Inside Out 2 is good for our health and a must-watch for parents and teens, says doctor
“Let’s take a cue from Riley and her emotions: embrace play, welcome all feelings, and remember that it’s okay to be a little messy.”
By Dr Kate Renshaw, founder and director of Play and Filial Therapy
In 2015, my eldest daughter was in her first year of primary school when Inside Out was released. It was a huge hit in our house, as it seemed to be everywhere. As a play therapist with extensive training in child development, psychology, and neuroscience, I tried not to critique the film too much and just share in my children’s enjoyment.
Fast forward to 2024, when I now have two teenagers, and Inside Out 2 has just been released. My daughter had especially been anticipating the second instalment, so we planned a mother-daughter cinema trip for the opening weekend.
As we drove to the cinema, she naturally started to chat about why she was looking forward to the movie. She said she felt like she was growing up with Riley. The words “it’s like she’s with us” stuck in my mind as we walked into the cinema. But it was what she said on the way home that surprised me.
As we chatted about the film, she said, “it just felt right.” She couldn’t point out anything wrong with it, although she is skilled at critique, and sometimes brutal honesty, so this took me by surprise! She explained that “the film industry needs to do more of that” – to which she meant – let their audience grow and be ready for the next instalment.
The afterglow of this exchange left me thinking about what we as parents could take away from watching the movie with our kids. There are a few key messages from the movie that might turn out to be good for our health.
7 ways Inside Out 2 is good for our health
1. Play is not just for childhood
Inside Out 2 beautifully underscores that play is an enduring part of life. The narrative shows Riley reconnecting with her childhood characters like Bloofy and Pouchy, reminding us that the joy of play persists beyond childhood.
Play Therapy emphasises that play is crucial for maintaining mental health and fostering creativity at any age. This idea is vividly brought to life when Riley’s original emotions, along with Bloofy and Pouchy, work together to free themselves from being “bottled up,” symbolising how revisiting playful memories can be rejuvenating at any stage of life.
2. Sport can seriously take the game out of playing
In one poignant scene, Riley’s emotions highlight the tension between sport and play; demonstrating that competitive pressure can strip the joy from playful activities. Anxiety’s declaration, “Hockey is not a game, it’s a sport,” perfectly captures this shift.
The scene where Riley’s emotions battle over her sense of self during hockey camp, with Anxiety pushing her too hard and Joy struggling to maintain a playful perspective, also illustrates the tension. Children need regular unstructured time to enjoy the freedom and joy of play.
3. Complex emotions are part of the human experience
Riley’s journey through puberty introduces new emotions like Anxiety, Envy, and Nostalgia. These complex feelings shape her interactions and self-perception, showing that experiencing many emotions is essential for personal growth and healthy relationships.. For instance, when Riley meets her hockey idol and feels a mix of envy and anxiety, it showcases how these intricate emotions are woven into the fabric of her daily experiences, influencing her behaviour and self-esteem.
4. Our sense of self is dynamic
Riley’s evolving self-concept, influenced by new core memories and changing beliefs, illustrates the fluid nature of identity. Our sense of self is continuously informed by our experiences and relationships, making it a dynamic and ever-changing construct.
The film’s depiction of Riley’s personality islands, with friendship island growing larger and family island smaller but solid, highlights how her core beliefs and self-identity are in constant flux. The notion that “every bit of Riley makes her who she is – every messy piece of her” underscores the idea that our identity is a mosaic of all our experiences.
5. Growing up is a process
The film poignantly asks, “How do we be our self if our new self isn’t ready?” Riley’s struggle with her emerging identity captures the essence of growing up. Development is a gradual process, requiring patience and self-compassion. The puberty alarm scene, where Joy tries to exile the alarm to the back of Riley’s mind only to find it’s too late, symbolises the unavoidable and often chaotic nature of growing up. The demolition crew that arrives to start renovating Riley’s mind represents the disruptive yet unavoidable changes that come with adolescence.
6. Joy is a biological necessity
Joy’s reminder that “maybe when we grow up we feel less joy” highlights the importance of nurturing joy in our lives. Our brains are wired for joy through play circuitry, making it vital to seek out and cherish joyful moments to nourish our minds. The scene where Joy, despite feeling hopeless, strives to help Riley reclaim her sense of self (“I’m a good person”) underscores the necessity of joy for emotional resilience. Joy’s insistence on finding and fostering moments of happiness, even amid anxiety and stress, is a powerful testament to the role of joy and happiness, for our mental well-being.
7. 100% positivity is not the goal
Joy admits the difficulty of maintaining constant positivity, acknowledging the value of experiencing the full spectrum of human emotions. Sriving for perpetual happiness is unrealistic; instead, embracing all emotions leads to a richer, more balanced life.
The film’s climax, where all of Riley’s emotions, including Joy and Anxiety, come together to reintegrate her sense of self, illustrates that true emotional health involves accepting and understanding all feelings. The final reconciliation scene, where Riley’s old friends check on her and she honestly expresses her mixed emotions, encapsulates this message.
Inside Out 2 reminds us that embracing the depth and breadth of our emotions is not only natural but essential for our overall well-being.
In my work as a play therapy clinician, I see firsthand how critical it is to allow ourselves the freedom to play, explore, and experience all emotions, regardless of age; it’s not just for children, adults, too, benefit greatly from engaging in play.
In our busy lives, we often forget the joy and importance of play, and how it fosters creativity, reduces stress, and enhances emotional resilience.
Inside Out 2 beautifully demonstrates all of this, so, let’s take a cue from Riley and her emotions: embrace play, welcome all feelings, and remember that it’s okay to be a little messy. Every experience shapes us, and every emotion has its place in our journey towards mental wellness.
Dr Kate Renshaw, the ‘Doctor of Play Therapy’, is the founder and director of Play and Filial Therapy. As a play therapy clinician, researcher, author, and educator, she is changing the way we think about play for lifelong human health and wellbeing.
