After watching the film “What Eats Gilbert Grape” we focus more on Gilbert Grape than on any other character in the film. Gilbert Grape is a young man who resides in a small community called Endora. Gilbert states at the beginning of the film: "Describing Endora is like dancing without music." Gilbert's youngest brother, Arnie, will soon be 18 and has a developmental disability that was never revealed in the film. Additionally, Bonnie Gilbert's mother has been confined in her home since her husband committed suicide seven years ago. Furthermore, Bonnie is in a phase of stagnation. He is overweight and doesn't think about doing anything for himself or his children. Therefore, leaving Gilbert with the full responsibility of taking care of his family, especially Arnie. Overall, after watching the film I can say that Gilbert is in the fifth stage of identity versus identity confusion. Erikson as (cited in Newman & Newman 2012), states: “A person's assessment of the importance of certain content areas in relation to others influences the use of resources, the direction of certain decisions, and the types of experiences which may be perceived as more personally rewarding or threatening” (PP. 413). Therefore, during the adolescent years, individuals are challenged to discover who they are, what they do, and where they see themselves in the future. Furthermore, struggling to support his dysfunctional family, Gilbert has difficulty finding his personal identity. Due to the pressure of supporting his family and watching over Arnie, Gilbert has no social life. When Gilbert tries to have a social life, something bad always happens to Arnie. For example, when Gilbert starts talking to Becky, Arnie once... middle of paper... J. (2011) “Cognitive behavioral therapy allows the client and therapist to work on cycles of thought and behavior that perpetuate the low mood” (Pp. 1). Finally, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy will help the family understand the traumatizing stress they have endured. According to Cohen and Mannarino (2008) “Children can develop various problems in response to traumatic exposure” (Pp. 1). Works Cited Cohen, J. A., & Mannarino, A. P. (2008). Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy for children and parents. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 13(4), 158-162.Newman, B. (2012). Development through life: A psychosocial approach. Price, J. (2012). Cognitive behavioral therapy: a case study. Mental Health Practice, 15(9), 26-31.Sakinofsky, I. (2007). The consequences of suicide: managing the bereavement of survivors. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 52129S-136S.