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It was a weekend night—my mom and I packed our blankets, wore comfy clothes, and grabbed snacks before heading to the movie theater. I was beyond excited to see Inside Out 2. Especially because Anxiety was going to be in it. We all know her a little too well.

As the film started rolling and Riley's mind unfolded in front of us, a question popped into my head:‍

Was this movie inspired by Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

If you’re not familiar with it, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapeutic approach that focuses on how our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are all interconnected. Basically, CBT says that what we think affects how we feel, and how we feel affects what we do—and vice versa.

● Thoughts are those internal conversations we have with ourselves (like me thinking “was this movie inspired by CBT?”).

● Emotions are what we feel—like joy, sadness, anxiety, or disgust (hello, Inside Out characters).

● Behaviors are our actions—the stuff people can observe, like fidgeting, crying, or playing hockey.

These three—thoughts, emotions, and behaviors—are like best friends who influence each other constantly. And usually, something happens (called an “activating event”) that kicks it all off.

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Riley's CBT Moment

Let’s take a scene from the movie. Riley is walking with the “cool girls” after hockey practice. She notices her arms are moving weirdly (the activating event) and thinks,

Why are my arms moving like that?

That thought triggers anxiety, and then her behavior shifts—she fidgets, hides her hands, puts them in her pockets. A textbook CBT cycle in action.

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Core Beliefs: The Roots of Riley’s Mind

CBT also digs deeper into something called core beliefs—the deep, often unconscious ideas we have about ourselves, others, and the world. In the movie, they call it the “Sense of Self” which is stored in Riley’s “Belief System."

Remember when Joy and Sadness visit the “Belief System” in Riley’s mind and pull on those neon-blue strings? We hear Riley’s inner voice saying things like:

● “I am a good person.”

● “I am kind.”

● “I am strong.”

● “I am brave.”

These are core beliefs—the trunk of the tree that all our thoughts, feelings, and actions grow from.

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How Core Beliefs Affect Everything

In the beginning, Riley has mostly positive core beliefs. She thinks she’s a good friend, a good teammate. But after a few difficult experiences, like conflicts with friends or stress around hockey, her belief shifts:

I’m not good enough.

This change affects how she sees everything—her thoughts become more negative, her emotions heavier, her behaviors more anxious. It’s a powerful example of how much influence our inner voice really has.

To put it visually:

● Early childhood experiences = the roots of a tree. Early life events are foundational and shape how we begin to see ourselves and the world.

● Core beliefs = the trunk. From those early experiences, we develop deep, often unconscious ideas and beliefs about who we are.

● Thoughts, emotions, and behaviors = the branches and leaves. These outward signs stem from what’s happening deeper inside the mind.

When Riley’s belief was “I am good,” she apologized when she messed up, because she truly believed she could make things right. Her identity was built on years of life experiences. But when that core belief turned into “I am not good enough,” her reactions changed—more anxiety, self-doubt, and fear of rejection.

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So... Was Inside Out 2 Inspired by CBT?

Whether the creators were consciously inspired by CBT or not, Inside Out 2 gives a beautiful, relatable picture of how our inner world works. It shows the ripple effects of a single thought. It shows how emotions can team up, clash, or take over. It shows how our core beliefs are shaped—and how they can be changed.

Most importantly, it reminds us how powerful our inner voice is. What we say to ourselves matters.