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Mirror Mirror On My Therapist Wall: Joanna

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Joanna the Goanna (monitor lizard): The Most Underrated Disney Princess and a Mental Health Icon
 Because not all royalty wears a tiara—some steal eggs and cause chaos with purpose.

When you think of Disney princesses, you probably picture Belle twirling in a library, Ariel flipping her fins, or Moana sailing the ocean. But what if I told you that one of Disney’s most underrated, most relatable “princesses” doesn’t sing, doesn’t wear a dress, and doesn’t even care what you think?

Enter: Joanna, the sassy, egg-loving Goanna (monitor lizard) from The Rescuers Down Under. She may technically be the pet sidekick of the villainous poacher McLeach—but don’t let that fool you. Joanna is the chaotic neutral queen we didn’t know we needed—and she might just be the perfect symbol for mental health in a messy world.

🦎 Who is Joanna?

Joanna is introduced as a sidekick. She doesn’t speak, but her facial expressions say everything. She’s sly, snack-obsessed, unbothered by authority, and constantly causing mischief—often at McLeach’s expense. She has a kind of I’m just here to do crimes and eat eggs energy.

But if we pause and look deeper, she’s not just comic relief. She’s a symbol of survival. Autonomy. Rebellion. And living unapologetically.

In other words… she’s a damn mental health icon.

👑 Why Joanna is a Disney Princess (and You Can’t Change My Mind)

Let’s break down the criteria:

  • Iconic side eye: Check.

  • Unapologetically herself: Double check.

  • Lives in danger but still prioritizes snacks: Queen behavior.

  • Breaks rules, causes chaos, but always lands on her feet: Slay.

  • Zero interest in pleasing people: Self-respect.

Joanna may not have a tragic backstory or magical powers, but she has something just as powerful: boundaries. And in a world that glamorizes hustle, perfection, and people-pleasing, that’s revolutionary.

🧠 What Joanna Teaches Us About Mental Health

  1. You Can Be in a Toxic Environment and Still Rebel

     Joanna lives with an abusive, controlling figure (McLeach), but she never gives him full control. She messes with him, steals from him, and undermines him in small but powerful ways.

     🧠 Real talk: For many people, trauma and mental health challenges come from environments they can’t always escape—family, work, or even their own inner critic. Joanna shows us that small rebellions—setting boundaries, holding onto joy, reclaiming small freedoms—matter.

  1. You Deserve Rest and Pleasure (Yes, Even Now)

     Joanna is constantly stealing eggs. She stops mid-chaos for a snack. She does not wait for things to calm down to enjoy herself.

     🧠 Mental health takeaway: You don’t have to “earn” rest. You don’t have to have it all together to deserve joy. Eat the snack. Take the nap. Laugh at the absurdity. Joanna reminds us to stop postponing life until things are perfect—because they never will be.

  1. You Can Be Misunderstood and Still Be Worthy

     Joanna is called dumb, annoying, a pest. But the audience knows better. She’s clever. Strategic. Hilarious. She just doesn’t perform for anyone.

     🧠 Mental health check-in: Have you ever been called too much? Too loud? Too emotional? Not enough? Welcome to the misunderstood club. Joanna doesn’t change to fit anyone else’s expectations—and that’s a reminder to stop shrinking yourself to be digestible. You are worthy, even when others don’t see it.

  1. The Chaos Is Sometimes the Coping Mechanism

     Joanna doesn’t destroy things because she’s evil—she does it because she’s trying to survive. She’s navigating a dangerous world the best way she knows how.

     🧠 Therapeutic truth: Sometimes our coping looks messy. Avoidance, sarcasm, overeating, under-sharing—these aren’t flaws, they’re signs that part of you is trying to feel safe. Joanna’s chaos isn’t villainy—it’s a trauma response in lizard form. Be gentle with the part of you that’s just trying to get by.

🐉 The Princess We Need

Joanna is the anti-princess Disney princess. She won’t give you a ballgown moment or a grand love story. But she’ll give you something better:

  • Permission to stop being palatable

  • Power in tiny rebellions

  • Humor in hard moments

  • A masterclass in surviving with sass

She may never get a spin-off, a Funko Pop, or a rebrand. But in our hearts—and in our therapists’ offices—she reigns.

👑Be the Joanna

Maybe you don’t need to be perfectly regulated, always productive, deeply poetic, or universally loved.

Maybe you just need to be real. Maybe you just need to eat your metaphoric (or literal) eggs, make a little mess, and keep reclaiming your voice—even if it’s through hissing and side-eyes.

Joanna didn’t ask to be a role model. But she is.

So the next time life gets overwhelming, ask yourself:
 What would Joanna do?
 (Spoiler: she’d steal the egg, glare at the oppressor, and nap with zero shame.)

Need help channeling your inner chaos queen into real healing? Therapy doesn’t require perfection—just willingness. Let’s find your inner Joanna and build a life that’s messy, real, and yours. Oh and don’t forget your snacks!

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