The Story Dads

By Micah Brenner, Eric Anderson

Eric Anderson and Micah Brenner are the Story Dads, subjected to never ending repetitions of children's movies, these conversations are how they cope. Eric is a licensed and practicing MFT and Micah ... more

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FAQs about The Story Dads:

How many episodes does The Story Dads have?

The podcast currently has 50 episodes available.

The Story Dads episodes:

April 23, 2026Mulan: Family, Courage, and the Call to Step Up | The StoryDads Podcast EP50
🎧 Episode 50: Mulan — Family, Courage, and the Call to Step Up
Guest: Kaitlyn Drew
In this milestone episode, we revisit Mulan through the lens of story, character, and what it means to step up when you don’t feel ready.
🧭 What We Explore
Why Mulan’s story is rooted in duty, not self-discovery

The power of the “awkward hero” and why it resonates

How growth happens through adaptation, not natural ability

The integration of structure and flexibility in both character and story

Why Shan Yu works as a quiet but formidable villain

How this story scales from family responsibility to saving a nation
💡 Key Takeaways
Courage often shows up before confidence does

You don’t need to feel ready—you need to be willing

Strength isn’t one thing—it’s the ability to adapt to what’s required

The stories we love as kids often carry deeper truths as adults
🎬 Why This Movie Still Matters
Mulan continues to resonate because it speaks to a universal experience: feeling out of place, yet stepping forward anyway. It’s a story about responsibility, growth, and becoming the person a moment calls for—even when it’s uncomfortable.
👋 Connect With Us
If you enjoyed this episode:
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Leave a rating or review

Follow along for more episodes breaking down the stories that shape us
🎙️ About StoryDads
StoryDads is a podcast exploring the deeper meaning behind the movies we grew up with—and now experience again through our kids. Each episode dives into the psychology, philosophy, and storytelling that make these films stick with us.
🔗 Connect with StoryDads
Follow us for clips, updates, and more:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storydadspodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.story.dads
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStoryDads
X: https://x.com/StoryDads
👤 About the Hosts
Micah’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0182425/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1
Eric’s Counseling Practice: https://www.ericandersoncounseling.com/
📩 Business Inquiries
For advertising or partnership opportunities:
[email protected]

Edited by Isaac Liverance
...more
55min
April 16, 2026The Incredibles: Fatherhood, Greatness, and the Family That Fights Together | The StoryDads Podcast EP49
Episode Title:
The Incredibles: Fatherhood, Greatness, and a Family That Fights Together
🎙️ Guest Spotlight: Joseph King Barkley
Joseph is an Executive Coach with Novus Global and President of the Meta Performance Institute.
You can check out more of his teaching and communication on his YouTube channel, featuring talks from his time as a pastor at Radius Church:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@RadiusChurch
🔑 Key Themes
The “war on greatness” and modern culture

Fatherhood and the pressure to suppress vs. express strength

The Parr family as four different responses to personal ability

Syndrome as a case study in envy, resentment, and distorted identity

The shift from independence to interdependence in family systems

Why real humility looks more like confidence than self-minimization
🎬 Film Discussed
The Incredibles (dir. Brad Bird)
💬 Memorable Ideas from the Episode
“If everyone is special, then no one is.”

“You’re robbing the world when you mute your gifts.”

“Greatness isn’t zero-sum—it multiplies when brought together.”

“Real humility looks like confidence.”
📣 Connect with Us
Subscribe for weekly episodes

Share this episode with a fellow dad or movie lover

Let us know what film we should break down next
🔗 Connect with StoryDads
Follow us for clips, updates, and more:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storydadspodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.story.dads
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStoryDads
X: https://x.com/StoryDads
👤 About the Hosts
Micah’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0182425/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1
Eric’s Counseling Practice: https://www.ericandersoncounseling.com/
📩 Business Inquiries
For advertising or partnership opportunities:
[email protected]

Edited by Isaac Liverance
...more
43min
April 09, 2026Finding Nemo: Fatherhood, Fear, and Letting Go | The StoryDads Podcast EP48
Episode Notes
Why Finding Nemo is really about fatherhood, fear, and letting go

Marlin’s anxiety: justified… but ultimately limiting

The challenge every parent faces: protect vs prepare

Nemo’s arc: proving capability and earning trust

Dory as the counterbalance to fear (“just keep swimming”)

A different kind of Pixar story—simple plot, rich characters

The “road trip” structure and why it works so well

What the film gets right about community and growth

How both father and son become more than they were at the start

Why Finding Nemo remains one of Pixar’s most rewatchable films
Next Episode
The Incredibles (with special guest Joseph Barkley)
🔗 Connect with StoryDads
Follow us for clips, updates, and more:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storydadspodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.story.dads
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStoryDads
X: https://x.com/StoryDads
👤 About the Hosts
Micah’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0182425/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1
Eric’s Counseling Practice: https://www.ericandersoncounseling.com/
📩 Business Inquiries
For advertising or partnership opportunities:
[email protected]

