Exclusive Screening of The Son Followed by Expert Panel Discussion

Description

On the heels of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, families are invited to watch one more movie. Fusion Academy Santa Barbara will host a private showing of “The Son” to be followed by a panel of area mental health professionals who will help facilitate an open conversation about teen suicide.  

“We were moved by the film,” said Shayne Horan, Ed.D., Fusion Academy Santa Barbara Head of School. “I walked out of the theater with a sense of urgency. I called a colleague and said we needed to do something. Teen suicide is just too important to not talk about it.”   

Fusion invites parents to attend a free screening of “The Son” by Florian Zeller. Sony Pictures Classics released “The Son” last fall. Starring Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby, Zen McGrath, and Anthony Hopkins, the film follows a family as it faces life after divorce and remarriage and braces the mental health challenges and self-destructive behaviors of a teenage son. Following the movie, parents can ask questions about how to talk to their teens and better manage mental health challenges.  

What: Special screening of “The Son” followed by a community conversation  

Where: Metropolitan Metro 4 Theatre, 618 State Street, Santa Barbara 

When: March 1, from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. PST 

How to attend: Register in advance here to receive a ticket.  

Cost: Complimentary  

Note: This event is intended for parents and guardians. 

“Families are generally afraid to talk about what to do when confronted with their teen’s depression, anxiety or self-harming,” said Santa Barbara Psychologist Ron Brooks, Ph.D. “Conversely, professionals fear what happens when families don’t talk about it. The Son is a launchpad for us start to that conversation.”  

Brooks, whose practice is focused on adolescents and young adults, together with Horan will participate in the discussion following the movie, and will be joined by other area professionals, including:  

• Sam Althauser, D.O. 
• Christina Donaldson, Ph.D.  
• Melissa Flanigan, Psy.D. 
• Joann Ng, M.D.   

“We live in challenging times and are regularly faced with plenty of unhappy endings,” Horan said. “We are humbled by the willingness of our panel to support this effort and provide this gift to the community.” 

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI) Help line at 1(800) 950-6294, text 62640, email helpline@nami.org or chat at nami.org/help.