I had an unusual discussion with one of my colleagues. We’re both psychologists and we work in a medium sized team, providing mental health support to adults. Some young adults, some older. But no children.
Today we were musing over themes for some upcoming team training. We guffawed at the thought of curating a Bluey-themed professional development session for the psychologists to participate in. And I genuinely squealed. With. Joy.
I love Bluey. I love how it makes me feel, and how and what I think about after I watch it. I love discussing it with other people. My personal favourite episodes? Camping. Cricket. Dragon. The Decider. I still can’t get through The Sign without sobbing in absolute schema activation mode (more on that another time).
As a psychologist, I find Bluey an incredibly valuable therapeutic tool. In those bite sized and exquisitely crafted episodes, you’ll find a wise, kind, secure base of psychological concepts and theories. Hats off to the creators, because the show is an accessible and engaging psycho-education goldmine.
So, with absolute delight… I present to you, this clinical psychologist’s list of Really Useful Bluey episodes for therapy concepts - for people of all ages and developmental stages.
Space
Healing a Trauma Response
We see McKenzie stuck in an automatic and repetitive behavioural pattern, when he is exposed to a reminder of an overwhelmingly scary event. Whilst he’s in a (very gently presented) state of re-experiencing, Calypso provides a secure base to support McKenzie to re-script and tolerate the traumatic memory. There’s your What, Why, How, and What Helps regarding trauma (and the integral role of play in recovery)… all in 7 minutes.
Stickbird & The Show
Emotional Regulation
In Stickbird and The Show, we see characters stuck in a place of big unpleasant feelings. And how do they regulate these feelings? A kind and wise other comes along and offers strategies! The Show gives us Chilli’s Checklist: Have a little cry, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep going. What?! No shaming, avoidance or suppression here! In Stickbird, Bluey demonstrates how to genuinely notice all of your ‘upset and angry’, bundle it up… and let it go by physically throwing it away. If you’re searching for some emotional regulation strategies, right there are two pretty great invitations.
Tickle Crabs
Healthy Attachment Behaviour
It’s subtle but it’s there - I love how Bandit comes to realise that it’s not up to your significant other to save you from challenges or distress. That it’s his own responsibility to endure the horror of relentless tickle crabs, and it’s not Chilli’s job to take that horror away or lessen it just because he doesn’t like it. Once Bandit accepts his own stuff, only then does he feel the genuine and collaborative power of ‘true love’.
And while we’re on relational dynamics, honourable mention to the entire run of Bluey for persistently signalling the impact of the Executive Sub-System in a family unit (see moments such as the final sequence in The Pool, Tina and FaceyTalk).
Born Yesterday
Grounding in the Present Moment
It’s almost straight out of a Jon Kabat-Zinn or Russ Harris playbook - direct your attention to observe details in your environment, as if you are a curious scientist or a child who has never before seen such a thing. By practicing this often, you (and your body and brain) will reap the benefits… and goodness isn’t it enticing.
Sleepytime
Individuation and Secure Attachment
I’m really hoping there is a developmental psychology 101 course somewhere that is comprised entirely of this episode, because the layers and detail are impossible to briefly explain. Parent as a secure base, from which the child feels confident to explore the world and then return back to as needed? Check. The role of peers, once the secure attachment base is established (musn’t forget Floppy)? Check. The power of the secure base during times of separation? Check. And that’s just a sliver of the gold on offer in this episode. It’s won awards for a reason, and golly, is a beautiful viewing experience to boot.
Muffin Cone
Impulse Control
So much pressure on Muffin to suppress an impulse (sucking her thumb), while we see fabulous Aunt Trixie struggle with her own inhibitory control. Double gold star from me here, for not only capturing how expectations for impulse control can be developmentally incongruent - but for also signalling how impulse control can be impacted by stress and also… genetics.
While we are in executive function territory, honourable mentions to Army, Hide & Seek and Explorers.
Shaun
Co-regulation
How do you tame things when everyone is wild and hectic? And how do people (or emus) learn how to regulate themselves? By being, and witnessing others being, calm and controlled. Repeatedly. And frequently. It’s like magic, huh? Who needs chair work when you can utilise some Shaun work to promote some healthy adult relational behaviour.