RUNNING HEAD: FAMILY ASSESSMENT 1

Family Assessment, Theory Application and Intervention 

Ordinary People
SWK705
Salem State University
Kara Trietsch
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Brief Overview:

After the accidental death of oldest son Buck, the Jarrett family struggles to find their

new normal while grappling with the grief that has racked their family system. When Buck dies

at sea while on a boat with his younger brother Conrad, teenage Conrad is so overcome with

survivor’s guilt that he attempts suicide. Parents Beth and Calvin try to continue life as usual,

while Conrad spends several months at an in-patient facility. Upon Conrad’s return to the

family’s home, Beth acts as though everything is alright, as if the family had not experienced

several collective traumas, and Calvin tries to support Conrad as best he can, which admittedly is

not very well. 

The film starts after Conrad’s acclimation to being home, and we see him have difficulty

trying to assume his old routine in school and at home. His grades slip, he withdraws from his

friends, and no longer finds joy in being a member of the school swim team. He works with his

therapist, Dr. Berger, to understand and control his emotions, rather than suppress and ignore

them. At home, Calvin tries to connect with his surviving son the best he can, visibly worrying

about him and his well-being. Additionally, Calvin is the one who found Conrad after the suicide

attempt and the image continues to haunt him long after Conrad’s return home. His wife, Beth,

on the other hand, avoids Conrad at all costs and clings to whatever shreds of normalcy she can

find. 

After Conrad learns that a friend of his from the hospital has died by suicide, he turns to

Dr. Berger in a fit of panic. With the help of Dr. Berger, Conrad has a breakthrough in therapy

and is able to gain perspective on the survivor’s guilt that has gripped him since Buck’s death, as

well as finally understand his mother’s limitations when it comes to her inability to provide him

with emotional love and support. Calvin, however, finds himself unable to cope with his wife’s
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emotional inaccessibility and at the end of the film, she leaves the family. Calvin and Conrad are

left to adjust to their new lives. 

Going forward, Calvin and Conrad must find a way to each address and manage their

grief and losses. They must work together to create an environment of emotional normalcy that

supports their healing process and contributes to an overall increased family functioning. They

must also learn to communicate with each other effectively. 

Family Assessment Components:

The boundaries that exist within the Jarrett family are rigid by nature. The family

members have strongly formed subgroups that operate within them. The marital subgroup of

Calvin and Beth begins strong. Through their interactions and communications with one another

it is clear they love each other very much and have built a family together on common values and

styles. The boundaries of their subgroup are rigid; it seems they have not had much success in

integrating their new reality of one son’s passing and the other’s resulting mental health issues.

The structure they have in place does not easily allow for the processing of new information or

situations, which is something that winds up being disruptive and a source of stress for their

relationship. As Calvin advocates for the expansion and loosening of their boundaries, perhaps to

include Conrad, his relationship with Beth is unable to accommodate that and winds up

splintering. The subgroup of Calvin and Conrad is not the sturdiest of relationships, but of all the

ones in the family, it does appear to be the most malleable. Conrad’s mental health is in a state of

flux, and while Calvin does not know how to best support him, he is able to make adjustments

and incorporate the changes in Conrad’s behavior into his (Calvin’s) working understanding.

With Buck’s death, Conrad lost his sibling alliance, and Calvin steps into a new role by checking

in on Conrad. Based on the way that Beth talks about Buck, it can be assumed that Beth and
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Buck had a particular fondness for each other. Even the names of the characters are alliterative to

possibly reflect the familial alliances held (Buck and Beth, Conrad and Calvin.)

There are many areas of emotional cutoffs to be found in this family, the most notable

ones involve Beth. Her inability to spend time with Conrad is a result of her disconnectedness to

him. Upon his return from the hospital, she considers him “fixed” and doesn’t express an interest

in hearing about his recovery. In fact, it is the opposite- she feels that his work with Dr. Berger is

his own private work. We see a clear example of this cutoff when Calvin tries to get his son and

wife to pose for a photograph together. The emotional distance between them makes it difficult

to physically be near each other, something creates visible discomfort for them both. The

emotional cutoff between Beth and Calvin is less obvious, but it still exists. We see it in her

unwillingness to broach certain topics, namely the death of their son. When Calvin confronts

Beth about her comment regarding his clothing on the day of Buck’s funeral, she is willing to

discuss how her behavior impacted  him, but not the cause of the behavior itself. 

While not immediately evident, the Jarrett family has their strengths. Despite the pain

that Beth’s inability to discuss Buck’s death causes the family, her commitment to maintaining

the status quo is admirable. Her ability to run a household and keep up the appearance of

normalcy is an undervalued service that she provides the rest of the family. Calvin’s intuition and

awareness of Conrad’s feelings keep them connected and help ground Conrad. It’s one of the

ways that Conrad is able to feel loved by his father and lets him know that Calvin cares about

him. Conrad’s eventual acceptance of Beth’s limitations, as well as the rest of the work he does

with Dr. Berger paints the picture of a bright teenager who’s ways of thinking are open to growth

and change. 
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A stressor that the family recently experienced was Conrad’s suicide attempt. An

obviously upsetting incident for the family, especially in the wake of Buck’s death, Calvin had

the compounded stress of being the one to find Conrad. Conrad’s subsequent four-month long

stay in a hospital was another stressor for the family. In addition to the devastating circumstances

that necessitated such a stay, it was also very difficult for Beth and Calvin to feel comfortable at

home, knowing that their family unit was in such disarray. 

