HBO’s The Rehearsal ends with Inner Child Therapy ❤

Season one of The Rehearsal starts with show creator Nathan Fielder offering cognitive behavioural therapy experiences to help others, and ends with him realizing he is offering himself an inner child (schema) therapy experience to heal his own relationship with fatherhood.

As someone who is deeply familiar with both forms of therapy, it was very moving watching Nathan explore how complicated and beautiful a therapy journey can be when you say yes to it (an attitude that is also intrinsic to improv, which is a huge part of the show).

Inner child therapy involves exploring fictional fulfilling, healthy childhood memories to heal and feel safe and at peace with our past. As a fictional father to Adam, we see Nathan slowly breaking down his walls to show a very human (I guess we could say the closest to real), vulnerable side of himself. He’s a great caregiver, and he communicates his healthy adult self through supportive words and actions.

Nathan’s ultimate realization that “I’m your dad” (when he thought he was playing a mom) is him giving his childhood self a hug, as the supportive father he needed. Arguably the most vulnerable moment in the show, Nathan looks confused and scared as he processes it, and his fictional child Adam smiles with unconditional love and understanding, and hugs him.

It is one of the most beautiful TV moments I have experienced yet.

“You may never be able to change what happened; but maybe, with a new perspective, you could try to change yourself.” — Nathan Fielder, S1 E6 of The Rehearsal