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Paper Abstract: Applies a Bowenian perspective to the film. Bowen's family therapy theory that emotional fusion is the major problem of families, and differentiation the major goal of therapy. Describes the father-mother-daughter family unit. The father's mid-life crisis, and the crisis he causes his family. Family interactions, anger, bitterness. Paper Introduction: American Beauty A Bowenian Perspective BACKGROUND Family therapy often brings a family in crisis into the therapeutic milieu. In most instances, families present for therapy because a major crisis such as the discovery of a family member’s drug abuse, an act of infidelity by a spousal partner, or risk-taking behavior exhibited by a child. Other than disturbances of mood and affect, the family may alternatively be in crisis because of death, divorce or dramatic changes in terms of economic security or lifestyle. The Burnham family portrayed in American Beauty exhibits nearly all of these system-disrupting crises. According to Bowen, the “major problem in families is emotional fusion; the major goal is differentiation” (Nichols and Schwartz, 2001, 167). Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Carolyn: Oh, you don't complain?!! What is this?!! Lester fearsgrowing older, losing the hope of true love and disrespect from thosecloses to him. Boston, MASS: Allyn and Bacon. At one point Lester tells his daughter's friendand the object of his affection Angela, "How's her life? Yeah, let's bring in the laugh-meter and see how loud it gets..." (Mendez, 1999) The anxiety shared between Lester and Carolyn is transmitted totheir daughter Jane, adding to her lack of differentiation and increasingher emotional fusion. Wedidn't even have a house!" (Mendez, 1999). Interventions such as social skills training are directive in thatthe therapist asks the patient of client to identify the problem behavioror attitude, consider the possible modifications to behavior or attitudethat can ease the difficulty, and then practice those changes until theybecome routine. American Beauty A Bowenian PerspectiveBACKGROUND Family therapy often brings a family in crisis into the therapeuticmilieu. The Burnham family portrayed inAmerican Beauty exhibits nearly all of these system-disrupting crises.According to Bowen, the "major problem in families is emotional fusion; themajor goal is differentiation" (Nichols and Schwartz, 2 1, 167). American Beauty, (Film). Distant from both her father toward who sheexpresses complete contempt ("I need a father who's a role model, not somehorny geek-boy who's gonna spray his shorts every time I bring home agirlfriend") and her mother from who she rebels: Carolyn: Are you trying to look unattractive? She's just someone you useto feel good about yourself" (Mendez, 1999). In this way some of the anger,bitterness and resentment of the individual members will be alleviated astensions individually and to the system. Jane: Yes. The basic unit of family systems is the triangle. Isshe miserable? In most instances, families present for therapy because a majorcrisis such as the discovery of a family member's drug abuse, an act ofinfidelity by a spousal partner, or risk-taking behavior exhibited by achild. As Nichols (et al., 2 1) maintains, "Adaptive level offunctioning is the capacity to make the conscious effort to be objectiveand behave rationally in the face of pressures of emotionality" (141). The Burnham family consists of Lester, the husband of Carolyn andfather of Jane. Her shoes match the handles of her gardening tools and,as Lester tells us, "That's not an accident" (Mendez, 1999). P. Therapymay unfold in stages as the therapist works with one or two members of theBurnham family before engaging other members in the process. This is particularly truebecause of the undifferentiated nature of the members of the system,causing individual and system symptoms based on emotional reactivity. (Mendez, 1999)Jane attempts to fulfill herself outside the family environment through herfriends and the odd but genuine next-door neighbor, Ricky Fitts. Differentiation of the self is theability to separate feeling from thinking (Nichols, et al., 2 1, 14 ).Undifferentiated people react emotionally, and we see this over and overagain in the family dynamic of the Burnham's. Carolyn'scareer ambitions distance her emotionally from her husband and daughter.She adds tension to the family system and disrupts its homeostasis evenfurther when Lester discovers her affair at the drive-in window of his newfast-food job at Mr. Smiley's. In order to change attitudes andbehaviors, each element in the family system must be recognized as bothautonomous and interdependent. and Schwartz, R. Noneof the family members communicate well, instead reacting emotionally tonearly every interchange. Jane Burnham is experiencing the typical seething cauldron ofemotions and feelings perpetuated by adolescence. ReferencesMendez, S. (Director). You've succeeded admirably. As Nichols (et al., 2 1) "The less anxiety isfocused on the children, the more likely they are to grow up with greaterdifferentiation than their parents" (143). In this waythe therapist could direct Lester and Carolyn to become more differentiatedand less emotionally reactive in order to foster success when Jane entersthe group. Homework assignments should be given. Is she happy? Instead, she reactsemotionally to the acting out; "You ungrateful little brat! So,too, systemic family therapy allows the therapist to create interventionsthat are designed to meet the needs