Edited by Isaac Liverance
...more
39min
April 02, 2026Ralph Breaks the Internet: A Sequel That Hates the Original | The StoryDads Podcast EP47
🎧 Featuring
Jordan Crowder
Host of the Gentleman Scofflaw Podcast
https://www.gentlemanscofflaw.com/
https://jordancrowder.com
🧠 What We Discuss
Why Ralph Breaks the Internet feels like a completely different story

How the sequel reverses the core message of the original

The difference between strong storytelling and message-first storytelling

Why kids seem to instinctively disengage from this film

What happens when a sequel betrays its own foundation
🔗 Connect with StoryDads
Follow us for clips, updates, and more:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storydadspodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.story.dads
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStoryDads
X: https://x.com/StoryDads
👤 About the Hosts
Micah’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0182425/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1
Eric’s Counseling Practice: https://www.ericandersoncounseling.com/
📩 Business Inquiries
For advertising or partnership opportunities:
[email protected]

Edited by Isaac Liverance
...more
59min
March 26, 2026Tangled: Romance, Freedom, and the Devouring Mother | The StoryDads Podcast EP46
Key Themes
Twin hero journey

Romance as transformation

The devouring mother

Leaving home and identity formation

Sacrifice and love
Psychological Lens
Borderline personality traits

Munchausen by proxy dynamics

Parent-child enmeshment
Notable Moments
The Snuggly Duckling (threshold into the world)

Lantern scene (falling in love)

Final sacrifice and resurrection
Related StoryDads Episodes
Beauty and the Beast

Aladdin

Snow White

101 Dalmatians
Join the Conversation
What stands out most to you in Tangled?
What should we cover next?
🔗 Connect with StoryDads
Follow us for clips, updates, and more:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storydadspodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.story.dads
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStoryDads
X: https://x.com/StoryDads
👤 About the Hosts
Micah’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0182425/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1
Eric’s Counseling Practice: https://www.ericandersoncounseling.com/
📩 Business Inquiries
For advertising or partnership opportunities:
[email protected]

Edited by Isaac Liverance
...more
50min
March 19, 2026 Why WALL E Might Be Pixar’s Deepest Movie with Joseph Thompson | The StoryDads Podcast EP45
In this episode, we unpack why WALL-E might be Pixar’s deepest film—and why it still resonates years later.
Joined by executive coach Joseph Thompson, we explore how a nearly silent movie about two robots becomes a profound story about love, agency, and what it means to be human.
🧠 Key Takeaways
WALL-E as a Catalyst Protagonist
He doesn’t change—but he changes everyone around him.
The Danger of Living on Autopilot
The Axiom represents a life of comfort without purpose—and what it costs us.
Love as a World-Restoring Force
WALL-E and Eve’s relationship isn’t just romantic—it’s generative. It brings life back to humanity.
Agency Is What Makes Us Human
“I should do it myself.” The turning point for both the captain—and all of us.
Order vs. Chaos (and Why You Need Both)
Too much control leads to breakdown. Too much chaos leads to disorder. The balance is where life happens.
👀 Moments We Loved
The first 30 minutes with almost no dialogue—pure visual storytelling
The dance in space (and the hidden DNA imagery)
The captain discovering Earth—and his own agency
The “flip the switch” moment with AUTO
The end credits showing humanity rebuilding from scratch
🔍 Big Ideas
Personhood vs. programming
Comfort vs. purpose
Control vs. servant leadership
Masculine & feminine integration
Why the robots feel more human than the humans
👨‍👩‍👦 For Parents
This is a movie worth watching with your kids—not just because they’ll love it, but because it opens the door to conversations about:
Taking ownership of your life
Choosing purpose over comfort
What real love looks like
Becoming someone who wakes others up
🤝 Connect with Joseph Thompson
Executive Coach at Novus Global
Learn more: https://novus.global
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joseph.a.thompson/
🎬 Next Episode
We’re diving into Tangled—a StoryDads favorite that’s been a long time coming.
👍 Support the Show
If you enjoyed this episode:
Like 👍
Comment 💬
Subscribe 🔔
Share with another dad who loves great stories
🔗 Connect with StoryDads
Follow us for clips, updates, and more:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storydadspodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.story.dads
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStoryDads
X: https://x.com/StoryDads
👤 About the Hosts
Micah’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0182425/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1
Eric’s Counseling Practice: https://www.ericandersoncounseling.com/
📩 Business Inquiries
For advertising or partnership opportunities:
[email protected]

