Our movie for this episode has had a long-standing place on Gabi's top ten list. 'Adventureland' (2009) tells the story of James Brennan's summer following his college graduation, when life throws him a series of curveballs, and he ends up needing to take a job as a games operator at his local amusement park, Adventureland. Set in 1987 (with an amazing soundtrack to boot), we join James on a literal adventure of self-discovery, love, heartbreak, and realization.

For years, Gabi wrote this movie off as the "dumb" one on her favorites list, but our discussion proves that might not be the case! This movie is full of rich ideas, especially about the messiness of human beings and of the human experience as a whole. We talk about the value of looking at others through a lens of tenderness, how much perspective matters when it comes to every experience we have, and more.

Thanks for listening! We'd be so grateful if you could leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Interested in connecting with Jessica or Gabi? Here's how!

Jessica Heimsoth | Every Thought Captive Coaching
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Gabi Gilliland | Grief Grace Glory
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It feels great to be back to talking about movies after a bit of a break, and for this episode, we're taking on Disney's 'Encanto' (2021)! If you have young children like we do, we know there's a decent chance that the songs from this movie are stuck in your head (and who could blame you, because they're AMAZING). 'Encanto' is the story of the magically-gifted Madrigal family who live in a tucked-away village in Colombia. Young Mirabel, the only Madrigal who doesn't have a magical gift of her own (or so she thinks) leads us on an adventure of growth, courage, discovery, and transformation.

We were both drawn to the dichotomy between the concept of a "gift" and a "curse", and the way this plays out through the film. We discuss the importance of the story that we tell, and how much we can learn from the Madrigal family as they confront what is actually holding their family together: Is it their magical gifts? Or is it love? And of course...we talk about Bruno.

Thanks for listening! We'd be so grateful if you could leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Interested in connecting with Jessica or Gabi? Here's how!

Jessica Heimsoth | Every Thought Captive Coaching
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Gabi Gilliland | Grief Grace Glory
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After an unplanned break, we are so grateful to be back. And we're taking this opportunity to bring you an episode that combines some intense and important life updates (mostly from Gabi) with a discussion about the role that movies play in our lives as we move through real experiences of loss and grief.

Please note that the subject matter of this episode might be a bit jarring, even more so because it's not behind the protective veil of being on screen. Gabi talks openly and honestly about her recent experience with late term pregnancy loss and infant death. We're honored that you're here, but we understand if this episode is too intense and we won't be offended if you skip it.

Thanks for listening! We'd be so grateful if you could leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Interested in connecting with Jessica or Gabi? Here's how!

Jessica Heimsoth | Every Thought Captive Coaching
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Gabi Gilliland | Grief Grace Glory
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It feels pretty cool to be ending 2024 with the 30TH episode of our podcast! Round numbers are so fun. And what better way to close out the year than with a musical? We're talking about 'Hamilton' (2020)! It's a first-time viewing for Jessica and an umpteenth-time viewing for Gabi. 'Hamilton' is the filmed recording of a June 2016 performance of the beloved musical chronicling the life of founding father Alexander Hamilton. The brainchild of composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, it's hard not to get the musical numbers stuck in your head, even after a single viewing.

'Hamilton' serves up lots for us to talk about. We touch on the dichotomy of drive vs. desperation that comes up many times with several different characters. We look at the significance of the weaving together of the musical numbers and how that is echoed in the narratives of real life. We discuss the value of the people in our life who antagonize us in healthy ways, and what the modern equivalent of a duel might be. And of course, we aren't shy about picking favorites when it comes to scenes!

Thanks for listening! We'd be so grateful if you could leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Interested in connecting with Jessica or Gabi? Here's how!

Jessica Heimsoth | Every Thought Captive Coaching
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Gabi Gilliland | Grief Grace Glory
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Join us for this special episode where we depart from our usual single-movie discussion, and instead explore a movie-related topic: The Value of Favorites.

This very podcast came about because Jessica and Gabi began sharing their favorite movies with each other. So, we have first hand experience with the connection that can happen when we let other people in on the things that we love most. We talk about the vulnerability of opening up, how a conversation about movies can stay surface-level or go deep, how picking favorites in movies and other categories can be a catalyst for self-knowledge, and much more!

Thanks for listening! We'd be so grateful if you could leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Interested in connecting with Jessica or Gabi? Here's how!

Jessica Heimsoth | Every Thought Captive Coaching
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Gabi Gilliland | Grief Grace Glory
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Was this movie MADE for life coaches? Maybe! The movie for this episode is one of Jessica's picks, but it's beloved by both of our hosts: 'Inside Out' (2015). This Disney offering is unique among other animated films in its class. It takes the audience inside (literally) the mind of 11-year-old Riley who is about to move from Minnesota to San Francisco, leaving behind the only life she has ever known. At the control panel of her mind are five emotions: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust. As Riley navigates the massive shift of moving to a new place, we see how her emotions (and ours, by extension) each play a crucial role.

