This film is about a dysfunctional family living in a small rural town in Iowa. Characters in the film include Gilbert, his mentally ill mother, Bonnie, his two younger sisters, Amy and Ellen, and his older brother, Arnie. Gilbert is the main character responsible for caring for the family. The movie follows the family’s struggles and how they cope with their day-to-day lives. The death of Gilbert’s father was a significant event in the family’s history, leaving Bonnie with the responsibility of raising the children on her own. This event put a tremendous strain on the family, compounded by Bonnie’s mental illness, making it difficult for her to provide the children with the support and guidance they needed. As a result, Gilbert had to take on the role of caretaker and provider for his younger siblings, which was an immense burden. This essay will discuss the presenting problems, family dynamics, and observations of the family. It will also discuss the application of Bowen’s Family Systems Theory to this family and how it can better understand and serve them. Moreover, it will explain a potential family intervention plan and reflect on the challenges I would anticipate while working with this family.
The two presenting problems I would identify when meeting with this family would be Gilbert’s feelings of being overwhelmed and the family’s lack of communication. Gilbert is the oldest child at home and is responsible for caring for his younger siblings, working in the family’s store, and caring for his mentally ill mother (Patriarch, 1993). It is evident that Gilbert is overwhelmed and exhausted, and he often wants to escape and start a new life (Patriarch, 1993). The family also needs more communication and understanding. They often argue and misunderstand one another, and the siblings lack trust. Gilbert and Arnie resent each other, and there is an evident lack of understanding between them (Patriarch, 1993). This lack of understanding is also present between Gilbert and his sisters, as he needs more time and energy to connect with them genuinely (Patriarch, 1993). The family needs to find ways to solve their problems and understand each other better.
Some relevant family histories that need exploration are Gilbert’s father’s death and the onset of Bonnie’s mental illness (Patriarch, 1993). Questions that I would ask to assess this information would include: How did Gilbert’s father’s death affect the family? How did Bonnie’s mental illness begin? How has it affected the family dynamic? How did the family cope with the death and illness? What changes have been made in order to deal with these events? How has the family’s socioeconomic status impacted their relationships?
The family dynamics I observed from the film are strained and distant. There is an apparent lack of trust between the siblings, and it is evident that Gilbert and Arnie do not get along. Gilbert is resentful of Arnie for not helping out more with the family, while Arnie is resentful of Gilbert for taking on the responsible role (Patriarch, 1993). In addition to the strained relationships between the family members, there are also parenting issues. Gilbert is the only one who takes on a parental role and has no guidance or support from the adults in the family (Patriarch, 1993). All this led to frustration and resentment as he had to take on an unprepared role. Furthermore, there are gender issues within the family, as Gilbert is the only male and acts as the protector and provider (Patriarch, 1993). In order to end all these dynamics, the family needs to stand up and work together equally with a common understanding and equality.
Other observations I have made about this family include a clear pattern of avoidance among the family members. Gilbert often avoids Arnie and his sisters, while Arnie avoids most of his responsibilities (Patriarch, 1993). There is also a need for more structure and consistency within the family. Gilbert is the only one who takes on a parental role and has no guidance or support from the adults in the family (Patriarch, 1993). There need to be more cultural aspects. The family is seen as an outsider in the small rural town and has few connections with their neighbours. The family also lacks cultural aspects, as they are perceived as outsiders in the small rural town (Patriarch, 1993). This lack of cultural awareness hurts the family’s functioning, as they cannot connect with the community around them. This further isolates them and makes it difficult for them to find support and guidance.
The Theory of approach I will use to understand better and serve this family is Bowen’s Family Systems Theory. It is a theory about how families interact and how they are affected by their environment. The Theory suggests that individual members and the family’s environment shape family relationships and dynamics (Bridge, 2019). It also suggests that family members are connected and influence one another’s behaviour and emotions. This Theory can better understand the family motility in What is Eating Gilbert Grape, such as the lack of communication and understanding between the family members and the imbalance of gender roles (Bridge, 2019). It can also serve the family by helping them better understand their relationships and how they influence one another. The Theory can help the family look at their interactions from a different perspective and help them to create better communication. It can also help them to identify their family’s strengths and weaknesses and create plans to address any issues they may have. Furthermore, the Theory can help the family to be more aware of the roles each member plays in the family and how these roles can affect the family dynamics (Bridge, 2019). It can also help them recognize the boundaries between family members and learn how to respect them.
