Conrad's Healing Case Study

One thing that helped Conrad’s healing is for him to begin dating a girl from his high school. Conrad’s experience of grief is coupled with his experience of a growing adolescent. The literature suggests that bereaved adolescents are at risk of developmental complications (Buckle & Fleming, 2011). Though the interaction did not end well, Conrad’s girlfriend was the first person he felt comfortable sharing his reasons for attempting suicide. This teenage relationship helps establish a sense of normalcy for Conrad and there are notable positive changes in his mood and behavior as a result.
Throughout the movie, Calvin grapples with maintaining the family unit while individually joining with Beth and Conrad. Calvin seeks to heal by talking with others regarding challenges the family is experiencing. Additionally, Calvin attempts to attempts to talk to Beth and Conrad, though mostly to no avail. For Calvin, part of the healing process was to acknowledge Beth’s limitations and inability to adjust to the drastic change in the

Through therapy, Conrad recognized his feelings of guilt associated with Buck’s death. After a cathartic therapy session, Conrad alleviated himself of this guilt and acknowledged that Buck’s death was truly an accident. For Calvin, a brief therapy session helps him acknowledge Beth’s inability to demonstrate affection for Conrad. Additionally, Calvin realizes he has unresolved issues of his own he needed to process. Most importantly, Calvin and Conrad had a safe space to talk uninhibited about Buck’s death, their subsequent grief, and their view of the family dynamic. This opportunity to emote was in stark contrast to their inability to speak freely about the event at home with Beth. Finally, Conrad and Calvin appear to bond at the end of the movie. It is during this interaction that the audience sees a demonstration of affection between the father-son