of individual family members. When I was your age, we...lived in a duplex! Nichols (etal., 2 1) notes than "whenever you hear a story in which one person isvictim and the other villain, you're being invited into a triangle" (141).We are invited into such a triangle in American Beauty, where Lester feelslike the victim of his wife and daughter with his wife playing the villain. We've met before, butsomething tells me you're going to remember me this time" (Mendez, 1999). USA, 122 min.Nichols, M. The Burnham's are also enmeshed in the societal emotional process.Lester exhibits class prejudice toward Carolyn's career-driven, ambitiouspeers, while Carolyn shows contempt for the, to her adolescent existenceLester seems to want; driving sports cars, working out, smoking grass,working a no-stress menial job and getting laid by the hottest chick inhigh school. He feels unloved by his daughter, ignored by his wife, andunnecessary at work. The lack of constructive or positive familydialogue suits the Burnham's for the Bowenian therapeutic approach.According to Nichols (et al., 2 1), "Therapists ask questions to fosterself-reflection and direct them at individuals one at a time, rather thanencourage family dialogues" (153). At the opening of the film, he informs us invoiceover narration, "I'll be dead in a year...In a way, I'm dead already"(Mendez, 1999). Lack of communication and triangling are pervasive inthe Burnham family system. Triangulationoccurs most when people in family relationships are distant. One oftheir most heated emotional exchanges demonstrates the high level of fusionand undifferentiation that exists in the Burnham family system: Lester: I am sick and tired of being treated like I don't exist. And I'm just now waking up" (Mendez, 1999). Carolyn: Well, congratulations. The Burnham family would also benefit from a family systems approachthat involves practices aimed at detriangulation and increasing socialinteraction skills. I'd really like to know, and she'd die before she'd evertell me about it" (Mendez, 1999). Forward by Salvador Minuchin. You two do whatever you want whenever you wand to do it and I don't complain. Just look ateverything you have. Other than disturbances of mood and affect, the family mayalternatively be in crisis because of death, divorce or dramatic changes interms of economic security or lifestyle. The therapist must remember that while there may be a primarypatient, the entire family is negatively affected by that individual'sdiagnosis. The emotional chaos of thefamily entraps all three members of the family. It isimportant the therapist recognize the family as a system in whichindividual members have multiple roles and multiple relationships betweenand among members of the group. When she tries to awkwardly introduce herlover, Lester lends her a hand: "Her husband. C. For instance,Lester can work on reacting rationally when Jane brings her girlfriendshome instead of reacting emotionally on his inappropriate thoughts. Carolyn is so focused on notbeing a victim, her Italian silk upholstered furniture and her careerambitions that she has little objectivity when it comes to her daughter'sacting out as a form of adolescent rebellion. Then I must be psychotic then! Despiteher efforts, Jane remains trapped in sullen anger.DIAGNOSIS The Burnham family is suffering from a high degree of emotionaldiffusion and undifferentiation. Carolyn, in turns, so much as admits she refuses to play "victim". The family stress exceeds the family system's ability andthat of its members to handle it effectively. The Burnham's need exposed toprocess questions aimed at getting them to think rationally by helping themlearn to decrease reactive anxiety. With the way this system operates,only a reduction in emotional reactivity and an increase in rationalcommunication skills can help dismantle the emotional walls andcommunication patterns they have constructed from years of tension andconflict within the family system. (1999). Carolyn Burnham suppressed her unhappiness through materialism andcareer ambition. At another point Ricky tells Jane abouther choice of friends, "She's not your friend. When a family reaches the degree of crisisexperienced by the Burnham's, a degree of direction is clearly called foron the part of the Bowenian therapist. When Lester broaches asensitive subject, Carolyn responds, "Don't you mess with me Mister, orI'll divorce you so fast your head will spin" (Mendez, 1999).THERAPEUTIC APPROACH Family therapy is broadly defined as any psychotherapeutic pursuitthat primarily focuses on changing the interactions between or among familymembers, one that aims at improving the functioning of the family as asystem, its subsystems, and/or functioning of individual members. As he announces, "I feel like I've been in a coma for the pasttwenty years. Their years of conflict have resulted in triangulation,decreased differentiation, and enmeshed their daughter in their own socio-familial chaos. While Lester's efforts atbeing wild, Carolyn's adultery, and Jane's rebellion represent adaptationmechanisms, these efforts are not the result of rational thought.Therefore, the family also suffers from a low level of adaptivefunctioning. Family Therapy: Concepts and Methods, (5th edit.). (2 1). She is unsmiling,insecure and terribly unhappy. Lester is experiencing a mid-life crisis and his familyexhibits crisis due to him throwing away his career and beginning a newlife aimed at reinvigorating him with the hope, optimism and sex appeal ofhis youth. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.