If I were to develop a Family Intervention Plan for this family, I would work with them through individual, family, and group therapy sessions. I would meet with each family member individually to get to know them better and assess their needs (Varghese, 2020). During the individual sessions, I would also assess the family’s dynamics, interactions, and current roles and responsibilities (McLean et al., 2021). Afterward, I would conduct therapy sessions to help the family understand their relationships, set boundaries, and work on communication and understanding. I would also involve Arnie in the family therapy sessions to help him develop more mature and responsible behaviour (McLean et al., 2021). I would encourage the family to attend group therapy sessions, where they can learn from other families’ experiences and build a support system
My intervention plan would focus on illuminating the family’s strengths and helping them understand their individual and collective roles and responsibilities. I would set goals with the family, such as improving communication, understanding, and empathy. I would also help them work on developing healthy boundaries and relationships (Varghese, 2020). I would help the family identify their collective strengths and weaknesses, develop strategies to manage their emotions and cope with their individual and collective stressors. I would also help them understand how their individual and collective actions affect each other and the family. Additionally, I would help the family identify and practice healthy communication skills, problem-solving skills and conflict-resolution strategies. I would help the family develop more effective ways to give and receive support from each other.
When working with this family, I anticipated challenges in helping them communicate and understand one another. I also anticipated that my biases and values might hinder me from helping the family. For example, I may be biased against Arnie for his irresponsible behaviour, hindering my understanding and empathy toward him. On the other hand, my empathy and understanding of values may help me serve the family better (Moudatsou et al., 2020). I will need to be aware of my biases and values to be more effective in helping this family. I also need to know how my personal experiences influence my interactions with the family. I must be mindful of potential power dynamics between myself and the family and strive to ensure that my interactions are respectful and non-judgmental (Moudatsou et al., 2020). I also need to consider the potential impact of cultural and socioeconomic differences and how these may shape family dynamics. I also need to be aware of potential language or communication barriers between myself and my family (Moudatsou et al., 2020). Lastly, I need to be mindful of my emotions during interactions with the family and strive to remain professional and objective to be the most effective in helping the family.
In conclusion, What is Eating Gilbert Grape is a film that explores the struggles of dysfunctional families and their attempts to cope with their day-to-day lives. Through this analysis, I have identified the family’s presenting problems and dynamics and discussed the application of Bowen’s Family Systems Theory and a potential family intervention plan. Furthermore, I have reflected on the challenges I anticipate when working with this family and how my biases and values may influence my interactions with them. This analysis has provided me with a better understanding of family dynamics and how Bowen’s Family Systems Theory can be used to better understand and serve families in similar situations.
References
Bridge, E. N. (2019). Review of a case study in light of Bowen’s Theory: Differentiation of self. Yaşam Becerileri Psikoloji Dergisi, 3(5), 65-72. https://doi.org/10.31461/ybpd.556080
McLean, S. A., Booth, A. T., Schnabel, A., Wright, B. J., Painter, F. L., & McIntosh, J. E. (2021). Exploring the efficacy of telehealth for family therapy through systematic, meta-analytic, and qualitative evidence. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, pp. 24, 244–266.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-020-00340-2
Moudatsou, M., Stavropoulou, A., Philalithis, A., & Koukouli, S. (2020). The Role of Empathy in Health and Social Care Professionals. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 8(1), 26. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8010026
Patriarch, .f.(1993). What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. https://youtu.be/86MSOwNyqe8
Varghese, M., Kirpekar, V., & Loganathan, S. (2020). Family interventions: Basic principles and techniques. Indian journal of psychiatry, 62(Suppl 2), S192.https://doi.org/10.4103%2Fpsychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_770_19
write