Buck’s passing was both a stressor and a major life transition for the Jarretts.  The grief

left a lasting, negative and stressful impact on the family. On top of that the trauma of witnessing

Buck’s drowning and being at sea with him during the accident, Conrad certainly feels the

impact of that stress. Buck’s death was also a major life transition for the family- life, as they

knew it, was over. Gone with Buck was the familiar dynamic of the family; the balance and the

assumed roles. Life after Buck required an overhaul of the family system, something the Jarretts

display great difficulty in achieving. 

One of the rules in the family is that problems are to be managed, but not discussed.

Outward appearance is of the utmost concern and its conservation must be protected. We see this

when Beth is upset with Conrad for quitting the swim team. She isn’t upset with him for quitting,

exactly. She is upset because he didn’t tell her that he quit and she found out from the mother of

a former teammate, which is something she felt reflected poorly on her. 

The roles in the family are rigidly defined and don’t allow much space for flexibility.

Beth manages the house and sets expectations for the family, working hard to meet them. Calvin

is the peacemaker and the go-between for his wife and his son. While we get the sense that

Conrad and Beth were distant even before Buck’s death, we also see glimpses of Buck’s alliance

with Conrad and it’s safe to assume that he acted as a protector at times. The role of peacemaker
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is new for Calvin and he struggles to find a balance that works. Conrad plays several roles in the

family, as each member does, and one of them is the scapegoat, the target for Beth’s anger. She

seems to resent him for attempting to take his own life and it begs the question, what are her

feelings about Conrad’s presence during the boat accident? She also feels that he is the cause of

the areas of friction within her marriage. 

The Jarrett family is one experiencing disengagement. They are distant and isolated from

each other. Beth is far removed from Conrad’s emotional life, and Calvin’s interest in getting

involved with it has become a source of conflict within the family. They are not functioning well

as a family system, partially due to their inability to incorporate the reality of their current life

circumstance into the image they hold of themselves as a family unit. While they have some

challenges that prevent them from fully  functioning as a family and coping with their losses,

there are some protective factors in place that serve them well.

 The social connections that Beth and Calvin have, as well as the ones that Conrad has,

are proven protective factors when it comes to overall functioning. Beth’s close relationship with

her brother and his wife, as well as Conrad’s friendships with Karen from his hospital program

and Jeannine, a girl from school, provide support for the members of the Jarrett family. Despite

their current struggles, Beth and Calvin have a strong relationship that displays resilience,

another protective factor in the family environment. Additionally, Conrad attends a good school

with teachers and administrators who watch out for him and notice when he struggles. Those

supports, along with that of Dr. Berger, are protective factors for Conrad. The family is from an

affluent background, which grants them access to resources from which a family in a lower

socio-economic class might be barred. The family’s ability to afford hospitalization for Conrad is

an example of the protection their class affords them. Lastly, their affluence and values
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associated with their wealth put them in a category of people who plan for the future and look

ahead. Future planning is a protective factor, because it helps keep one on track and in line with

goals. 

In family systems, relationship dynamics tend to be impacted in circular ways, rather than

linear. Throughout the film it becomes clear that even before Buck’s death, Beth preferred him to

his brother- a preference that becomes exponentially more pronounced after Conrad’s return

home from the hospital. Beth’s aversion to spending time with Conrad is palpable- she avoids

touching him or offering affection of any kind, in fact she barely talks to him except for

commands, requests, and reminders. When Calvin attempts to facilitate a bond between Beth and

Conrad, he is shut down by one or both of them. His conversations with Beth about the matter

are perceived as slights; she feels that he is taking Conrad’s side over hers, or is overly

concerned with Conrad’s feelings, which is an anger she takes out on Conrad, further driving a

wedge between them. This pattern repeats and escalates throughout the film. 

Using the life course perspective concepts of transitions and trajectories, Beth’s leaving

of the family marks an unexpected transition that impacts each family member’s trajectories in

different ways. Calvin’s role in his family changes- overnight he becomes a primary caretaker,

provider and parent for Conrad. His trajectory will be categorized by how he responds to his new

roles. Conrad’s trajectory has now been altered, as he will have one parent at home that supports

him and helps him grow into an emotionally and socially competent man. Beth’s trajectory has

been altered in the most obvious of ways; she has stepped out of her role as homemaker and

mother and is left to create an identity independent of her family.

Case Formulation:
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Conrad is a 16-year-old white male from an affluent family. He is several months out of a

four-month long hospitizaltion that came following a suicide attempt. Last year his older brother,

Buck, died in a boating accident for which Conrad was present. After Conrad’s return home, he

withdraws from his peer groups, which includes friends and teammates, and quits the swim team.

