What one therapist wants you to take away from Jonah Hill's mental health documentary

What one therapist wants you to take away from Jonah Hill's mental health documentary

Jonah Hill shares his mental health therapist's tools in a new Netflix documentary, Stutz.

The film consists of conversations between the 21 Jump Street actor and his therapist Phil Stutz, MD. Not only does it provide insight into Hill's experiences with mental health, but it also offers viewers actionable advice and techniques.

“I chose to do this because I want to present your tools and teachings from you, Phil Stutz, my therapist, in a way that people can access and use to improve their own lives,” Hill tells Dr. Stutz in the opening of the film.

Dr. Stutz's tools

In the film, Hill and Dr. Stutz on the “tools” the therapist uses to help his patients change their “internal state immediately and in real time,” says Dr. Stutz. Tools include visualization exercises that help people turn an unpleasant experience into an opportunity, he explains.

One of the many techniques shared in the documentary is the concept that every action you take in life is a string of pearls. Each “pearl” is the same size, indicating that your actions all have the same value. However, every “pearl” has a dark spot that indicates a constant, unavoidable imperfection, adds Dr. Stutz.

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Another is to nurture “the shadow,” aka the part or version of yourself that you are not proud of. For Hill, it's his 14-year-old self, according to the documentary. Dr. Stutz encourages his patients to interact with their “shadow,” which “needs attention,” he says in the film.

Then there is the idea of ​​letting go of “the snapshot,” which is the image you have in your head of what the “perfect life” would look like. For most, this idyllic “snapshot” isn’t really possible, so it’s important to instead focus on more realistic goals that lead to lasting happiness.

How to use the tools

Some of the tools that Dr. Stutz presents are similar to those that many therapists use, including practicing visualization, radical acceptance, and gratitude, according to Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LCSW-C, a licensed therapist who treats people with eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

One exercise shown in the documentary that viewers may begin on their own is engaging with "part work," or with the "shadow," which Stutz describes as an example of a part. To do this, you can try looking at a picture of yourself as a child or at an age where you were struggling and offer some compassion to that part of yourself, suggests Rollin.

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You can also work on radical acceptance, a concept discussed in the film, by thinking about areas in your life where you sometimes find yourself fighting against reality, says Rollin. Practice having a more accepting viewpoint about this part of your life.

Finally, you can think about what you strive for in your life to achieve the happiness you believe exists in the illusion of the "snapshot," says Rollin. If you recognize what it is, you might consider changing that ideal snapshot. For example, if you think that looking a certain way about your body or buying a fancy new car is the key to happiness and fulfillment, you might aim to shift your focus to things that can bring "lasting fulfillment," like meaningful relationships, says Rollen.

The importance of documentary film

"The documentary was interesting, shared some helpful tools, and I also think it's helpful that it's a celebrity opening up [about] this experience in therapy," Rollin says. “Hopefully it encourages other people to seek therapy,” she adds, especially those who have never been exposed to the practice before. “This could be like a window into which they can learn more about therapy,” she says.

Recent tweets from people who have seen the documentary seem to show how helpful it is to see Hill and his therapist interact and share mental health exercises.

“I just watched the new Stutz film, Jonah Hill @Netflix and I learned more about mental health in 90 minutes than I did in six years of reading self-help books and going to different therapists,” he wrote a Twitter user. Others called it a "life hack," a "masterpiece" and "a joy to watch."

While trying out self-help tools at home like the ones Dr. While Stutz and Hill speak in the film that may be effective and safe for some, it is important to remember that therapy should be tailored to the individual, notes Rollin. If you try the tools shown in the documentary at home and find them too triggering, see a mental health professional to help you process this, she advises.

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Shaking the stigma

This isn't the first time Hill has spoken out about his mental health. Before the film's release, Hill said in a letter published on Deadline that he would not encourage Stutz to make public appearances to work on his anxiety.

"Through this journey of self-discovery within the film, I have come to the conclusion that I have spent nearly 20 years experiencing anxiety attacks, exacerbated by media appearances and public events," he wrote at the time.

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Hill isn't the only big name using his platform to open up about seeking mental health help. Selena Gomez, who has been open about her health in the past, released her own documentary, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, on Apple TV in November 2022. It focuses on her mental health and includes a look at the only murders in Building Star's diagnosis of bipolar disorder and battle with lupus. The actress also recently launched a company aimed at helping people prioritize mental wellness.

Hill and other celebrities' decision to share their mental health journey can be beneficial to the general public. "It's so powerful for people who struggle with mental illness or just mental health in general to see celebrities come out and remove some of the shame and stigma," Rollin says.

If you're struggling with mental health, it may be helpful to try the "tools" Dr. Stutz featured in the film, or consider contacting a psychologist for individual help.