We laugh, we cry, and we dive deep into the richness that this movie offers our human-behavior-obsessed brains. We talk about how our current lens can affect our perspectives of our own pasts, how personality is NOT the person, what 'Inside Out' does really well when it comes to illustrating the THOUGHT-FEELING-ACTION sequence, where it falls short, and what this can teach us about the power we have over our own minds.

Thanks for listening! We'd be so grateful if you could leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Interested in connecting with Jessica or Gabi? Here's how!

Jessica Heimsoth | Every Thought Captive Coaching
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Gabi Gilliland | Grief Grace Glory
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Have you ever watched a movie and loved it so much that you want to immediately start it again? That's how Gabi and Jessica feel about the subject of this episode: 'Little Women' (1994). In Gabi's humble (or not so humble) opinion, this is the definitive film version of Louisa May Alcott's novel by the same name. Starring a young and energetic Winona Ryder as Jo, alongside a strong cast including Susan Sarandon as Marmee and Christian (Dreamboat) Bale as Laurie, 'Little Women' immerses us in the world of the March family in 1860s Massachusetts, where each sister comes of age, in her own way, and in her own time.

The story centers on Jo, so it's fitting that much of our conversation does as well. We talk about her similarities to Marmee, and how the two characters side by side are an illustration of the difference between responding to circumstances, and reacting to them. We explore how the March family's emphasis on character development plays out in the life of each of the girls, and especially in Jo, for whom loss is a major catalyst as she connects to her own voice and the value of her story. This episode runs a bit longer than our average, but for good reason!

Thanks for listening! We'd be so grateful if you could leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Interested in connecting with Jessica or Gabi? Here's how!

Jessica Heimsoth | Every Thought Captive Coaching
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Gabi Gilliland | Grief Grace Glory
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We're Vikings, it's an occupational hazard! In this episode, we're taking on one of Jessica's top ten favorites: 'How to Train Your Dragon' (2010). This charming animated feature boasts a star-studded cast of voices, including Jay Baruchel as the awkward but endearing Hiccup, Gerard Butler as his imposing father Stoick, Craig Ferguson as the hilarious Gobber, and many more. We meet Hiccup in the fictional Viking village of Berk and witness him come of age in a society that expects him to be someone he's not. Through his unlikely companionship with a dragon he names Toothless, Hiccup challenges the generations-old Viking tradition of warring with dragons, and helps to usher in a whole new era for his people.

This movie is rich in themes and we managed to tackle quite a few of them, including the concept of personal "flaws" and how they can put us in a position to solve problems differently. We note how common it is for others to see people who are different as a threat, and that Stoick's relationship with Hiccup is clouded by a lack of connection. As usual, we dive into why our characters do the things that they do, and pay particular attention to the ideas of glory vs. obligation. Stories of triumph show us what's possible, but is it a waste if nothing comes from the risks we take?

Thanks for listening! We'd be so grateful if you could leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Interested in connecting with Jessica or Gabi? Here's how!

Jessica Heimsoth | Every Thought Captive Coaching
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Gabi Gilliland | Grief Grace Glory
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TWENTY-FIVE episodes! To celebrate this milestone, we've chosen a special movie-related topic to discuss: The characters we can see ourselves being friends with, and why.

Naturally, we peel back the layers of the concept of true friendship, what it means to be drawn to a person vs. form a meaningful relationship with them, and the criteria we use for seeking out the people who could become part of our village. We imagine ourselves in the company of Lizzie Bennet, Jo March, Sherlock Holmes, and others, and let the conversation take us to some deep places in true life coach form.

We appreciate those of you who have been with us since the first episode, and those who have just started tuning in!

Thanks for listening! We'd be so grateful if you could leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Interested in connecting with Jessica or Gabi? Here's how!

Jessica Heimsoth | Every Thought Captive Coaching
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Gabi Gilliland | Grief Grace Glory
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A short movie doesn't necessarily mean a shorter discussion! We ended up recording this episode in two parts and combining them into one longer episode because we had SO MUCH to talk about. Join us as we wander through the humor, tenderness, and richness of 'The Holdovers' (2023), starring Paul Giamatti as the prickly teacher Mr. Hunham, Dominic Sessa as Hunham's complex student Angus, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Mary, the grief-stricken yet compassionate cook at Barton, an elite Massachusetts boarding school in 1970.

Gabi is particularly taken with the character of Mary as she brings to life the dynamic nature of acute grief. We talk about Mary's grace as she moves through the stages of grief, engaging with them in ways that are sometimes hard to watch. All of the lead characters are living the purgatorial paradox of being exactly where they need to be, but actively growing and shifting into what life is calling them to. Through their very human imperfections, they remind us that our "flaws" might be exactly what we need, for ourselves and to be there for others. 'The Holdovers' is an invitation to witness how human connection can help us do hard things.

Book: 'On Grief and Grieving' by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross M.D. & David Kessler 

Thanks for listening! We'd be so grateful if you could leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Interested in connecting with Jessica or Gabi? Here's how!

Jessica Heimsoth | Every Thought Captive Coaching
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Gabi Gilliland | Grief Grace Glory
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