I recently saw the film Stutz by Jonah Hill because a beloved client of mine said it was interesting and wanted to explore it further during a session some time. I love these kinds of discussions, so I jumped at the opportunity. In reaction to this highly acclaimed film, I decided to write out my reflections as a therapist towards it.
Initially, the audience thinks it will be about Jonah Hill’s therapist: a wise, kind man struggling with Parkinson’s. However, it is mainly about the relationship formed between patient and therapist, which is undeniably powerful and a catalyst for healing. As the path towards healing is discovered, all the elements of therapy are implemented: creating “tools”, which are the incorporation of one’s body, mind and relationship to form a healthy balance and lifestyle. As within, so without. Jonah’s mother is even invited, to Stutz’s surprise, in order to bring some enlightening effects and a classic family therapy session.
On many occasions throughout the film Jonah tells his therapist he loves Stutz, and the audience could think: “How could he say? Isn’t it unprofessional?” What most people who begin therapy do not realize is the impact of the therapeutic relationship. This is one of the first things I learned in my training as a therapist in graduate school. That is why it is so important to be open and honest, even when it is difficult. What I have noticed in my practice is: if someone is not receiving the results he/she/they has expected, growing frustrated, they seek another therapist. They have now achieved how to view therapy in a negative light. Instead of resolving their frustration in a respectful way with their therapist, they will dump on the next therapist about how awful the experience was with the last.
In the film, Jonah admits he had been lying to Stutz about the progress of his film, which almost seemed like a distraction from the issues at hand in Jonah’s own therapy (i.e. dealing with his weight and self esteem). If Jonah had blamed his lack of progress on the therapist, left, and found another therapist; the process would have cycled again. Most therapists are trained and truly care about people, even to their own detriment at times. The issue is how you resolve those issues that come up in a therapy session.
Jonah learns to get real with his therapist, which in turn, creates an avenue for him to get real with himself and to truly heal. Stutz had a few intelligent pointers for that. It is so refreshing to find a film about a therapist (which are not many) and depicts him or her or they in a positive light. The fear of transparency is limiting; the ability to be open is limitless. You will be amazed at how much you can achieve.