Karen, his friend and social support from his time in the hospital, dies by suicide around

Christmas, which has a significant impact on him. Soon after Christmas, his mother leaves the

family. Conrad and his father remain in the family home. 

One problem area is the communication between Calvin and Conrad. Another one is

Conrad’s relationships with his peers. Calvin needs to address changes in his attitude towards his

wife and his marriage and not relying on involving Conrad to help him with that. Calvin also

must process his changed perspective and feelings about his marriage. 

Using the life course concept of trajectories, it is clear how the major life event of Buck’s

death sent the family members on various subsequent trajectories. It was the catalyst for what led

to Beth leaving the family. Conrad attempted suicide and that event, along with his

hospitalization, set him in motion down a path of recovery and growth. Calvin was launched into

the role of caretaker, a role he has not previously filled in the family, which will have a lasting

impact on the function he plays going forward. 

Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1: Strengthen relationship between Conrad and Calvin

Objective A: Conrad and Calvin will prepare and eat one meal per day together, for four

weeks. 

Objective B: Conrad and Calvin will participate in one fun/leisure time activity together

per weekend, for four weeks.

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Objective C: Conrad and Calvin will attend therapy together once a week, for four

weeks.

At the beginning and the end of the four weeks, Conrad and Calvin will answer a series of

questions that assess strengths of their relationship and the areas for growth.

Potential barriers:

 Therapy may stir up feelings of discomfort

 Shifting into spending time together may be difficult

Goal 2: Conrad and Calvin will process their feelings of grief and loss

Objective A: Conrad and Calvin will each write their feelings in a weekly journal and

bring this to therapy.

Objective B: Conrad and Calvin will normalize talking about Beth and Buck by each

sharing one memory with each other a week, for four weeks. 

At the beginning of the four weeks and again at the end, Calvin and Conrad will answer a series

of questions that address their current stages of grief and will decide together if they feel they are

moving towards healing.

Potential barriers: 

 The rate of progress may be frustrating

 There is uncertainty about what lies ahead regarding Beth

Part B:

Intervention:

Solution focused brief therapy is the intervention that will be used with the Jarrett family.

SFBT focuses on increasing family functioning by developing goals and objectives that are

oriented in the near future (Positive Psychology, 2016). By changing behaviors, the family is
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able to experience positive change in short periods of time. SFTB acknowledges that while the

underlying causes of dysfunction are important, they are also subject to change over time.

Considering the multiple perspectives that exist within family systems, to parse through and

resolve each member’s individual issues would not be feasible in a group setting, nor would it

necessarily have a positive behavioral impact on the overall family functioning. By setting

concrete and time specific goals, SFBT is able to assist families in addressing stressors caused by

major life events. In this way, SFTB is a pragmatic intervention to guide Calvin and Conrad in

restructuring their new family unit after the death of Buck and the absence of Beth. 

Given the long-standing history of emotional distance between Beth and Conrad, and the

ruptures that it caused in Conrad’s relationship with Calvin, it would not behoove either of them

to dwell on every aspect of the past. Together they must focus on solutions to their problems so

that they can move forward.  SFBT has an underlying theory that says that solutions are often

found in the exceptions (Positive Psychology, 2017). To find these solutions, the family and their

therapist should look together at times when the problems are either not occurring or have a

milder impact. Observing these moments may give clues about what works, and repeating those

successful strategies can improve overall functioning (Positive Psychology, 2017). 

The objectives listed under Goal 1 are designed to each target a different part of

strengthening Calvin and Conrad’s relationship overall. Objective A targets their ability to work

together and develop routine together. Objective B fosters positive feelings and infuses levity

into a father/son relationship that has seen much trauma. Objective C, which is attending therapy

together, has the option of pulling in aspects of narrative therapy. 

Narrative therapy, used with solution focused therapy, can be effective in dealing with

high conflict families because it allows family members to understand their feelings by creating
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their own narratives, rather than arguing with each other about their recollections or perspectives

(D’Abate, 2016). In these high conflict families where time may be an important factor, this

intervention allows them to see relief quickly. Narrative therapy will also help the Jarretts meet

Goal 3, which is to process their feelings of grief. For families who have experienced high levels

of trauma or emotional turmoil, this can be a way to claim ownership over feelings and events

that have been overwhelming, especially for children (D’Abate, 2019).  This will help Conrad

deconstruct problematic internalizations of family issues and allow Calvin access to Conrad’s

perspective. By identifying goals for a solution focused brief therapy intervention, while

incorporating aspects of narrative therapy into their grief work, the Jarrett’s will be able to

improve their overall family functioning.

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References

D’Abate, D.A., (2016). Use of solution-focused and family narrative approaches in working with

high conflict families: Strategies and techniques that can be utilized in parenting

coordination and co-parenting coaching. Journal of Child Custody, 13(4).

269-288.

Positive Psychology (2017). What is Solution Focused Therapy? Retrieved from:

   https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/solution-focused-therapy/