixar production Brave, the emphasis is clearly on the family relationship between the protagonists and their fathers or mothers. These movies focus on how these significant relationships affect the characters' lives, especially in the face of conflict, change or, specifically to The Lion King, the death of a beloved father.