Edited by Isaac Liverance
...more
50min
March 12, 2026 Ratatouille and the Soul of the Artist | The StoryDads Podcast EP44
In this episode of StoryDads, Eric and Micah take a deep dive into Pixar’s Ratatouille — a film that turns a bizarre premise (a rat controlling a chef by pulling his hair) into one of Pixar’s most thoughtful stories about art, talent, and creativity.
At its heart, Ratatouille isn’t really about cooking. It’s about the artistic impulse — the drive to create something beautiful, meaningful, and true. Through Remy’s journey, the film explores big questions about talent versus hard work, the tension between art and commercialization, and the famous idea that “anyone can cook.”
Along the way, the StoryDads explore the film’s deeper themes: the role of mentors and inspiration, the danger of institutions losing their original spirit, and why great art often comes from unlikely places.
It’s a conversation about creativity, calling, and why stories like Ratatouille still resonate with both kids and adults.
Can anyone cook? Or is true artistry reserved for the few?
Join the conversation and let us know what you think. 🔗 Connect with StoryDads
Follow us for clips, updates, and more:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storydadspodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.story.dads
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStoryDads
X: https://x.com/StoryDads
👤 About the Hosts
Micah’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0182425/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1
Eric’s Counseling Practice: https://www.ericandersoncounseling.com/
📩 Business Inquiries
For advertising or partnership opportunities:
[email protected]

Edited by Isaac Liverance
...more
47min
March 05, 2026 The Super Mario Bros. Movie: They Did the Thing | The StoryDads Podcast EP43
🎙 Follow StoryDads
If you enjoy exploring the deeper symbolism and storytelling behind movies your kids love, make sure to follow the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes.
⭐ Leave a Review
Reviews help other listeners discover the show. If you’re enjoying StoryDads, a quick 5-star review on Apple Podcasts goes a long way.
💬 Join the Conversation
What did you think of The Super Mario Bros. Movie?
Did the story work for you — or did it feel more like fan service?
📚 Check out Micah’s Kickstarter: Goodfellow
Inspired by Shakespeare’s Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, this story explores what happens when the trickster prince returns centuries later to find his kingdom in ruins — and must confront the consequences of abandoning it.
If you enjoy mythic storytelling and archetypal fantasy, this is one you won’t want to miss.
🔗 Connect with StoryDads
Follow us for clips, updates, and more:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storydadspodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.story.dads
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStoryDads
X: https://x.com/StoryDads
👤 About the Hosts
Micah’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0182425/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1
Eric’s Counseling Practice: https://www.ericandersoncounseling.com/
📩 Business Inquiries
For advertising or partnership opportunities:
[email protected]

Edited by Isaac Liverance
...more
35min
February 26, 2026 Disney’s Robin Hood: The Trickster Hero (w/ Dan Friedman) | The StoryDads Podcast EP42
Go check out and support the GoodFellow KickStarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/danfriedman/goodfellow-1-what-does-it-take-for-an-immortal-to-grow-up
🔗 Connect with StoryDads
Follow us for clips, updates, and more:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storydadspodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.story.dads
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStoryDads
X: https://x.com/StoryDads
👤 About the Hosts
Micah’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0182425/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1
Eric’s Counseling Practice: https://www.ericandersoncounseling.com/
📩 Business Inquiries
For advertising or partnership opportunities:
[email protected]

Edited by Isaac Liverance
...more
49min
February 19, 2026 The Princess & the Frog: Work, Worth, and the “Deal With the Devil” | The StoryDads Podcast EP41
In this episode of StoryDads, Eric and Micah head to 1920s New Orleans to unpack Disney’s The Princess and the Frog — a film that’s far richer than its fairy-tale reputation suggests.
What starts as a classic princess story becomes a powerful exploration of ambition, identity, and the danger of chasing success the wrong way. We dive into Tiana’s relentless work ethic, Naveen’s carefree charm, and why Dr. Facilier may be one of Disney’s most compelling villains: the embodiment of shortcuts, easy answers, and the hidden cost of getting what you want without becoming who you need to be.
Along the way, we explore fairy-tale archetypes, the meaning behind the film’s New Orleans setting, Disney’s final great hand-drawn animation era, and how the story ultimately reframes dreams—not as achievements to earn, but relationships to build.
If you’ve ever wrestled with work, purpose, or balancing ambition with joy, this conversation will give you a whole new way to see The Princess and the Frog.
Watch the movie, then join the conversation. 🔗 Connect with StoryDads
Follow us for clips, updates, and more:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storydadspodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.story.dads
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStoryDads
X: https://x.com/StoryDads
👤 About the Hosts
Micah’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0182425/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1
Eric’s Counseling Practice: https://www.ericandersoncounseling.com/
📩 Business Inquiries
For advertising or partnership opportunities:
[email protected]

Edited by Isaac Liverance
...more
52min

FAQs about The Story Dads:

How many episodes does The Story Dads have?

The podcast currently has 50 episodes available.